welcome back! please pick up the handout on the table. thank you!
TRANSCRIPT
Welcome Back!Please pick up the handout on the
table. Thank you!
Dear Student, Happy New Year and welcome back! Today we begin our study of Shakespeare’s comedy Much Ado About Nothing directed by Kenneth Branagh. We will view the whole play in class. Since it is an interpretation of the original play, it is not exactly like the print version. Your final will be based off the film and your notes from class lectures. It is imperative and super important that you be in class on time EVERY DAY! You will miss A LOT of information if you are absent and will be at a disadvantage for the final if you are absent too often. However, I know things happen and an absence (and I mean like one) happens. So here are your options if you are ever absent from class and miss out on a viewing day. BE A RESPONSIBLE STUDENT!
Option 1: Stay after school the next day to view the act you missed. I will have a makeup viewing session the day after we view something in class. For example: on Thursday we view Act 1, but you are absent (bummer!). On Friday after school, I will show Act 1 immediately starting at 2:15. If you can’t stay after school, then see Option 2. (I am trying to set up another viewing day, but it will always be after school). Option 2: Can’t stay after school? You can rent the film online (I think) through Netflix or find it on YouTube. See above for the version we are watching. Option 3: I will have summaries for EACH act on my wiki. These give you a brief rundown of what you missed. These should be enough to at least pass the final if you take really good notes and get notes from your friends. This option is NOT really recommended as your only option.
The best option is to be at school. If you are absent, it is your responsibility to get caught up. Go to the wiki for summaries of the play. Don’t rely on Sparknotes as the film version is different from what the site will have. Get notes from your friends on what you missed. Stay on top of your work. I will have students fill out something for EACH scene of EACH act. You will be doing something for a grade EACH day! Typically, students who are absent a lot do poorly on the final. The remediation will be a lot of work if you do poorly on the final. Coming to class will help prepare you for the final. Start 2014 strong! Here’s to some Shakespeare fun! Ms. McComb
3 questionsWith a partner and 1 piece of paper:
• What advice is being given in this poem?
• Do you agree/disagree?
• If these are the beginning lines of the play, what do you think this play is about?
Created 12/2009McComb
Created 12/2009McComb
1. Sigh no more, ladies, sigh no more, 2. Men were deceivers ever, 3. One foot in sea and one on shore, 4. To one thing constant never: 5. Then sigh not so, but let them go, 6. And be you blithe and bonny, 7. Converting all your sounds of woe 8. Into Hey nonny, nonny. 9. Sing no more ditties, sing no mo, 10. Of dumps so dull and heavy; 11. The fraud of men was ever so, 12. Since summer first was leafy: 13. Then sigh not so, but let them go,14. And be you blithe and bonny,15. Converting all your sounds of woe
16. Into hey, nonny nonny.
Constant: faithful
Mo: more
Blithe: joyous, merry, or gay in disposition; glad; cheerful
Bonny: British Dialect. pleasingly; agreeably; very well; smiling; bright
What advice is being given in this poem?
Do you agree/disagree?
If these are the beginning lines of the play, what do you think this play is about?
Created 12/2009McComb
Sigh no more, ladies, sigh no more, Men were deceivers ever, One foot in sea and one on shore, To one thing constant never: Then sigh not so, but let them go, And be you blithe and bonny, Converting all your sounds of woe Into Hey nonny, nonny. Sing no more ditties, sing no mo, Of dumps so dull and heavy; The fraud of men was ever so, Since summer first was leafy: Then sigh not so, but let them go,And be you blithe and bonny,Converting all your sounds of woe
Into hey, nonny nonny.
Don’t cry anymore, ladies, don’t cry anymore Men have always been deceivers,One foot on a ship and one on the shore,Never devoted to anything.So don’t cry like that, just let them go And be happy and carefree forever,Turning all your sad sounds around When you sing “Hey, nonny nonny” instead.Don’t sing more sad songs About being down in the dumps For men have been committing this kind of fraud Ever since the first summer trees had leaves.So don’t cry like that, just let them go And be happy and carefree forever,Turning all your sad sounds around When you sing “Hey, nonny nonny” instead.
