Much Ado About Nothing Discussion
Shakespeare's comedy Much Ado About Nothing is indeed, initially about nothing. The first scene begins after the end of a 'small war' between brothers Don John and Don Pedro, which resulted in nothing and very few losses. All involved in the war are headed to the home of Leonato, where his daughter Hero and his niece Beatrice also live. The first scene is a lot of exposition about characters; it especially shows the relationship between Beatrice and one of Don Pedro's officers Benedick. Beatrice and Benedick exchange jabs such as "I wonder that you still be talking, Signior Benedick, nobody marks you" (1.1.114-5). This relationship is set up in contrast to the attraction between Hero and Claudio, another officer of Don Pedro. Claudio falls in love at first sight with Hero, a love which Benedick mocks. When Claudio says that Hero is the sweetest woman he has ever laid eyes on, Benedick responds "I can see yet without spectacles, and I see no such matter" (1.1.185-6). Benedick is disdainful of romance and marriage, as opposed to the much more romantic Claudio. This distinction between Benedick and Claudio, and between the women they are initially set up with, seems to be setting up foils. Benedick's cynicism contrasts with Claudio's romanticism, a conflict that seems to be major in the play. The second scene of the play is very short but establishes the conflict between characters which will come from Leonato believing that it is Don Pedro, rather than Hero, who is in love with Claudio. Leonato plans to tell Hero this; miscommunication will certainly play a major role in the following plot, which will hopefully not be about nothing.
Duality and foils seem important in this play; what other foils do you see? This play is surprisingly comedic, so from where and from which characters do you see the most comedy coming?
Duality and foils seem important in this play; what other foils do you see? This play is surprisingly comedic, so from where and from which characters do you see the most comedy coming?
Yes I totally agree. Foils are very important in this play, especially in understanding the ironic humor. I think a relationship that, when we really understand them better, could serve as foils would be Don John and Don Pedro. I see that you mentioned their relationship and the battle towards the beginning of the play, but I think that we will see even more of their relationship opposites. Don Pedro plans on uniting Beatrice and Benedick, while Don John’s sole purpose in life is to drive others apart. I think that the relationship between Beatrice and Benedick will be the most comedic for me because of their banter back and forth. They have the kind of romance that is obvious to everyone but themselves, which in turn produces quite a bit of humor.
ReplyDeleteAs the play progresses, Leonato hosts a party, full of hilarious dance partners, all displaying various relationship styles. I really enjoyed the varied aspects of a relationship that Shakespeare plays off of with each dancing pair. Like mentioned, the duality in this play keeps it moving forward. The idea that each relationship has a quirk that makes it work really plays true during the dinner party. Beatrice and Benedick really heat things up as they dance, unaware it is each other; while taking offence to most things the other says. Beatrice mentions that Benedick is, “the prince’s jester, a very dull fool, only his gift is in devising impossible slanders” (Shakespeare 2.1.118-119). Beatrice and Benedick, destined for love, are blind to the fact that each time they insult each other, they are growing closer to love. Some may say that they fight like an old married couple; and although they are not a couple yet, it is clear that their hostility towards each other is just pent up feelings for each other. The comedic aspect of their relationship is the fact that all the other characters feel the emotional and relational tension between them, taking their destiny into their own hands. Don Pedro mentions that, “she [Beatrice] were an excellent wife for Benedick” (Shakespeare 2.1.307). This group of guys will stop at nothing to unite the hostile opposites.
How do you think humor will play a role in uniting Beatrice? Do you think that feminism vs. masculinity plays a role in the formation of the various couples thus far, or is this battle of the sexes purely coincidence?
I honestly love Beatrice and Benedick's relationship, and it has a lot of humor for me. Everyone can see that they like each other behind the insults and jabs. The fact that everyone is amused by their relationship will cause the people in the court to push them towards each other; eventually, I think, their shared sense of humor will bring them together. I don't think there's a strict dichotomy between masculinity and femininity, but more of a contrast between the two main couples and their expressions of traditional gender roles. Hero and Claudio are about as 'normal' and traditional for that era as you can get, both fitting into what is expected of them. On the other hand, Beatrice in particular does not fit the expected feminine mold of the time, as she is far more outspoken and refuses to marry. I don't think the contrast is so much between male and female but between doing what's expected or defying convention.
