Much Ado About Nothing Report
Much Ado About Nothing Report By Russell Melton Yr 9 The Elizabethan Theatre To start this report I am going to explain a little about the Elizabethan theatre and the plays that were performed, like this one, and also a little on what it would have been like. For example the lighting, sound and costumes as these played a very large role in these times. Firstly a little about the theatre itself, the Elizabethan was named after Queen Elizabeth I and was built for Shakespeare and many other play writers. The theatre itself was very different back then from theatres today. Nowadays you can go and pay an affordable price and sit in a good seat in a comfortable theatre and have perfect lighting and great sound to illuminate the actors and have complicated background and scenery to give impressions of indoor and outdoor scenes, but back then they were very different. The centre of the theatre had no roof. And since there was no powerful lighting they had to depend on sunlight. The centre, open part, contained a stage and a courtyard. Unlike today, many people had to stand in the yard in front of the stage and the stage was raised so everyone could see. Only wealthy people could sit in the high storeys which were covered by a roof. There was no scenery back then so Shakespeare's actors could move freely across the stage. Costumes were often rich and impressive but were
Love In Much Ado About Nothing.
Love In Much Ado About Nothing Hero and Claudio represent an idealised love that was a very widespread image of love in the Elizabethan renaissance. With the introduction of Beatrice and Benedick, we see a very different picture- a love that thrives on conflict and tension. While Claudio says of Hero, ¡§Can the world buy such a gem,¡¨ Benedick refers to Beatrice as ¡§my dear lady disdain.¡¨ While Claudio and Hero whisper sweet nothings into each other's ears, Beatrice and Benedick bicker incessantly. (Compare ¡§My cousin tells him in his ear that he is in her heart.¡¨ to ¡§if her breath were as terrible as her terminations, there were no living near her.¡¨) However, the play ultimately shows that Beatrice and Benedick's relationship is the more genuine. When early on in the play Claudio asks, 'Hath Leonato any son my lord?¡¨ This is one of the first questions Claudio asks about Hero. This would suggest that he is finding out whether she will inherit all of Leonato¡¦s wealth before he finally decides that he loves Hero. When Don Pedro replies, ¡§no child but Hero¡¨ he immediately delivers a speech about how much he loves her, ¡§how fair young Hero is¡¨. This speech seems to be sincere but is he simply being shallow? The fact that Claudio says he is in love with Hero having only known her well for a few days raises the question as to how sincere
Much Ado about Noting
Title Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing is a comedy dealing with ideas of conventional love and the institution of marriage. The play revolves around the events leading up to the marriage of Claudio and Hero. As the plot unfolds, Claudio's disposition towards Hero changes drastically from love to loathing. The essence of Claudio's love for Hero seems to be lacking in his actions and speeches. It may be noted that Claudio's name is derived from Claudius meaning crippled. 1 Although Much Ado is considered to be a romantic comedy, it comes close to being a dark comedy due to Claudio's failure as a lover. At the beginning of the play Don Pedro, prince of Aragon and his officers Claudio and Benedick return from war and are invited to a masquerade at the house of Leonato, governor of Messina. Upon his return, Claudio immediately falls in love with Leonato's daughter, Hero. In a private talk with Benedick and Don Pedro, Claudio praises Hero claiming, "she is the sweetest lady that ever I looked on." (I, I, 181) While this new love for Hero appears suspicious, Claudio reassures his love stating, "I looked upon her with a soldier's eye...But now I am returned and that war-thoughts have left their places vacant, in their rooms." (I, I, 288) Though Claudio appears honest with his words, it is then discovered that Claudio is also interested in her wealth when he asks if Leonato has
The Title In Much Ado About Nothing