Created 12/2009McComb
Much Ado About Nothing
By William Shakespeare
Characters:
Created 12/2009McComb
1.Leonato2.Beatrice3.Hero4.Claudio5.Benedick6.Don Pedro7.Don John8.Dogberry9.Margaret10.Antonio
Created 12/2009McComb
Leonato: A respected, well-to-do, elderly noble at whose home, in Messina, Italy, the action is set. Leonato is the father of Hero and the uncle of Beatrice. As governor of Messina, he is second in social power only to Don Pedro.
Created 12/2009McComb
Beatrice: Leonato’s niece and Hero’s cousin. Beatrice is “a pleasant-spirited lady” with a very sharp tongue. She is generous and loving, but, like Benedick, continually mocks other people with elaborately tooled jokes and puns. She wages a war of wits against Benedick and often wins the battles. She appears content never to marry.
Created 12/2009McComb
Hero: The beautiful young daughter of Leonato and the cousin of Beatrice. Hero is lovely, gentle, and kind. She falls in love with Claudio when he falls for her, but when Don John slanders her and Claudio rashly rakes revenge, she suffers terribly.
Created 12/2009McComb
Claudio: A young soldier who has won great acclaim fighting under Don Pedro during the recent wars. Claudio falls in love with Hero upon his return to Messina. His unfortunately suspicious nature make him quick to believe evil rumors and hasty to despair and take revenge.
Created 12/2009McComb
Benedick: An aristocratic soldier who has recently been fighting under Don Pedro, and a friend of Don Pedro and Claudio. Benedick is very witty, always making jokes and puns. He carries on a “merry war” of wits with Beatrice. At the beginning swears he will never fall in love or marry.
Created 12/2009McComb
Don Pedro: An important nobleman from Aragon, sometimes referred to as “Prince.” Don Pedro is a longtime friend of Leonato, Hero’s father, and is also close to the soldiers who have been fighting under him—the younger Benedick and the very young Claudio. Don Pedro is generous, courteous, intelligent, and loving to his friends, but he is also quick to believe evil of others and hasty to take revenge. He is the most politically and socially powerful character in the play.
Thursday, January 9th
• Please get out a pen or pencil and your notes on William Shakespeare for the background quiz!
• Finish Much Ado Character Notes
• Shakespearean Insults
• Start Movie!
Created 12/2009McComb
Created 12/2009McComb
Don John: The illegitimate brother of Don Pedro. Don John is melancholy and sullen by nature, and he creates a dark scheme to ruin the happiness of Hero and Claudio. He is the villain; his evil actions are motivated by his envy of his brother’s social authority.
Created 12/2009McComb
Dogberry: The constable in charge of the Watch, or chief policeman, of Messina. Dogberry is very sincere and takes his job seriously, but he has a habit of using exactly the wrong word to convey his meaning. Dogberry is one of the few middle class characters, though his desire to speak formally and elaborately like the noblemen becomes an occasion for parody.
Created 12/2009McComb
Margaret: Hero’s serving woman, who unwittingly helps deceive Claudio. Margaret is lower class. Though she is honest, she does have some dealings with the villainous world of Don John.
Created 12/2009McComb
Antonio: Hero’s uncle and Leonato’s brother. He helps to trick Claudio at the end of the play.
Conrad
One of Don John’s associates who is entirely devoted to Don John.
Created 12/2009McComb
Borachio
An associate of Don John. Borachio is Margaret’s lover. He conspires with Don John to ruin Claudio and Hero’s happiness.
His name means “drunkard”
in Italian.
Created 12/2009McComb
Verges
The deputy to Dogberry, chief policeman of Messina.
Created 12/2009McComb
Ursula
One of Hero’s waiting women.
Created 12/2009McComb
Glip and Toogle plecked down the corridor.
Booboo gallad with them.
“Hoybur” reckled Toogle.
“Na! Na!” shrilled Booboo.
He left them urg.Questions
1.Who plecked down the corridor?
2.Who joined them?
3.Who spoke first?
Questions
1.Who plecked down the corridor?
2.Who joined them?
3.Who spoke first?
Glip and Toogle plecked down the corridor.
Booboo gallad with them.
“Hoybur” reckled Toogle.
“Na! Na!” shrilled Booboo.
He left them urg.