DeleteIn the latter two scenes of Act II, much more plotting occurs. Don John, upset to hear about the marriage between Hero and Claudio, has his servant devise a plan to wreck Hero's pure reputation. Don John hates Claudio and is "sick in displeasure to him,
and whatsoever comes athwart his affection ranges evenly with mine" (2.2.7) because Claudio represents everything that Don John is not; heroic, victorious, adored, and in possession of all that he desires. Don John's plan, if it succeeds, would effectively ruin Hero's life because of cultural values at the time. This makes him a much worse villain than he initially seemed to be. Act 2 Scene 3 shows Benedick mourning what he perceives to be Beatrice's hatred of him. His friends, who see that Beatrice and Benedick are really in love, enact a plan to get them together. They wander around the garden, knowing that Benedick is listening, and create a story about how in love Beatrice is and how she will kill herself if Benedick does not give her attention. Benedick falls for it and immediately realizes that he is deeply in love with Beatrice and she is all he ever wanted, saying "I may chance have some odd quirks and remnants of wit broken on me because I have railed so long against marriage, but doth not the appetite alter? A man loves the
meat in his youth that he cannot endure in his age. Shall quips and sentences and these paper bullets of the brain awe a man from the career of his humor? No!" (2.3.237-242). It's interesting that Benedick even brings up humor in his words, although it seems to refer to his happiness. However, Shakespeare could be using a double meaning of the word humor and referring to the shared sense of humor between Beatrice and Benedick that predominates their relationship.
Clearly there is still a lot of drama and miscommunication left to come; is there a point Shakespeare is trying to make with all the eavesdropping and miscommunication or is it just a way to make the plot work? Do you think there is a real protagonist in this play, or does Shakespeare intentionally write it as an ensemble piece?
I think that Shakespeare has been incredibly intentional in all the miscommunication and eavesdropping. Because this play is an ensemble play, Shakespeare needs a way to tie them all together. He also, however has a point in all of the chaos. I think that he chooses this way in order to add to the humor of the play. The miscommunication creates the conflict which in turn will lead the play along.
ReplyDeleteIn the first scenes of Act 3, the girls go to work with a similar plan of eavesdropping, this time in order to sway Beatrice into her own feelings of love for Benedick. Hero explains, “My talk to thee must be how Benedick/Is sick in love with Beatrice” (Shakespeare 3.1.20-21). The point of their plan is to use subtle hints in their conversation, meant for Beatrice to hear, to help her realize her true feelings for Beatrice. I love how Shakespeare uses the women to plot because it is similar to what happens in high school. I feel like if this play became a modern-day movie, it would take place within a high school because the back and forth plotting is so juvenile. I think that plays to the humor of it because adults are acting like children, matchmaking and plotting in order to release feelings; instead of being direct, they are hilariously beating around the bush. Beatrice overhears, much to the girls’ delight, and is immediately struck with guilt for her previous harsh actions towards Benedick. She says, “If thou dost love, my kindness shall incite thee/To bind our loves up in a holy band” (Shakespeare 3.1.115-116). Another part of the beginning of Act 3 involves yet another plot, this one involving the “bully” within the play, Don John. He and his minions confront Claudio about his near marriage to Hero. The lies they tell him about Hero play mind games for him and he begins to have doubts. I think this scene really addresses Claudio’s own immaturity with the relationship, because if he were truly in love with Hero, and knew her well, he would not have these doubts. The hastiness with which this marriage is beginning speaks to the time period and Don John is there to poke holes in the system.
Do you think Hero and Claudio’s plan for Beatrice and Benedick will back fire or do you think it will unite them like they are hoping? Don John is obviously the villain like character. However I feel like he is almost the voice of reason among the kids on Cloud 9. What do you think about that?
I think the plan will intially backfire; there's still plenty of play to get through, after all! But I also think that since Beatrice and Benedick are made aware of their true feelings, they ploy will eventually get them back together. I'm not sure I see Don John in the same way, as he seems more like a villain who connives for no real reason except his own enjoyment. However, he certainly seems much more connected to the real world than everyone else, who are so caught up in their own drama that they sort of forgot a war even happened.
ReplyDeleteAct 3 Scene 3 takes a break from the action inside Leonato’s estate to show a conversation between watchmen, who are sort of the police force for the area. However, they are incredibly ineffective and ignorant. Their ignorance contributes a lot of humor to the scene; the leader of the Watch, Dogberry, in response to being called a merciful man when he says not to apprehend thieves, says, “Truly, I would not hang a dog by my will, much more a man who hath any honesty in him” (3.3.62-63). Dogberry really should be saying ‘much less’, but his ignorance and misuse of words adds to the humor. This humor, appropriate to a play that is so full of duality, contrasts sharply with the much wittier humor of those inside the house, particularly Beatrice and Benedick. This difference in humor illustrates the deep divide between different classes within the historical context, but also shows the multiple kinds of humor that Shakespeare wrote. Later in the scene, Borachio and Conrade, the servants of Don John, walk out by the watchmen and explain what happened between Hero and Claudio, before the Watchmen arrest them for ‘lechery’, which is another example of the wrong word being used in a humorous way— the Watchmen mean ‘treachery’, but the mistake is very humorous. Borachio and Conrade’s conversation is mostly exposition, an instance of Shakespeare telling rather than showing actions. This could be for a number of reasons; most likely, it was difficult and perhaps inappropriate to show Claudio spying on who he thinks is Hero onstage. Act 3 Scene 4 shows Hero preparing for her wedding; Beatrice and her servant Margaret are in there to help her prepare, and Margaret teases Beatrice about her falling in love with Benedick (which Beatrice attempts to deny). This scene is back to the typical witty humor of the play, and again shows the contrast between Beatrice and Hero.
