Much Ado About Nothing
Act 1 Scene 1In the beginning of the scene, it starts off with Leonato and the Messenger talking about the battle and the men. Then Beatrice comes in and talks with the messenger, she uses her wit and intelligence to overpower him. Leonato, the Messenger and Beatrice then talk about love and Beatrice says that she will never fall in love.
Benedick, Don Pedro, Claudio, Balthasar and Don John the bastard comes in. They all talk, then Beatrice and Benedick and left alone, and they have a witty banter, After this, Claudio and Benedick talk about love, and Claudio wants to see if he likes Hero, as Claudio goes on how he is falling in love wit Hero. Don Pedro comes in and wants to know what has happened. Benedick tells him everything, and then Don Pedro announces that there is a party with masks. He has an idea that he should be Claudio and see what Hero thinks about him, because Claudio is too shy to speak to her. |
Plot- Mistaken identity - There are clues in the first scene that identities are going to be swapped, and therefore we know that there would be confusion. For example, Don Pedro is going to pretend to be Claudio.
- It is set in a idyllic rural setting in Missina, Sicily, which shows that things can go wrong and become comic, even in a ideal and beautiful place. - Multiple intertwining plots - this causes more complications and chaos in the play, Leonato is looking for a husband for his daughter, Benedick and Beatrices' romance, merry war, the plot of Claudio and Hero getting together, Don John and Don Pedro's feuding. |
Characterisation- Rounded characters such as Benedick and Beatrice, because they have layers to their characters - much more to them, also because they have history between them and they are unaware at the fact that they have suppressed feelings for each other.
- Flat characters such as Claudio, because his motive for marrying Hero is the inheritance her will gain. He also looks young and innocent, but he is capable of violence - 'figure of a lamb, feats of a lion'. - Leonato is a typical father figure who wants his daughter to marry the best suitor for her, he is scheming, cunning and sly. He takes advantages of the young men who have have come from the war. - Don Pedro is a powerful and confident man who is also a meddler. He likes to take control of things and be in charge - Don John is a 'plain dealing villain'. |
Language- Animal imagery - constant reference to animals - 'figure of a lamb, feats of a lion', which is sometimes used as insults.
- Verbal battles - there is a 'battle of wits' between Benedick and Beatrice. The word for this is called 'Stichomythia' '...but it is certain I am loved of all ladies, only you excepted; and I would I could find my heart that I had not a hard heart, for truly I love none' 'A dear happiness to women - they would else have been troubled with a pernicious suitor.' - Claudio is overly romantic and poetic, as her compared Hero is a 'jewel', so thinking of her as a object, not a person. He speaks in poetry towards the end of the scene, which conveys a sense of artificiality. - Negative imagery, when Benedick was describing women and marriage. |
Opposition Defines the Four Pricipal Characters of the Play
I agree with this statement, because in the play there are always two characters who are completely opposite to each other in each principal. For example, in gender, Benedick comes across as witty, sinical and who takes his time to fall in love. Where as Claudio is the oppostite of Benedick as he falls in love quicker and can be quick tempered at times. Therefore we seen two people who are similar in some ways but are different in personalities and attitudes. Likewise with Beatrice and Hero, Beatrice is unconventional, has her own way of things and outspoken, whereas Hero is repectful, conventional, follows her Father's commands, is motivated by status and doesn't speak a lot. She is a typical figure of a women in those days. There is also Don Pedro and Don John who are both Princes but have very different minds. Don Pedro wants to create harmony and peace - and to be like Cupid, but Don John is the opposite.
The intentions of these characters are also the opposite. For instance, Beatrice is not a typical women, as she rejects powerful rich men to be with the one she truely loves and she has a strong personality. While Benedick doesn't want to get married, which is odd for a man of his kind - who has a good status and family. He is arrogant and not humble about his success and intelligence. Hero is a person who is seen and not heard, young, beautiful and follows her Father's orders. Claudio is similar in a way that he has a 'Romeo' figure and exaggerates in love.
