Tuesday, 01 January 2019Tuesday, 01 January 2019 MAAN Tuesday, 01 January 2019Tuesday, 01 January 2019

language PUN Messenger: And a good soldier too, lady. Beatrice: And a good soldier to a lady. But what is he to a lord? Messenger: A lord to a lord, a man to a man; stuffed with all honorable virtues. Beatrice: It is so, indeed; he is no less than a stuffed man. But for the stuffing-well, we are all mortal. (I, i, 51-57) [p. 35] CLEVER WORD PLAY Benedick: What, my dear Lady Disdain! Are you yet living? Beatrice: Is it possible Disdain should die while she hath such meet food to feed it as Signor Benedick? Courtesy itself must convert to Disdain if you come in her presence. (I, i, 114-119) [p. 37]

Rude language… INNUENDO AND BAWDY LANGUAGE The play is about love and, therefore, sex! There are many jokes made which make use of sexual innuendo: As for the stuffing; any joke about horns refers to CUCKOLDING: women being unfaithful. However the key scenes are quite “clean”. B+B make jokes that require quick wits not dirty minds.

themes The main themes of the play grow out of the "game of love"-the nature of attraction between man and woman, the role of marriage in society, gender roles, romance, and standards of sexual mores. Courtly love and “real love” will also need discussion. A related theme, the nature of truth and reality versus appearance, explores how one lover constantly tries to determine the other lover's faithfulness through outward signs and actions. We also must look at status both of the male characters and the status of women generally. Finally we need to look at deliberate deceit as a theme.

NOTING/NOTHING NOTING, as Nothing would have been pronounced: To study closely and interpret accurately This is a vital part of the structure of the play and its themes. It is linked to Appearance and Reality.

IMAGERY in Act 1 (for example) Beatrice uses imagery relating to disease to describe Benedick. Why is this particularly strong to an Elizabethan audience? Benedick uses the same and warlike imagery when describing how Beatrice teased him… “she speaks poignards”.