What is Shakespeare’s goal in showing the Watchmen’s outside perspective? Do you think Shakespeare had a reason for not showing Don John’s plot carried out, or was it simply for reasons of convenience of staging?
The Watchmen provide an interesting perspective on the whole scheme. I think showing that perspective gives the audience a more wholistic view of what is going on. Although there are numerous characters, each of them is so closely related to the action that the Watchmen provide a step back and a less emotionally attached perspective. As for Don John’s plan, I honestly think its failure has a lot to do with the genre of the play. As a comedy, allowing a wicked plan like that to be carried through would be a bit out of character for a comedy. I don’t see how Shakespeare would be able to resolve something like that in the end. So yes, I think staging was a part of it, but also thinking big picture and how that fits is important too.
ReplyDeleteThe latter part of Act 3 makes me think that the title is very accurate because it was honestly about nothing important. In Act 3 scene 5, we hear a conversation between Dogberry and Leonato, all ending in the decision for Dogberry to question the suspects and not Leonato. The real action however jumps into the first scene in Act 4: the wedding (well the ALMOST wedding). Claudio and Hero’s wedding comes to a screeching halt when Claudio accuses Hero of basically cheating on him. After a hostile exchange, Hero faints and many believe her to be dead. The Friar, who has easily become one of my favorite characters, jumps in with an interesting idea: “Let her awhile to be secretly kept in,/And publish it that she is dead indeed” (Shakespeare 4.1.211-212). Then later he says why they should tell everyone she actually died, “When he [Claudio] shall hear she died upon his words,/The idea of her life shall sweetly creep/Into his study of imagination,/And every lovely organ of her life/Shall come appareled in a more precious habit” (Shakespeare 4.1.231-235). So basically if you love something let it go?? I think that this plan is so brilliant because it saves Hero more humiliation and forces Claudio to really consider what he has just accused her of. Don John has played games with him and Claudio needs to figure out his life now. This scene ends with the long awaited confession of love between Beatrice and Benedick. Of course Shakespeare writes it in a sarcastic and witty manner, how appropriate for the two of them. After a fight as to who wanted to say “I love you” first, Beatrice asks Benedick to kill Claudio for her and when he refuses, another fight ensues. I think it’s very interesting that Beatrice actually admitted her feelings for Benedick because she is so stubborn and very stuck in her “I don’t need a man” ways. I love their relationship, however, and how it begins is probably my favorite scene thus far.
What are your thoughts on Benedick killing Claudio, or at least making him pay for his accusations? Do you think Benedick is afraid of losing Beatrice and will do anything to keep her? Lastly, do you think Benedick is afraid of Beatrice in any capacity? Because I honestly get that feeling from seeing their relationship/friendship pan out.
I don't think Benedick would actually kill Claudio, but it shows how serious he is about his love for Beatrice; since he would rather hurt his best friend than disappoint her, clearly he's very committed to her. I definitely think his promise to her, as well as his seriousness when he asks to duel Claudio, shows how far he will go to keep her love. I do think he is a little afraid of her, but not in a serious way. He mostly doesn't want her to make fun of him in a mean spirited way-- he would rather their battle of wits be in good humor.