The Title In Much Ado About Nothing Much Ado About Nothing exemplifies a kind of deliberately puzzling title that seems to have been popular in the late 1590s. Indeed, the play is about nothing; it merely follows the relationships of Claudio and Hero, and in the end, the play culminates in the two other main characters falling in love, which, because it was an event that was quite predictable, proves to be much ado about nothing. The pronunciation of the word "nothing" would, in the late 16th Century, have been "noting," and so the title also apparently suggests a pun on the word, "noting," and on the use of the word "note" as an expression of music. In II.2 (l.54), Balthasar is encouraged to sing, but declines, saying, "note this before my notes; there's not a note of mine that's worth the noting." However, Don Pedro retorts, "<sum>Note notes, forsooth, and nothing," playing on Balthasar's words, and also demanding that he pay attention to his music and nothing else. In addition, much of the play is dedicated to people "noting" (or observing) the actions of others (such as the trick played on Beatrice and Benedick by Leonato, Hero and Claudio); they often observe and overhear one another, and consequently make a great deal out of very little. At the beginning of the play, Claudio and Hero eventually come to admire one another, and Benedick and Beatrice play off each
much ado about nothing
Much Ado About Nothing The palace at Messina was the home of the governor, Leonato, his daughter Hero, and his niece Beatrice. Hero was more of a serious girl and Beatrice was a lively and talkative girl who was witty. At the time the story of these two young women begins, some soldiers were passing through Messina on the way from war. They were brave and came back to Messina to visit Leonato. Among them was Don Pedro, Prince of Arragon, friend Claudio, who was the lord of Florence and Benedick, who was the lord of Padua. They have all been to Messina before and Leonato reintroduced them to Hero and Beatrice as old friends. Benedick began a lively conversation with Leonato and prince, Beatrice who didn't like being out of the conversation interrupted them by telling Benedick that no one was listening to him. Beatrice kept insulting Benedick. Whilst this was happening Claudio realized how beautiful and elegant Hero grew up. Don Pedro, prince of Arragon realized this and asked Claudio if he loved Hero, without hesitation he said yes. Don Pedro thought that Beatrice and Benedick will be perfect for husband and wife as they enjoyed talking and they were very witty. Leonato wasn't as sure as Don Pedro but decided to help him to get them together. Claudio and Hero decided to help them as well, as their marriage was already dated. The prince thought that if they pretended
Shakespeare, Much Ado About Nothing
Explore how Shakespeare dramatizes the way people deceive and are deceived in Much Ado About Nothing. Does any of this present difficulties for a modern audience. "Much Ado about Nothing" is not about nothing despite it's somewhat suggestive title. The play is in fact a compilation of deceit, portraying the complications of love, and deception on behalf of love, all of which entails the characters to become very much entangled in a web of facades and false talk. Shakespeare also fills his play with complex metaphors, many involving the taming of wild animals, which does dramatize the play somewhat (largely representing the manic love shared between his frantic characters and their inter-twinned love lives). In Shakespeare's time "nothing" was generally pronounced as "noting," therefore making the title of the play... "Much Ado about Noting." Unsurprisingly as a result, Shakespeare abuses this homonym at every opportunity. "Nothing" could mean "nothing;" "nothing" could denote "noting" or listening in/eavesdropping. "Nothing" was also a colloquial term for part of a woman, which was "nothing" compared to what a man had. So, the play orbits around instances of deception and eavesdropping coupled with complicated metaphors for sexual politics (and less complicated ones for sexual relations) between men and women, as was much common at the time. The basic action of the play
"Much Ado About Nothing"
Level 2 Access Communications "Much Ado About Nothing" Remind yourself of Act 1 Scene iii where Don John reveals his true nature. What do you think about the presentation of this character and do you ever feel his presence poses a serious threat to the happiness of the other characters and the comic tone of the play? Our first introduction to Don John is during Leonato's welcoming of Don Pedro's party to his home. Everyone is in good spirits and all the characters are represented as good natured and happy to be in each other's company. Leonato receives Don John in a far more formal fashion, referring to his recent poor relationship with his brother and Don John in turn reacts with similar formality. There is an absence of the long conversations that have recently taken place, "I thank you. I am not of many words, but I thank you" act one scene I line 141. As soon as Don John has responded to Leonato, Don Pedro takes control of the meeting and the party moves away. This first meeting is important in defining Don John's character. The absence of communication with the other characters outlines the fact he is not a part of the group. One is aware Don John is unpopular and does not feel at ease and the referral to his past transgressions affirms that this character is not intended to be good. In the screen play he is wearing black in order to signify
