Explain what would be amusing to a Shakespearean audience in 'Much Ado about Nothing'

Explain what would be amusing to a Shakespearean audience

In ‘Much Ado about Nothing’

There are a few things that a Shakespearean audience would expect from a play in his romantic comedy genre. One of these expectations would be that of a light-hearted plot, with small confusions to push the story along its course. The play is helped with a pleasant setting of Messina, ‘where honeysuckles ripened by the sun’ However, due to lack of props, stage qualities and modern technology Shakespeare would have to create the setting in his words using imagery, through the dialogue of his characters. This is effective as it gives a personal slant but may also be biased, as characters views are not always correct. Dancing and merriment also helps create a glowing atmosphere and is used throughout the play. These celebrations are used at the begging when Don Pedro and his men arrive and at the end as the play concludes in marriage, which would be expected in this genre. However when the play does get sinister, Shakespeare manages to change to another parallel scene and therefore lightens the moment. An example of this is the scene after we learn of hero’s alleged infidelity from don john and then we move to the watch and less serious matters from the lower class characters.

The scene when we first meet Beatrice is the first amusing scene in this play, the people of Messina are just about to hear of news that Don John and his men are coming to Messina; ‘I learn in this letter, that Don John of Arragon comes this night to Messina.’ Through this scene we gain insight into the strong characteristics of Beatrice as she boldly states, ‘But for how many hath he killed? – for I indeed promised to eat all of his killing’ this shows both the strong will and ruthlessness we come to expect from Beatrice throughout the play. Shakespeare uses her characteristics to force the play onwards as Beatrice manages to create the most bizarre situations; ‘There is a kind of merry war betwixt Signor Benedick and her’, as she fights against her own feelings and the feelings of others. This is due to her bold and vibrant personality, which she uses both for good and bad during her journey in the play.

There is a definite contrast between the type of person Shakespeare portrays Beatrice to be at the beginning and at the end our opinions of her change as do Benedick’s views on her. Benedick enters by referring to her as ‘Lady Disdain’ a derogatory comment meaning she is very pessimistic and at the end as he says to her; ‘suffer love! A god epithet: I do suffer love indeed, for Lo love thee against my will’ which both show his changed attitude and feelings for Beatrice. ‘ Thou and I are too wise to woo peaceably’ sums up their relationship as this intelligence has brought the stereotypical obstacles, specific to this genre. We see her development as she starts as anything but a typical heroine and yet it seems ironic how her love-hate relationship ends in an orthodox marriage, which is much due to the stereotyped expectations of the audience for this genre of play.

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Shakespeare frequently uses the audience’s initial sharpness to get an idea of Beatrice firmly set into the mind of the audience. He uses this to show that the ‘Merry war’ between her and Benedick shall be a battle of high-class wit, clever puns and trickery, before Benedick appears on stage. For instance ‘ is it possible Disdain should … …if you come in her presence.’ This Shows Beatrice’s witty come back and play on words to dismiss Benedick. However we learn of this war earlier than this as her first line about Benedick refers to him as, ‘Signor Mountanto’ to one area of the audience an upward sword thrust, however many others may take note of the other meaning, being an erection. She therefore may be suggesting he sleeps around, and she obviously has mixed feelings about this. This is a good example of the high-class wit from Beatrice shown throughout the play. Beatrice uses this type of comedy as it is specific to her state in society and the higher-class wit reflects her important position in the town. Shakespeare often used techniques such as sexual innuendo and double meanings in his comedy as it were a way to bring across humour from the upper classes. These types of techniques involving status are still used in today on television. For example, Eastenders’ Phil Mitchell’s humour is of a contrasting style and class to that of Patrick Taverner, this is due to the writer’s ideas for the audience. This is the same for Shakespeare, he has to use more advanced comedy and skills, as the audience would never endorse slapstick style comedy from these characters. This slapstick humour comes to us through the lower status characters in the night watch. A reason for this status specific comedy was the belief of the people at that point in history. Many believed your status was decided by god and could not be changed. It was accepted from all of society that they had their own place on the social ladder in their own community. Prince or peasant this was god’s choice for you and respect for religion and its belief was high. This is the principle reason behind the lower class’ clownish behaviour.

Enter the clowns, act 3 scene 3; it is the scene after we learn of Don Pedro, Don John and Claudio’s vow to shame Hero in public with regard to her infidelity. This plot was just a scam, an illusion of hero which ties in with title of the play ‘Much ado about Nothing’ meaning a lot of fuss over nothing. This scam is a typical romantic comedy obstacle the characters must face, before the typical happy ending. It was a dark scene and I feel Shakespeare has used to watch to lighten the mood in accordance with the genre.

By bringing in these new characters it keeps the play amusing, fresh and also light-hearted for the audience, a direct contrast to the previous scene. The audience are given no previous knowledge or reference to the watch but are thrown straight into dialogue, this is effective, and as we have no pre-conceptions or ideas we therefore take the characters for face value. The main comedy from the watch is Slapstick style devices and malapropism. These techniques are still use in today’s comedy with characters like Mr. Bean, which is of a similar genre situation comedy.