The intentions of these characters are also the opposite. For instance, Beatrice is not a typical women, as she rejects powerful rich men to be with the one she truely loves and she has a strong personality. While Benedick doesn't want to get married, which is odd for a man of his kind - who has a good status and family. He is arrogant and not humble about his success and intelligence. Hero is a person who is seen and not heard, young, beautiful and follows her Father's orders. Claudio is similar in a way that he has a 'Romeo' figure and exaggerates in love.
Act 2
Act 2 Scene 11. Hero doesn't speak very often because she is shy, but mainly because she is an image of a 'good woman' of those times as she is 'seen and not heard'. Therefore she would be submissive, and she does this because she is under her Father's orders. We get an impression that Hero is very traditional and she's a passive recipient of other people's wealth.
2. Don John tries to create mischief by making Claudio think that Don Pedro likes Hero, as a result Claudio would become angry and jealous. 3. Claudio reacts to this by getting upset. Claudio's first remark after Don John had told him this is ' 'Tis certain so: the Price woos for himself. Friendship is constant in all things Save in the office and affairs of love' - so Claudio is assuming that Don Pedro has fallen in love with Hero, and went behind his friend's back to do this. Don Pedro comes and resolves this by saying that he had wooed her for Claudio. This is foreshadowing future events as Claudio is gullible and quick to anger. 4. We find out that Benedick and Beatrice have a past relationship, where Beatrice had given her heart to Benedick and he made a joke out of it - he ridicules her. Beatrice rejects Don Pedro's attempt on wooing her, so her heart is with Benedick. 5. Don Pedro's plan is to get Benedick and Beatrice together. And he would do this by them hearing other people's words about each other as that would be a more effective way of getting them together. As they are both too proud, they can't admit they like each other. 6. These events fit with to the concerns and traditions of Shakespearean comedy because it involves intertwining plots. For example Don John tricking Claudio about Hero, Benedick and Beatrice etc. There is also mistaken identity, for instance Beatrice criticises 'Benedick' at the part and Don John tricks Claudio into thinking that Hero is having an affair with another man. There is always a complication arising out of love, and the comedy is through language - Benedick and Beatrice's' witty banters. |
Act 2 Scene 21. Don John is plotting that Claudio thinks that Hero is having an affair, so the wedding will be disrupted. This is because Don John is an evil man who just wants to create more mischief and trouble for everyone.
2. The dramatic importance of this scene in the midst of the other 'happy' scenes is that it is serious which has a balance between happy and evil. Something bad has to happen in order to create drama, so Claudio may lose Hero in what happens. In this play, there are counter-parts, so there are good people with their jokes and witty banter and there are bad people with their evil intentions. This shows that there are darker elements of human society and nature. Act 2 Scene 31. The frustration that concerns Benedick is that Beatrice is 'going off' Benedick, so she is not that into him anymore. Moreover, all Claudio is taking about is love and falling in love, so he is annoyed because they were supposed to be 'eternal bachelors'. Benedick is in love what he goes off away from his friends.
2. Therefore, Don Pedro and Leonato trick Benedick into thinking that Beatrice is hopelessly in love this him (which she really is), which enables him to believe this because he is arrogant. As a result he feels guilty and he thinks that the meaner Beatrice is, the more she likes him (which is also true). The irony is that through a lie they have gotten to the truth. 3. The mood at the end of this scene is quite upbeat, because Benedick and Beatrice are finally going to get together. Shakespeare has used comedy and darker moments in this scene by critiquing romantic leads. Furthermore, the structure of the couples is that in the beginning, Claudio and Hero were together and Benedick and Beatrice were apart, now Claudio and Hero are moving apart while Benedick and Beatrice are getting together. |
Act 3
Act 3 Scene 1Hero and Ursula played their part in Don Pedro's plot to trick Beatrice was to talk about Benedick and how Beatrice is in love with him, and how she doesn't treat Benedick the way that he should be treated. They say that she is very fussy, and she always finds wrong in good people. They use animal imagery to portray this. They say that Benedick has to suppress his love and they every make him sound attractive, which then makes Beatrice feels guilty. There is something funny when arrogant or high statuses people are made to squirm and made to look ridiculous. Benedick and Beatrice think that they are very 'high up' people who can't be fooled, but they are the ones who are getting tricked. And because they are so arrogant, and think that they can't be fooled, they end up believing what their friends/family have to say about them and their behaviour. Beatrice succumb so easily because she is in love with Benedick.
