Noting is all the way through the play however it is in some cases purposely done, the most obvious is when Don Pedro, Leonato and Caudio are playing a trick on Benedick into thinking that Beatrice loves him
“O ay, stalk on, stalk on, the fowl site – I never think that lady would have loved any man” Act 2 Scene 5 Line 89-90
(The conversion continues from line 86to line 206)
Employment is a major contributing factor to any town’s society. In Messina I get the feeling most are employed on the port, something in which the town was famous for. I have also picked up the idea that most in the town are working class, however the main characters in the play tend to be higher class. Leonato is the governor of Messina, however he is the not the highest ranked person in the play. Leonato is a wealthy man, with one daughter, Hero. I get the idea he is the wealthiest person in Messina, with Antonio close behind. However, when Don Pedro, Don John and Claudio enter they give us a different insight into employment in Messina. I feel that no one in Messina is actually involved in war, as these three are congratulated when they arrive home. Thus showing that it was rare to have people in Messina fighting in Battle. Don Pedro is royalty, and is also a very wealthy man. He has received all his money from inheritance and has only ever worked with the army, fighting in battles. Dogberry is a typical working class man, and I ame shown this as he is in the job of watch at Leonato’s castle. A very poorly paid, boring job that anyone can easily qualify for.
As we know many Messinians do not appear to be tied down with work, and have a very active social life. They often like to dance and sing, which is a very often occurrence in the Elizabethan days. I find out about a masked ball that many of the town members go to, and it appears that they are all happily enjoying the event. This seems like it is a regular occurrence in the town that everyone happily enjoys. It is also an excellent place for ‘noting’ to go on. It is also a very important part in the play as this is where most noting can go on, but the twit is that no one knows who each other is, it creates the theme of illusion and deception as we find out when Beatrice is talking to a ‘masked chum’ but we all know the it is really Benedick.
“Why, he is the Prince’s Jester, a very dull fool; onlhis gift is devising impossible slanders. None but libertines delight in him, and the commendation is not in his wit, but in his villainy; for he both pleases men and angers them, and then they laugh at him and beat him. I am sure he is in the fleet; I would he had boarded me” Act 2 Scene 1 Line 120-126
(The conversation carries on from line 120 to 137)
The behaviour of people on the town seems to be on the whole very good. However that is the first impression, we actually see how Messina is quite corrupt with many sneaky villains. Firstly though I feel that the Messinians treat outsiders very well, especially royalty, as we see from the greeting Don Pedro, Don John and Claudio receive.
“Never came trouble to my house in the likeness of your grace. For trouble being gone, comfornt should remain, but when you depart from me, sorrow abides and happiness takes his leave” Act 1 Scene 1 Line 86-89
Leonato pays the royalty much respect and shows them utmost formality. The Messinians make everything go up in standard, and this shows signs of them going out of their way to the arrival of the royalty. Also the introduction to everyone in Act 1 Scene 1 is very long, it goes on from lines 83 to 141 until everyone is introduced to each other. However there is a much more corrupt side to the town of Messina, as we find out later in the play, anyone will be two faced and betray people if it involves a little money. The evil on comes into the play when Don John arrives as he is the main villain in the play, and we find out how he is the brains behind most of the plots, but never wishes to get his hands dirty.
“Therefore I have earned of Don John a thousand ducats” Act 3 Scene 3 Line 105-6
This shows us how Don John is happy to give money away as it gets the evil deed done but also leaves him out of the equation when someone is receiving the blame.
Men and women both play major roles in this play, however are treated very differently. Men are obviously the superior gender in this play, which is very normal for the time this play was performed. The man they are either married to or a father and they literally own the women. When the wedding day comes along they father of the daughter will pass her to the husband to now ‘look after’.
“Give me this maid your daughter?” Act 4 Scene 1 Line 23
“As freely son as God did give her me” Act 4 Scene 1 Line 24
Claudio speaks of Hero as if Leonato owns her, and then Leonato is confirming that the ownership of Hero is changing from himself to Claudio.
They also seem to have other attitude towards love and marriage. They seem to abide by arranged marriages, however some obviously don’t. Most of the younger characters in the play are single, however are chasing love but just cannot find it. If they are married they have to be very similar, as in from the same background, with the same upbringing. They also deem it very important for a woman to be unchased before her wedding day, as this is the best thing a father can offer. I can tell this as when Leonato finds out hero is ‘unchased’ then the bursts into a fit of rage
“Wherefore? Why, doth not every earthly thing, Cry shame upon her? Could she here deny, Do not live Hero, do not open thine eyes” Act 4 Scene 1 Line 118 – 120)
(This enragement carries on from line 118 to 141)
The social status also gives us an excellent insight to the society of Messina. Someone like Benedick or Don Pedro, both very clever, typically shows us someone from the upper class. They both have a good education, very well spoken and also very witty.
“Then is courtesy a turncoat. But it is certain I am loved of all ladies, only you excepted, and I would I could not find in my heart that I had a hard heart, for truly I love none.” Act 1 Scene 1 Lines 109-112
This shows how witty and quick-fired Benedick is when speaking with Beatrice from lines 109 to 130 in Act 1 Scene 1 of the play.
However the lower and working class is a completely different story. The character from which we receive most information about the working class is Dogberry, for one his name is very well chosen as Dogberry meant Dog Rose, this is a very common rose, and is purposely chosen to suit his class in the play. However we also learn about his class through his lines in the play.
“Your are thought here to be the most senseless and fit man for the constable of watch…” Act 3 Scene 3 Line 21-23
We can see form his spoken language he is also very common, he tries to be witty in the play, but is always making mistakes, by saying the wrong word, like in this extract where he says “senseless” instead of sensible. This is a very effective way of creating humour but also an effective way in showing us to the social background of this character.
“She’s but the sign of semblance of her honour
Behold how like a maid she blushes here!” Act 4 Scene 1 Lines 31-32
This is the part in which we find out Hero is not a Virgin. Claudio describes the blushes of guilt and nothing to do with her modesty. However Leonato does not follow, and misunderstands what Claudio has said to him.
“Dear my lord, if you not in your own proof
Have vanquished the resistance of her youth,
And made defeat of her virginity-“ Act 4 Scene 1 Lines 44-46
He only thinks Claudio is confessing that they have had sex, and not Hero with another man. Upon this misunderstanding Claudio has to explain himself once more, and then Leonato realises what he is saying. Instead of jumping to the rescue of his daughter, he chooses to disown her, by slapping her and yelling at her on her wedding day. Proving to the audience how chastity of your daughter was a very important thing in Messina.
To conclude, I feel we learn a lot about the society of Messina in this play. However Shakespeare does not put it straight in front of you, he hides it behind his writing, and the characters lines. We learn of all the different social statuses in Messina and also the superiority of the male gender. I feel the most striking thing about Messina though, is how corrupt it is. You get the impression that it is a very friendly, peaceful town, however as we delve further into the play we find out the truth.
The audience watching this would have been able to recognise many people and parts in this play, because it is so much like Elizabethan England at the time this was performed. Many families suffered from the divide on employment and social status, and many families also saw the chastity of their daughter the most important thing a father could offer, however the thing they would most be able to associate with would have been Dogberry and Verges. The watches would have been a very strong figure in England, and would be instantly recognisable from the moment they stepped on stage and one that would be guaranteed to raise a lot of laughs in the crowd.
By Thomas Melia 11TS