Themes in Much Ado About Nothing
Themes in Much Ado About Nothing The play "Much Ado About Nothing" is not about nothing. It shows strong themes in the areas of deception, love and the power of words. Also, the play is streaked with metaphors involving the taming of wild animals. These ideas make proving themes and issues and easy and convincing argument. The plot of the play is based upon deliberate deceptions, some malevolent and others gracious. The deception of Claudio and Don Pedro results in Hero's disgrace, while the trick of her death prepares the way for her redemption and reconciliation with Claudio. Lines like "men were deceivers ever" (2.3.54) bring about the fact that the deception is a key theme in the play. Nothing shows that deceit is essentially evil, but in the play it is sometimes difficult to distinguish between good and bad deception. The bible says: "But people who are evil and cheat others will go from bad to worse. They will fool others, but they will also be fooling themselves." (2 Tim 3:13) This is evident as Don John plots and succeeds in fooling Claudio and Don Pedro into thinking that Hero has been sleeping with other men before their marriage, but backfires when her "death" is staged and Claudio and Hero are reunited and even more in love after Claudio sincerely apologises. Another turning point in the play is where Beatrice and Benedick are fooled into thinking
Much Ado About Nothing - Little Humor
Much Ado About Nothing: Little Humor The happy resolution of Claudio and Hero's stormy courtship in Much Ado About Nothing is the primary reason for classifying the play as a comedy, but the scenes involving the young lovers contain little humor. Claudio and Hero are essentially static and stereotypical characters, creating no comedic moments on their own. Nevertheless, they are comedic simply because they are not tragic - their struggle to overcome the obstacles preventing their happiness is successful. Despite the destructive lies concocted by Don John and his follower, Borachio, Claudio and Hero's relationship triumphs and they can be married at the end of the play. Reconciliation and unity are the elements of their comedy; functional but not humorous. For authentic humor we look elsewhere, to the witty verbal exchanges between Beatrice and Benedick and the ineptitude of Dogberry and his companion, Verges. The "merry war" (1.1.62) between Beatrice and Benedick constitutes the verbal and intellectual comedic elements in the play. Their witty repartee begins in the first scene: Benedick: What, my dear Lady Disdain! are you yet living? Beatrice: Is it possible disdain should die while she hath such meet food to feed it as Signior Benedick? Courtesy itself must convert to disdain, if you come in her presence. Benedick: Then is courtesy a turncoat. But it is
Much ado about nothing Movie review
Movie Review: Much Ado About Nothing This comedy, written by the famous playwright William Shakespeare, begins in the small town Messina in Italy. Governor Leonato is awaiting Don Pedro, Prince of Aragon, and his men. Among them are the brothers Senior Benedick and Senior Claudio. Claudio and Leonato's daughter Hero are about to get married after being in love for quite some time. Don Pedro's brother Don John tries to ruin their wedding plans. In the meantime Don Pedro wants Benedick and Hero's cousin Beatrice to be a couple as well. He, Leonato and Claudio start a loud, make-believe conversation in the garden, knowing that Benedick is hiding behind some bushes, listening carefully. They talk about how much Beatrice is in love with him and who it was who told them so. Hero and one of her maids play the same trick on Beatrice, so that each of them start believing what they hear about the other. Soon their game being enemies turns into lovable hugs and kisses... Back to Hero and Claudio... The night before their wedding, Don John makes one of his servants arrange a meeting with one of Hero's maids by Hero's bedroom window. The Prince and Claudio see this happening, and get convinced over that Hero is seeing some other man at night. This has consequences on the couples' special day for Claudio disgraces the girl he is engaged to and does not wish to marry her any more. The