Act 3 Scene 3-5: Plot- We meet Dogberry and Verges for the first time, they tell new recruits to let go of the criminals and to not mistrust a man
- Benedick and Beatrice's situation arises again, there is dramatic irony when Hero and Margret are making a joke out of her illness, suggesting she is in love - There is also dramatic irony where Hero is blissfully unaware that her reputation is about to be destroyed - Borachio talks about tricking Claudio, which is a ridiculous trick, but it's funny because it shouldn't have fooled two intelligent men, and they don't actually see Hero - Dogberry and Verges bicker with each other rather than telling Leonato what they have found out - In the day time, in Messina, it seems to be an ideal and normal place, but at night this is where the disorder underlying Messina society is revealed through Borachio's drunken confession. They need watchmen which shows that there is disorder and needs someone to keep in control. Paradise isn't perfect. - Humour is merged with tragedy, incompetence may lead ti a tragic outcome |
Act 3 Scene 2This scene follows on from the scene where he is tricked into falling in love with Beatrice. This is where Benedick confronts Claudio, Don Pedro and Leonato by saying that he has finally fallen in love. However, their response to this was that they made Benedick think they were joking around, and therefore not taking him seriously when in fact this they knew that he was in love was the only time when he was very serious. Both Don Pedro and Claudio were saying how Benedick could not be in love, for all he talked about was remaining as a bachelor all his life. 'D.PEDRO: ...to be a Dutchman today, a Frenchman tomorrow...' So this means, how can Benedick be in love, it is like changing a nationality. But then they go on about the signs that he has fallen in love, like shaving and wearing better clothes. When Benedick and Leonato exit,m Don John enters, and the scene then suddenly becomes much more serious. Don John makes Claudio step aside to talk to this in private about Hero, so this is where he is unleashing his plan to ruin Claudio and Hero's relationship. Due to the fact that Claudio is so gullible, he believes Don John when he says that Hero is disloyal to him, meaning that she is cheating on him. Don John says that he has evidence - which is when Claudio goes to her bedroom window, he would see Hero having sex with another man, when in fact it is Barachio having sex with Margret who will pretend to be Hero. The most surprising part is that Don Pedro believes his evil brother.
Characterisation- Dogeberry and Verges are stupid, but in a good way, but they are infuriating
- Borachio and Conrade are stupid in a bad way. They are all one dimensional characterisation. - Margret makes sexual jokes and is experienced, she is explicitly bawdy - Hero, only behind closed doors comes out as a strong willed person who is also quite smart Language- Malapropism - this includes Dogberry, Verges and some of the watchmen who uses this. It reveals their ignorance and incompetence, it also has a dramatic effect as it delays the closure of the truth. However, if they weren't like that, the play would not be as entertaining.
- Hero's language is informal - 'coz' 'meg', it reveals her character's depth - Borachio's fashion metaphor to describe how villains must change their appearance to conduct villainy. |
Benedick and Beatrice are easily tricked into falling for each other only because they have suppressed feelings for each other
I agree with this statement, because in the beginning of the play, Act 1 Scene 1, they throw insults at each other, somehow it portrays that they care for each other although it doesn't show it directly. ' BENEDICK...but it is certain I am loved of all ladies, only you excepted...for I truly love none BEATRICE...they would else have been troubles with a pernicious suitor...BENEDICK...and so good a continuer; but keep your way, a God's name: I have done.' Here, Benedick and Beatrice are having a witty banter about how all ladies love Benedick but Beatrice but he doesn't love them back because he is indirectly conveying that he loves Beatrice. Beatrice returns by saying that it is good that he is not with anyone, because they would be troubled with evil intentions. Benedick finally gives up the banter and lets Beatrice win, only because he cares for he and he loves her. If Benedick really didn't love Beatrice then this would have gone on for much longer, therefore we know that they want to be together but they themselves are stopping this from happening.