Malapropism is the ridiculous misuse of a word through one resembling it. Dogberry uses this frequently, yet unconsciously, and much more than all of the other characters. For example, he states ‘you the most desartless man’ when it would have only made sense if he said deserving. This is an example of a malapropism and shows dogberry’s incompetence to manage his self. This is ironic as he is not only responsible for himself but for crime in the town of Messina. We gain a sense of dogberry’s character from his first lines ‘ are you good men and true?’ we learn of his willingness to sound official but find his difficulties amusing as his inflated pride tells him how he is indeed an official significant member of the community. In a later scene (Act 4 scene 2) Conrade states ‘away you are an ass, you are an ass’ when talking to dogberry, and this is a final dent into the pride of dogberry. He clearly wears his heart on his sleeve and his emotions are clear as he aims to pick up the pieces and retain respect from his watch. His reply contains repetition of ass as if it were to convince himself of his capabilities. He makes a point of making this speech as if it mattered to him and this is how we can tell it has not been merely brushed aside, but has hurt dogberry.

The court scene is amusing to the audience a s they see the watch have to act in a professional manner, which is very ironic as they are rather clownish o this is out of character for them. The audience would find this funny as the watch appear uncomfortable as they endeavour to sound more professional than normal. Dogberry begins by asking, ‘ Is our whole dissembly appeared’ instead of assembly. This is another malapropism, the dissemble means mess. However this statement is also true and ironic as the court is a mess. As well as this we find humour in the fact that the watch do not notice the error in dogberry’s question.

We first hear of Benedick before he arrives on set, as Beatrice’s interest in his well being is shown from the start;’ I pray you is signor Mountanto returned from the wars or no?’ she hides these feelings behind insults as if it were a mask for the love shared in the end, masks are a common theme in the play and in other plays of the time. However in her curiosity she gives us a negative view of Benedick; ‘he is no less than a stuffed man’ based on her previous encounters with him, as he has appeared to of hurt her, emotionally; ‘You always end with a jade’s trick. I know you of old’. This is peculiar, as when we do meet Benedick he seems a highly regarded man. Beatrice and Benedick’s troubled relationship is well known to the people of Messina and they seem to enjoy the high-class battle of wit, which Leonato states to be a ‘Merry War.’ During this war we are aquatinted with an arrangement of comical devices which. However they both seem to know each other very well and can attempt to anticipate how the other will react and reply to an insult, this shows how they are so very alike in their humour and insults and this maybe why they end up together. As a result of this small topical battles go on, as when Benedick remarks, “Well you are a rare parrot-teacher” however Beatrice does not take this lightly. This is also a phrase with great imagery; the image is both obscure and musing to the audience. She does reply with a play on Benedick’s remark previous

“A bird of my tongue is better than a beast of yours” and this therefore dismisses and overrules it powerfully. This topical encounter does not end here as Benedick strives to have the last laugh” I would a horse had the speed of your tongue…”

If each other can anticipate each other’s response, through the insults are biting they can sustain each clever wit. Shakespeare also uses this to show the audience the bond between the characters. This section shows great reference to the animal world, with regard to many tropical animals odd to the audience, ‘parrot’.

A common theme of disguise and misinterpreting the truth runs throughout the play and the masked ball was a tradition of the times and let the mistruth take place.

These events also let the characters explore one another’s thoughts however this does not turn out as intended foe Benedick. As early in his conversation with Beatrice we begin to deduce that even though masked she realizes that she is talking to Benedick, She says; ‘ I am sure you know him well enough’ showing how she realizes his motives. This brings dramatic irony to the conversation. While the majority of the audience would have realized this and felt sorry for Benedick as he is about to present interest into Beatrice and her thoughts on him and she realizes he likes her and he does not realize this. However this is typical of their relationship as it takes the intervening of others to spur them along. This is a direct contrast to the relationship to that of Hero and Claudio, as they do not provide their own complications like Benedick and Beatrice do. Their complications are made by third parties that try to interfere such as Don John does when he twists the truth to make the truth to make Claudio think hero is doing him wrong although she is not. This is common in the play as the title suggests

“Much ado about nothing” or nothing as it was pronounced in Shakespearean times meaning the misunderstanding of something. For example Claudio misunderstood Ursula and Borachio frolicking to be Hero and this leads to confusion and disrupts the heroic, typical couple.

I f it were not for the pride, honour and fear of their feelings Benedick and Beatrice would also be typical couple. However it is this that brings us a link to the audience, as we know not all relationships can be perfect. This lets the audience recognise their emotions. The other characters recognize this and strive to end this situation in marriage.

They do this by disguise and trickery, Although their humour suggests both characters are of a more intelligent nature, they are still both tricked foolishly into admitting their feelings which would be amusing to the audience seeing them stoop so low when blinded by love. When Benedick says “I’st possible? Sits wind in that corner?” after hearing, through don Pedro, Claudio and Leonato, that Beatrice has allegedly declared her love for him, he appears jubilant, he does not acknowledge it was a trick and his blindness is amusing to the audience. His heart is driving him on in this scene as his priorities change and his head becomes focussed.

During the play Shakespeare uses his full compliment of comical techniques in amusing the audience. These range in the slapstick and malapropisms on the night watch to the other extreme and the skirmish of higher-class wit between Benedick and Beatrice. He uses theme that run through the play, one of which is confusion, this helps drive the plot and develop the characters. The play is set/based on an idyllic society however don john gives us an alternative to the other typical characters of the time and genre. Shakespeare uses concepts that, for the time it was written, were very modern, and still stands up in today’s comedy. For instance the realistic relationship between Benedick and Beatrice was not typical. This was at the time unknown however the audience both could appreciate it and relate to it. All of these aspects and types of comedy add up to give both the audience of Shakespeare and the audience of today a comedy play, with all aspects falling into the audience’s expectations for a comedy of this type.