Much Ado About Nothing Notes
Much Ado About Nothing—Romantic Comedy
* Much Ado about Nothing * Love and War; Love as War—starts with soldiers coming back from war and wanting love; love becomes a battlefield * Young Lovers: Claudio and Hero * “Not(h)ing” Messina: Confusions of Appearance and Reality * Love and War; Love as War * 1.1: World waiting for the return of youth and love * Learn of soldiers even before they enter scene: * Youthful Claudio, ll.12-16 * Benedick (older man) introduced by Beatrice, ll.28-9—he is being introduced by mockery; Beatrice makes the joke and marks her different from the other women in the play—she is loud, jokes about men, able to fight with words, witty, and Benedick is the same way * Beatrice and Benedick’s “merry war,” ll.56-9 * Martial world replaced by “merry” one * What happens when skills necessary for success on the field of battle enter domestic world? * Romantic Couples * Potential Lovers: * Claudio and Hero (make up the main plot, but some of the least interesting characters in the play—relatively quiet) * Beatrice and Benedick (subplot—more mature, more worldly, and they are much more talkative/interesting) * Claudio and Hero: * Claudio’s first line in play introduces interest in Hero, l.l.154-70; “Note”: * To take notice of; to consider or study carefully; to pay attention to; to mark (OED 5.a) * To become aware of; to notice or perceive mentally; to be struck by (OED 5.b) * Claudio and Hero * Nature of Claudio’s love? ll.278-289 * Contrast between affections prior to and post military action * Hesitancy to use the word “love” * Don Pedro’s plan (ll. 300-312): * Disguise (Pedro says he will disguise as Claudio for the ball and approach Hero) * seduction as military action * World of the Play: Messina * Place of propriety and hospitality: * Disguise, deceit runs rampant through play * Inability to distinguish between
* Much Ado about Nothing * Love and War; Love as War—starts with soldiers coming back from war and wanting love; love becomes a battlefield * Young Lovers: Claudio and Hero * “Not(h)ing” Messina: Confusions of Appearance and Reality * Love and War; Love as War * 1.1: World waiting for the return of youth and love * Learn of soldiers even before they enter scene: * Youthful Claudio, ll.12-16 * Benedick (older man) introduced by Beatrice, ll.28-9—he is being introduced by mockery; Beatrice makes the joke and marks her different from the other women in the play—she is loud, jokes about men, able to fight with words, witty, and Benedick is the same way * Beatrice and Benedick’s “merry war,” ll.56-9 * Martial world replaced by “merry” one * What happens when skills necessary for success on the field of battle enter domestic world? * Romantic Couples * Potential Lovers: * Claudio and Hero (make up the main plot, but some of the least interesting characters in the play—relatively quiet) * Beatrice and Benedick (subplot—more mature, more worldly, and they are much more talkative/interesting) * Claudio and Hero: * Claudio’s first line in play introduces interest in Hero, l.l.154-70; “Note”: * To take notice of; to consider or study carefully; to pay attention to; to mark (OED 5.a) * To become aware of; to notice or perceive mentally; to be struck by (OED 5.b) * Claudio and Hero * Nature of Claudio’s love? ll.278-289 * Contrast between affections prior to and post military action * Hesitancy to use the word “love” * Don Pedro’s plan (ll. 300-312): * Disguise (Pedro says he will disguise as Claudio for the ball and approach Hero) * seduction as military action * World of the Play: Messina * Place of propriety and hospitality: * Disguise, deceit runs rampant through play * Inability to distinguish between