In Act 2 Scene 1, Beatrice, Don Pedro and Claudio have a conversation about love, and Beatrice complains about how she would not find love because she thinks that she is unattractive, then Don Pedro asks her out. 'DON PEDRO Lady Beatrice, I will get you one. BEATRICE I would rather have one of your father's getting...Your father got excellent husbands, if a maid could come by them. D. PEDRO Will you have me lady? BEATRICE ...your Grace is too costly to wear every day...I was born to speak all mirth and no matter.' In this part, Beatrice is only being kind and polite and joking around with Don Pedro a little bit by saying that Don Pedro's father's son make good husbands, but Don Pedro might have taken it the wrong way by asking Beatrice out. Beatrice gently rejects him by saying that his power and riches is too much for her, but any woman would go for this opportunity as he is Prince. And in those days, status and power were the most significant things to a person. As a result, we see as an audience that Beatrice's heart belongs to Benedick and she would give anything up to be with him. Don Pedro on the other hand may have been doing this to test her, because he may have hints that he knows that Benedick and Beatrice love each other. Therefore he would see from this how much she actually loves Benedick. Or since he was a Prince, he could have any woman, but he chose Beatrice, because of her strong personality and she was quite pretty. Overall, we do not know whether Don Pedro really asked Beatrice out for real or to test her, all we know is that Beatrice loves Benedick.
However, before this happens, Benedick and Don Pedro have a conversation about Beatrice and how they just had an argument and how Benedick is really hurt by the things Beatrice said to him. 'BENEDICK...She speaks poniards, and every word stabs, if her breath was as terrible as her terminations, there were no living near her...She would have made Hercules have turned spit yea, and have cleft his club to make the fire too...' Here, Benedick is expressing his anger to Don Pedro and how much she has hurt him. This illustrates that Benedick is very upset by this, and he may feel that Beatrice really does not love him; therefore that is why she was doing this. We learn that they had a past relationship which did not end well, which may be the reason to why Beatrice was acting that way. Moreover, I think that this was making Benedick think that he was a bad person, which affects his reputation in a bad way, which is not good because reputation is the most important thing for a man. As a result, this was why Beatrice's insults really struck him.
Don Pedro, Leonato, Claudio, Hero and Ursula all know that Benedick and Beatrice love each other, but they won't admit it, therefore Don Pedro had made a plan that they would trick them and so get them together. They start off with Benedick, with Don Pedro, Claudio and Leonato taking about how Beatrice really loves him. 'LEONATO...but most wonderful that she should so dote on Seignior Benedick, whom she hath in all outward behaviors seemed ever to abhor ...came so near the life of passion as she discovers it...when she is beginning to write to him, for she'll be up twenty times a night, and there will she sit in her smock till she have writ a sheet of paper...O, she tore the letter into a thousand half-pences...'. Leonato talks about how deep down, Beatrice really loves Benedick and she is very passionate about it. Furthermore, she writes letters to Benedick, but doesn't have the courage to give it to him, so she tears it. As a consequence, this would have made Benedick feel guilty about all the things that he has done to her, and it has made him realise what he has to do or act towards her. This is a funny scene, because intelligent people are made to look foolish in love. Moreover, because Leonato says most of these things, it makes Benedick believe this more, because he is a very trusted man. In addition, Leonato also takes about how Benedick is wise, so will make the right choice, which makes Benedick fall for the trick even more because of the compliment. Lastly, in the lie which they are telling, they are also telling the truth about Beatrice.
When it is Hero and Ursula's turn to trick Beatrice, they follow the same pattern. 'HERO...As Beatrice is, cannot be commendable...It were a better death than die with mocks...He is the only man of Italy...' Here, Hero talks about how Beatrice does not give the complements a man deserves, and how it would be better for Benedick to die because she would make his life a living hell. Therefore this would make Beatrice very guilty about her actions towards Benedick, and made her love him more. Hero and Ursula also make Benedick sound attracting by saying that he had a good reputation, he is good looking etc. As a result, this would have the same effect that it had on Benedick, as she would treat his with love, rather than insult him all the time. So, the trick had worked for them
To conclude, because Benedick and Beatrice have suppressed feeling for each other, it is much easier for them to be tricked or even hurt by each other. Benedick and Beatrice are both very arrogant people, yet they get tricked, even though they are two very intelligent people. Therefore, this shows that anything could happen when in love.