ReplyDeleteAct 4 Scene 2 takes us back outside Leonato’s home, to where Dogberry is (again, rather ineffectively) interrogating Borachio and Conrade. The sexton, who is recording the interrogation, keeps attempting to correct Dogberry. He finally manages to actually get the pair to reveal what really happened, and how Don John bribed them to convince Claudio that Hero was unfaithful. The humor of ignorance comes out in Dogberry’s response: “Flat burglary as ever was committed” (4.2.52), by which, of course, he means bribery. Shakespeare fleshes out even the most minor of characters meant to provide exposition in this scene; the interrogation is necessary to get all the scheming revealed, but is also quite entertaining which seems to be hallmark of good Shakespearian comedy. Now that everything is fully revealed to the audience, all must be revealed to the characters. In Act 5 Scene 1, Leonato and his brother Antonio are mourning the accusations against Hero; Leonato challenges Claudio to a duel, saying “Canst thou so daff me? Thou hast killed my child. If thou kill’st me, boy, thou shalt kill a man” (5.1.88-89). Even though Leonato knows that Hero is not dead, he uses that as ammunition against Claudio, hoping to take his anger out within a duel. Shakespeare brings out yet another contrast here, this time between old and young. Leonato admits that his duel with Claudio will probably not end well, because Claudio is younger and more practiced. However, he calls Claudio ‘boy’ in a derogatory manner, while his portrayal of Hero as a child is a calculated way to insinuate that she is innocent, as children are associated with innocence. By calling Claudio and Hero children, Leonato decreases the legitimacy of the accusations against Hero (which is fair because they definitely weren’t legitimate). Benedick also comes to propose a duel with Claudio, and is very serious about it, which is definitely uncharacteristic of him. In the end of the scene, Dogberry finally does something productive by bringing Conrade and Borachio in to confess the whole plot and admit that Hero is innocent. This, understandably, makes Claudio feel extremely guilty for what he did to Hero. Leonato responds by telling Claudio he has a niece very similar to Hero that Claudio can marry instead, and for some reason, probably out of guilt and gratefulness, Claudio accepts. It is a good thing he does, because Shakespeare makes it clear that this is a ploy to get Claudio and Hero back together again.
Why do you think Claudio agrees to marry this random niece of Leonato's? One other thing I found interesting is how Benedick, who throughout this whole play has been talking about how love makes people stupid, is more serious and focused (and more frightening) than ever because of love. What do you think about that?
Honestly I don’t have a very good explanation as to why Claudio agreed to marry the random niece, other than maybe he felt so indebted to Leonato that he felt he needed to do it. Or he suspected that Hero was still alive, but I think he’s a bit too dumb to think that deeply. As far as Benedick, I think it’s super interesting the 180 he does because of love. I think that he underestimated the effects of true love on a person; often people underestimate things that they have no experience with, and in his case, Benedick has underestimated the power of love. When he did not admit to his feelings, he saw love as stupid, maybe because he was jealous of those in love. But now that he has love, he intends to keep it, therefore making him more serious about life…but not TOO serious; he’s still the witty Benedick we all know and love!
ReplyDeleteWow what a way to end it! Much Ado About Nothing is full of random little plots all under the umbrella of the main plot. I think that the last three scenes of the play really tie all the loose ends together. Not only does Shakespeare completely resolve the whole Hero dying issue, but he also reveals Claudio’s true feelings in the process. I think my favorite part of that conflict is the scheme of pretending she was dead. I think it was brilliant because it saved her shame and forced Claudio to get off his high horse. Don John is caught, thank goodness; I think it’s super interesting that Benedick decides its up to him to deal with Don John because he’s not related to Don John. Benedick ends the play with this promise, maybe to live up to the protection he has promised to Beatrice. Speaking of Beatrice, Benedick and Beatrice share an odd encounter in the last scenes. It seems as though they are going to break up because they reveal how they have each been tricked. Benedick says, “Do you not love me?” and Beatrice answers, “Why, no, no more than reason” (Shakespeare 5.4.75-80) And then she proceeds to ask Benedick the same question, who then responds the same way as she had. Here we see their walls sliding back up because of fear that the other does not truly love them. However they release those walls once again and let go of at least some of their pride. In true Beatrice fashion, she agrees to marry Benedick “out of pity,” saying, “I would not deny you, but by this good day I yield upon great persuasion, and partly to save your life, for I was told you were in a consumption” (Shakespeare 5.4.98-100). Their relationship is characterized by wit and only through that wit, they are able to express their true feelings. Some admit their love through the line “I love you,” but not Beatrice and Benedick. Their relationship is the most humorous part of the play for me because their sarcastic flirting is truly beautiful, and Shakespeare is brilliant for making it the core of Much Ado About Nothing. This play is something after all, something quite remarkable: words have immense power, so decide carefully how you use them.
Perceptive analysis! I've never noticed quite as many dualities as you identify and elucidate. Moreover, you consistently discuss their function in creating the messages and the humor. FYI sometimes the Q2 prompt will ask people to analyze how a writer achieves a comedic effect. You have done that here. Good notes on ensemble as a structural function, too--I guess the tragedies are much more consistently protagonist-driven. Any thoughts on why? P.S. Dogberry's mistaken word choice is called using "malapropisms," and Leonato's niece is not random: he's talking about Beatrice! Marrying her certainly would be a sacrifice for Claudio. Can you imagine them together? Grade on PP.
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