Much Ado About Nothing

By Maylin Guida, Naseem Ghasemiyeh, Trevor Torres, Maura White, and Chelsea

Anguiano

. MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING HAS MANY MEANINGS. IN SHAKESPEARE HE USED “NOTING” INSTEAD OF NOTHING; NOTING BACK THEN MEANT, “TO TAKE NOTICE” OR EAVESDROP. THERE ARE MANY MISUNDERSTANDINGS THROUGHOUT THE STORY AND THE CHARACTERS MAKE A HUGE PROBLEM OUT OF NOTHING, WHICH IS WHY THE TITLE IS MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING. THE LITERARY GENRE IS MAINLY COMEDY BECAUSE NOBODY DIES AND THERE IS SOME MARRIAGE, DOGBERRY MIXES UP WHAT HE SAYS, WHAT HE MEANS, AND CONSTANTLY SAYS THE OPPOSITE OF WHAT HE MEANS. ANOTHER EXAMPLE IS BEATRICE AND BENEDICK’S “WIT BATTLES” THEY HAVE THROUGHOUT THE STORY AND ENDED UP LOVING EACH OTHER. CLAUDIO AND HERO’S RELATIONSHIP IS LIKE A STEREOTYPICAL REPRESENTATION OF YOUNG LOVE.

Much Ado About Nothing

By William Shakespeare

Born 1564 & Died 1616

A play writer, actor, and poet

Born in Stratford – Upon – Avon

Partial owner of a play company in London, Lord Chamberlin’s Men, later known as the King’s Men

Wrote approx. 38 plays & 154 sonnets

Plot Benedick, Don Pedro, Don John, and

Claudio arrive at Messina, staying with Leonoto

Beatrice and Benedick begin a battle of wits

Claudio and Hero fall in love instantly, and set a date for their wedding

The rest of the company trick Benedick and Beatrice into falling in love through a string of lies about each other

Don John plots to ruin Claudio and Hero’s wedding; convinces Claudio that Hero has been unfaithful

Don John takes Claudio to Hero’s window, where Hero’s maid and Borachio are making love

Don John convinces Claudio it is Hero at the window

Claudio publically accuses Hero of cheating at their wedding

Hero faints and her family hides her away until the truth of her innocence is revealed

Everyone is told she is “dead”

Borachio confesses

Claudio is heartbroken and promises to marry Hero’s cousin as an apology

“Hero’s cousin” turns out to be Hero secretly

Hero and Claudio, and Beatrice and Benedick are married

Literary Devices

Animal References

Adds animalistic characteristics to characters

Connects marriage to becoming an animal, tame yet primitive

“but if the ever sensible Benedick bear it, pluck off the bull’s horns and set them on my forehead,” (I.1.206)

Metaphor

Hero’s death is equivalent to the

death of her honor

“Death is the fairest cover for her shame. That may be wished for,” (IV.1.114)

Her family wishes for her death rather than to take her honor

Symbolism

Reference of ‘Cupid’s bow’

The reference of Cupid and his archery skills is used to reveal Benedick’s foolish behavior

“He set up his bills here in Messina and challenged Cupid at the flight, and my uncle’s Fool, reading the challenge, subscribed for Cupid and challenged him at the bird-bolt,” (I.1.32-34)

Allusion

Benedick & Beatrice’s love

affair

Neither actually loves one another, but comically both are fed lies to believe one another’s love

Irony

Themes

1.The height to which honor was valued When Hero’s honor was ruined at her wedding, her family pretended that she was dead in response

2.The power of deceit Don Jon tricks Claudio into believing that Hero was being unfaithful, Benedick and Beatrice are tricked into falling in love with one another

Setting & its Connection To Theme

Messina is filled with happiness now that the war is over, giving the play a festive and joyous tone

The new soldiers fresh from the battlefield are anxious to live life to the fullest, foreshadowing merry changes throughout the character’s lives

The play takes place in Leonato’s garden filled with flowers, giving the play a romantic tone

In history, Messina was taken over by trickery and central conflict

Don John symbolizes the black plague, thought to have been brought to Europe through Messina, giving the story an underlying darker meaning. He brings constant troubles than simply leaves, just as the black plague had done.

Main CharactersClaudio A gullible soldier who falls in love with Hero

Hero Leonato’s daughter and Beatrice’s cousin. She is the bride to be of Claudio.

Beatrice Leonato’s niece and Hero’s cousin. Extremely witty and the supposed lover of Benedick.

Benedick A soldier and close friend of Don Pedro and Claudio. Supposed lover of Beatrice though a misogynist.

Don Pedro Referred to as “the price”, friend of Leonato, Claudio, and Benedick

Don John Don Pedro’s illegitimate half brother, known as the “bastard”, who attempts to destroy Claudio and Hero’s wedding

Leonato Hero’s father and Benedick’s uncle, friend of Don Pedro, and governor of Messina.

Borachio A friend Don John and the lover of Margaret. He aids in Don John’s sceams

Memorable Quotes

1: Beatrice explains how no man is a good match for her; those with no beard are too young and those with are too old. Through renaissance lit, men on the verge of manhood were most sexually desirable.

2: Benedick states he isn’t foolish enough to fall in love, for if he does he is sure his wife will cheat on him (when a woman cheats on a man the man is said to have horns)

3: Benedick wants to find a fair, wise, and virtuous woman, and until he finds her, n woman is up to his standards.

1. “He that hath a beard is more than a youth, and he that hath no beard is less than a man; and he that is less than a man, I am not for him” (I.1.29-32)

2. “The savage bull may, but if ever the sensible Benedick bear it, pluck off the bull’s horn and set them in my forehead, and let me, be painted, and in such great letters as they write ‘Here is good to hire’ let them signify under my sign ‘Here you may see Benedick, the married man” (I.1.206-210)

3. “One woman is fair, yet I am well; another is wise, yet I am well; another virtuous, yet I am well; but till all grace be in one woman, one woman shall not come in my grace” (II.3.24-26)