In Act 2 Scene 1, Beatrice, Don Pedro and Claudio have a conversation about love, and Beatrice complains about how she would not find love because she thinks that she is unattractive, then Don Pedro asks her out. 'DON PEDRO Lady Beatrice, I will get you one. BEATRICE I would rather have one of your father's getting...Your father got excellent husbands, if a maid could come by them. D. PEDRO Will you have me lady? BEATRICE ...your Grace is too costly to wear every day...I was born to speak all mirth and no matter.' In this part, Beatrice is only being kind and polite and joking around with Don Pedro a little bit by saying that Don Pedro's father's son make good husbands, but Don Pedro might have taken it the wrong way by asking Beatrice out. Beatrice gently rejects him by saying that his power and riches is too much for her, but any woman would go for this opportunity as he is Prince. And in those days, status and power were the most significant things to a person. As a result, we see as an audience that Beatrice's heart belongs to Benedick and she would give anything up to be with him. Don Pedro on the other hand may have been doing this to test her, because he may have hints that he knows that Benedick and Beatrice love each other. Therefore he would see from this how much she actually loves Benedick. Or since he was a Prince, he could have any woman, but he chose Beatrice, because of her strong personality and she was quite pretty. Overall, we do not know whether Don Pedro really asked Beatrice out for real or to test her, all we know is that Beatrice loves Benedick.
However, before this happens, Benedick and Don Pedro have a conversation about Beatrice and how they just had an argument and how Benedick is really hurt by the things Beatrice said to him. 'BENEDICK...She speaks poniards, and every word stabs, if her breath was as terrible as her terminations, there were no living near her...She would have made Hercules have turned spit yea, and have cleft his club to make the fire too...' Here, Benedick is expressing his anger to Don Pedro and how much she has hurt him. This illustrates that Benedick is very upset by this, and he may feel that Beatrice really does not love him; therefore that is why she was doing this. We learn that they had a past relationship which did not end well, which may be the reason to why Beatrice was acting that way. Moreover, I think that this was making Benedick think that he was a bad person, which affects his reputation in a bad way, which is not good because reputation is the most important thing for a man. As a result, this was why Beatrice's insults really struck him.
Don Pedro, Leonato, Claudio, Hero and Ursula all know that Benedick and Beatrice love each other, but they won't admit it, therefore Don Pedro had made a plan that they would trick them and so get them together. They start off with Benedick, with Don Pedro, Claudio and Leonato taking about how Beatrice really loves him. 'LEONATO...but most wonderful that she should so dote on Seignior Benedick, whom she hath in all outward behaviors seemed ever to abhor ...came so near the life of passion as she discovers it...when she is beginning to write to him, for she'll be up twenty times a night, and there will she sit in her smock till she have writ a sheet of paper...O, she tore the letter into a thousand half-pences...'. Leonato talks about how deep down, Beatrice really loves Benedick and she is very passionate about it. Furthermore, she writes letters to Benedick, but doesn't have the courage to give it to him, so she tears it. As a consequence, this would have made Benedick feel guilty about all the things that he has done to her, and it has made him realise what he has to do or act towards her. This is a funny scene, because intelligent people are made to look foolish in love. Moreover, because Leonato says most of these things, it makes Benedick believe this more, because he is a very trusted man. In addition, Leonato also takes about how Benedick is wise, so will make the right choice, which makes Benedick fall for the trick even more because of the compliment. Lastly, in the lie which they are telling, they are also telling the truth about Beatrice.
When it is Hero and Ursula's turn to trick Beatrice, they follow the same pattern. 'HERO...As Beatrice is, cannot be commendable...It were a better death than die with mocks...He is the only man of Italy...' Here, Hero talks about how Beatrice does not give the complements a man deserves, and how it would be better for Benedick to die because she would make his life a living hell. Therefore this would make Beatrice very guilty about her actions towards Benedick, and made her love him more. Hero and Ursula also make Benedick sound attracting by saying that he had a good reputation, he is good looking etc. As a result, this would have the same effect that it had on Benedick, as she would treat his with love, rather than insult him all the time. So, the trick had worked for them
To conclude, because Benedick and Beatrice have suppressed feeling for each other, it is much easier for them to be tricked or even hurt by each other. Benedick and Beatrice are both very arrogant people, yet they get tricked, even though they are two very intelligent people. Therefore, this shows that anything could happen when in love.