Questions
1.Who plecked down the corridor? Glip and Toogle
2.Who joined them? Booboo
3.Who spoke first? Toogle
Questions
1.Who plecked down the corridor? Glip and Toogle
2.Who joined them? Booboo
3.Who spoke first? Toogle
Learning Target: To feel more comfortable with Shakespeare's language AND work with Elizabethan
sentence structure
Shakespeare’s Language
Did you know? Shakespeare’s audience referred to going to hear a play rather than see it, emphasising that the Elizabethan theatre was an audio rather than visual experience.
Introducing Shakespeare
Greetings from me, The Bard, England’s greatest poet and storyteller. You thought I was just the
greatest writer? I am also the rudest man in England!
• Elizabethan English is a wonderfully colorful language full of numerous evocative words and phrases.
• Elizabethans took a delight with language and it is fitting, then, that this would filter into the art of mudslinging.
• Their mastery of language was often showcased in the clever weaving together of terms to form stinging phrases of wit.
• Remember this was a time when the average person did not read, and other forms of entertainment were not readily available, but good conversation acted as a substitute.
Elizabethan English
Language in Action:
Horrible HistoriesWhile watching the following video take note of:
1- What are the characters doing?
2- What’s happening in the scene?
3- How do the character’s body movements and facial expressions create meaning alongside the words?
By my Trowth, thou dost make
the millstone seem as a
feather what widst thy
lard-bloated footfall
What does the insult mean?
In sooth, thy dank
cavernous tooth-hole
consumes all truth and reason!
What does the insult mean?
Thou painted maypoleWhat does the insult mean?
• Shakespeare wrote for an audience over 400 years ago.
• There are four critical areas to address: word usage, grammar, wordplay, and versification.
"Why didn't he use plain, simple English?"
“Tis a pretty piece of work”
Word Usage
• First and foremost, there have been numerous vocabulary changes in English since Shakespeare was writing.
• Often the context in which a word is used will help you determine its meaning.
• The main thing is to be aware that even a familiar word from today may be used with a different meaning in Shakespeare's works.
What is Ms. McComb saying?
Bridle thy tongues and keep thy peace!
Grammar
• This is where the flexibility of Shakespeare's English is often most apparent. Parts of speech are frequently switched, such as nouns or adjectives becoming verbs.
• Whereas we would say, "John caught the ball," Shakespeare might render the same statement with the same meaning as "John the ball caught," or "The ball John caught.“
• As a result, it's important to recognize which part of speech a given word actually represents in a given line.
Changing the part of speech
Shylock, a character in The Merchant of Venice, feels mistreated and says: "You foot me as you spurn a stranger cur."
When Cleopatra thinks she is the victim of some fast talk from Antony, she says: "He words me girls, he words me.“
A noun has now become a verb.
Wordplay
• Some of the most difficult passages of Shakespeare occur when the Bard is purposely playing with language.
• Shakespeare’s use of metaphors and similes abound in poetic comparisons can make some passages more complex or difficult to understand.
"Ask for me tomorrow, and you shall find me a grave man." In Romeo and Juliet Mercutio says this after he receives a stab wound that he knows will be fatal. He is using the term "grave" as both "serious" and "dead".
Using Figurative Language
In A Midsummer’s Night Dream, the course of young love is described as "swift as a shadow, short as any dream, brief as lightning."
In Romeo and Juliet, Romeo says, "But soft, what light through yonder window breaks? It is the east, and Juliet is the sun.“
Versification
• One issue often overlooked is that Shakespeare's plays were written as dramatic literature-meant to be performed and heard aloud, not silently read.
• Verse allowed Shakespeare to write lines with a poetic
rhythm crafted for the stage.
• Keep in mind that verse and poetic license sometimes force Shakespeare into phrasing that can seem foreign at first glance.
• Verse is easy to spot by its different margins and capitalization of the first word in each line-keep an eye out for it, and know that you may have to pay more attention to these passages to get at their meaning
A Midsummer Night’s Dream
Hippolyta, I wooed thee with my sword, (end of line is not end of sentence)
And won thy love, doing thee injuries. (capital A falls in middle of sentence)
But I will wed thee in another key, (end of line is not end of sentence)
With pomp, with triumph, and with reveling. (capital W falls in
middle of sentence)
Let’s practice translating Shakespearean insults…