Compare the following two excerpts, both of which depict Benedick and Beatrice finally beginning to accept/ requite each other’s feeling
In Scene 3, we see Benedick and Beatrice getting tricked into falling in love with each other, and this is the part where they say their monologue about how they have realised that they really did love each other. When they say their monologue, it seems that they say it poetry which may mean that they are really in love.
In this act, Benedick realises that he has to start growing up and start becoming a man for Beatrice. ‘…a man loves the meat in his youth that he cannot endure in his age…’ Here, this quotation is portraying how men are so hung up on their youth that they stop acting their real age. The noun ‘meat’ implies that this is the best part about them, therefore that is the part of the men’s youth that they want to treasure forever, and in this case, this refers to men not wanting to get married. So, as a result, they are reluctant to move on with their age, so the meat in this case really describes the views of this from a man, who thinks that this is what they hold on to the most. Referring back to the whole monologue of Benedick, he goes on about how before he did not think about marriage, and now he has realised that it is time to grow up and act his age, therefore he has to think about marriage and he thinks about getting married to Beatrice. The imagery of this relates to an animal for its meat. So what Shakespeare is doing is he is comparing men with animal’s meat, and somehow making it sound manly, but the men who do this are not. Furthermore, we as an audience realise that Benedick has now realised that he has to grow up, but this may foreshadow later events of Claudio. This is because we know this character as a gullible person who is very quick to temper, therefore in some ways Claudio may be the one who is still stuck in his old ways and may cause trouble in later events due to his stubborn personality.
In Beatrice’s monologue, she goes on about her love to Benedick and how she has realised that she really does love him, so she will change because of this. ‘…Taming my wild heart to thy loving hand…’, this quote means that Beatrice will rely and think that Benedick will love her back and calm her down because her heart would be racing because she is in love with him. The verb ‘taming’ indicates that like an animal, Beatrice’s heart may need to be trained with the help of Benedick because she is so in love with him and needs to be in control. There is a reference to an animal, but more like a pet, it seems that Benedick may be acting as the owner of the animal while Beatrice is the animal who needs to be taken care of. The adjective ‘wild’ just shows how much she is in love with Benedick because her heart would go crazy when he is around her. This may be relevant with another character such as Claudio, as sometimes he would need to be tamed, which would foreshadow later events. For example, due to the fact that Claudio has a very quick temper and is quite easily fooled, though he is an intelligent man, he might rage at something and jump to conclusions quickly without thinking, but there may not be anyone to tame him and make him think straight. As a result this may cause trouble for many characters. To conclude, both Benedick and Beatrice use a lot of imagery to convey their thoughts about each other through their monologues.
To summarise Benedick’s monologue, it seems that Benedick has now understood that he has to become a proper man and think like a man, therefore he must think about marriage and break out of the bad habit of thinking of being an eternal bachelor. So, in this dialogue he confessed to this and claims that he would change, even though other people may laugh at him, he would do it for Beatrice as he loves her that much. As for Beatrice, it seems that she is also confessing to her love, and wants to believe it is all true what she had heard because she is already slightly in love with Benedick before this happened. We see this because Beatrice’s monologue is much shorter than Benedick’s which may mean that because she is already in love with him, she does not have to confess and confront a lot. Compared to Benedick who wasn't in love like Beatrice was, so he said more in his monologue.
In this act, Benedick realises that he has to start growing up and start becoming a man for Beatrice. ‘…a man loves the meat in his youth that he cannot endure in his age…’ Here, this quotation is portraying how men are so hung up on their youth that they stop acting their real age. The noun ‘meat’ implies that this is the best part about them, therefore that is the part of the men’s youth that they want to treasure forever, and in this case, this refers to men not wanting to get married. So, as a result, they are reluctant to move on with their age, so the meat in this case really describes the views of this from a man, who thinks that this is what they hold on to the most. Referring back to the whole monologue of Benedick, he goes on about how before he did not think about marriage, and now he has realised that it is time to grow up and act his age, therefore he has to think about marriage and he thinks about getting married to Beatrice. The imagery of this relates to an animal for its meat. So what Shakespeare is doing is he is comparing men with animal’s meat, and somehow making it sound manly, but the men who do this are not. Furthermore, we as an audience realise that Benedick has now realised that he has to grow up, but this may foreshadow later events of Claudio. This is because we know this character as a gullible person who is very quick to temper, therefore in some ways Claudio may be the one who is still stuck in his old ways and may cause trouble in later events due to his stubborn personality.
In Beatrice’s monologue, she goes on about her love to Benedick and how she has realised that she really does love him, so she will change because of this. ‘…Taming my wild heart to thy loving hand…’, this quote means that Beatrice will rely and think that Benedick will love her back and calm her down because her heart would be racing because she is in love with him. The verb ‘taming’ indicates that like an animal, Beatrice’s heart may need to be trained with the help of Benedick because she is so in love with him and needs to be in control. There is a reference to an animal, but more like a pet, it seems that Benedick may be acting as the owner of the animal while Beatrice is the animal who needs to be taken care of. The adjective ‘wild’ just shows how much she is in love with Benedick because her heart would go crazy when he is around her. This may be relevant with another character such as Claudio, as sometimes he would need to be tamed, which would foreshadow later events. For example, due to the fact that Claudio has a very quick temper and is quite easily fooled, though he is an intelligent man, he might rage at something and jump to conclusions quickly without thinking, but there may not be anyone to tame him and make him think straight. As a result this may cause trouble for many characters. To conclude, both Benedick and Beatrice use a lot of imagery to convey their thoughts about each other through their monologues.
To summarise Benedick’s monologue, it seems that Benedick has now understood that he has to become a proper man and think like a man, therefore he must think about marriage and break out of the bad habit of thinking of being an eternal bachelor. So, in this dialogue he confessed to this and claims that he would change, even though other people may laugh at him, he would do it for Beatrice as he loves her that much. As for Beatrice, it seems that she is also confessing to her love, and wants to believe it is all true what she had heard because she is already slightly in love with Benedick before this happened. We see this because Beatrice’s monologue is much shorter than Benedick’s which may mean that because she is already in love with him, she does not have to confess and confront a lot. Compared to Benedick who wasn't in love like Beatrice was, so he said more in his monologue.
Act 4 Scene 1This scene is before the wedding where everyone is gathered round and the Friar asks them if they want to marry each other and if they have any secrets. This is where Claudio tells everyone that Hero is not who she seems to be, that she is unchaste and impure so he cannot marry her. At this point Claudio has shamed Hero. So this shows how love can easily turn into hate for Claudio. At first, Leonato thought that Claudio slept with Hero, but then Claudio used a metaphor to convey that he certainly did not - '...as a brother to his sister. showed...' then he compared Hero to an animal who would sleep with another. From 'one affair' he concluded that she had slept with many other men. Don Pedro tells everyone how they found out, but Don John made them stop with the questioning, because if they find out that it was Borachio, he would get into trouble. So he came up with an absurd excuse with was if they ask any more questions, their language would loose reputation. After Don Pedro, Don John and Claudio left, Leonato surprisingly believes Claudio and Don Pedro and not his own daughter, and he has a long speech about how he had lost his reputation and how he would beat her up for this. This shows us another side Leonato and how important reputation is to them. The Friar, Benedick and Beatrice all try to calm him down and be the voice of reason at this point, then the Friar has an idea to pretend to kill Hero in order for this to calm down, and make them feel guilty. After this, Benedick and Beatrice are left alone, and this is where they confess their love, but not directly. Benedick does confess openly, but Beatrice still says it indirectly. Benedick asks her to marry him, but Beatrice first wants Benedick to kill Claudio in order for her to marry him. Benedick agrees to this.
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Act 4 Scene 2This scene includes Dogberry, Verges, Sexton, Conrade, Borachio and the watchmen. This is when they are interrogating them, but due to Dogberry being very stupid this is going all wrong, so Sexton has to step in to do the job properly. In this scene, they were asking about what really happened at the night of which Claudio saw Hero having an affair with someone else. It was very agitating for the audience as Dogberry did not ask the questions right and was very gullible, so when Sexton stepped in, they got the right evidence in the end. This scene included a lot of malapropism.
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Act 5 Scene 1This scene starts with Leonato and his brother Antonio standing and talking in front of Leonato's house. Leonato is in grief and in a depressed mood, and he threatens Claudio and Don Pedro with Antonio saying that he will punish the people who make him suffer.
When Claudio and Don Pedro arrive, Claudio denies everything he had done with Leonato threatening him to fight him to the death. Don Pedro patronises Leonato by calling him an 'old man' twice. Both Antonio and Leonato keep saying that they are liars and they framed Hero but Claudio and Don Pedro keep denying this. Leonato and Antonio exit and Benedick enters, and both Claudio and Don Pedro say how they were going to fight the 'old men'. Then they say how they are sad, so they tell Benedick to tell them some jokes. So Benedick is only these to amuse them, he was never really part of their group, and so Benedick becomes angry. Due to this and what he had promised Beatrice, he challenges Claudio to a fight, but Claudio says how stupid that is, and Don Pedro tries prevent him from fighting by saying how Beatrice compliments Benedick. However, Benedick says that they fight like old ladies and he no longer wants to be part of their group. Benedick exits. Claudio and Don Pedro talk about how Benedick is truthful because of Beatrice, and how he dresses nicely for her but forgets his brain. Dogberry, Verges, the watchmen with Conrade and Borachio enter. Dogberry says how justice is going to change Conrade and Borachio's mind. Borrachio confesses to everything to Claudio and Don Pedro, how Don Pedro paid him to do that. The plot is now being resolved and the villain would not change. Claudio suddenly has a change of heart when he says that he sees Hero like the first time he saw her again. Leonato says that after Hero's funeral, go to his house and he has another niece who looks exactly like Hero (it is Hero) for him to meet. Claudio instantly agrees, because he can't say no after what he has done. Borachio defends Margret by saying that she did not know what she was getting into, so it was not her fault, and Leonato thanks Dogberry for the whole situation. |
Act 5 Scene 2In this scene, Benedick and Margret are talking, Margret is flirting with Benedick then they start to cuss each other. Margret is surprisingly witty as well. Benedick them starts to speak in poetry as wrote a poem for her. Beatrice enters and tells him to speak in prose, then they start to have a little witty banter again about foul breath and word. Benedick asks Beatrice why did she love him, but she replied saying all his parts are bad.
Ursula enters, and says that Hero had been falsely accused, Don Pedro and Claudio have been deceived, and Don John who orchestrated it all had ran away. Act 5 Scene 3This is the funeral scene, Don Pedro, Claudio and four Lords holding tapers enter. The whole community thinks of Hero as an object. The Lord reads from the scroll, saying how her reputation lives on, her life in shame but in death she has fame. The Lord sings a song about Hero and how she is a 'virgin-knight' and 'goddess of the night' meaning Diana who represents the moon and chastity. The funeral ends, and Claudio says how him next marriage should be better.
Act 5 Scene 4In the final scene, the Friar says that how he was right, and Leonato, Antonio, Benedick are all happy that everything is resolved. When Hero, Beatrice, Margret and Ursula leave, Benedick says that he is going to ask Beatrice to marry him, Leonato is very happy because his daughter and niece would be getting married in one day.
Claudio, Don Pedro and some attendants enter, and Claudio says how he will marry the girl even if she is black. Claudio's marriage, everyone else arranges it, but for Benedick's marriage he arranges everything which makes his love more authentic. Antonio hands over Hero, and she unmasked herself, and they all see its the former Hero. With Benedick and Beatrice they asked if they love each other, but reply with 'no more than a reason', so they are indirectly admitting it. After saying that they heard they were sick for each other by their friends, they realised they were tricked. But then Claudio and Hero said that they found letters written by both of them to each other, but they were never sent. Benedick asks Beatrice to marry him, Beatrice says that she will because it is a good day, he had convinced her and she heard he was sick so she should save him. Benedick and Beatrice do not care what others think about them unlike Claudio and Hero. Benedick them says they should all dance and be happy. His last joke is about how Don Pedro should get a wife, and to not thibk about the punishment till the next day. It ends with dancing and music. |