Much Ado About Nothing William Shakespeare (1598) “He was not of an age, but for all time!” (Ben Jonson)

William Shakespeare Birth: April 23, 1564 in Stratford Death: April 23, 1616 Attended grammar school until age 15 and married at age 18 Wrote plays from 1592-1612, most of which were performed at The Globe 37 plays 154 sonnets 5 major poems

The True Author Anti-Stratfordians, people who deny Shakespeare’s authorship, charge that a middle-class author from a small town could not have imagined the lives of kings and nobles. They propose that the real author is someone who came from a higher social class and a more prestigious education. Since Shakespeare was quite well-known in his own time, there would need to have been an extraordinary conspiracy to conceal the identity of the real playwright.

A Tragicomedy A play that encompasses elements from both tragedy and comedy. The plot typically begins with tragic implications that are happily avoided at the drama’s end. Tragedy: a serious and often somber drama that typically ends in disaster and that focuses on a character who undergoes unexpected personal reversals. It represents the experiences of noble characters. Comedy: an amusing and entertaining drama that ends happily and presents the “lighter side” of life. It represents the experiences of ordinary people. Much Ado is a play of love, villainy, friendship, parent-child relationships, society and customs

Characters Leonato – Governor of Messina and father of Hero, conventional and grief-stricken Hero – Leonato’s daughter, chaste and docile Beatrice – Leonato’s niece, spirited and witty Benedick – Young lord of Padua, brave and quick-witted misogynist (dislikes and mistrusts women) Claudio – Young lord of Florence, easily swayed by outer appearances Don Pedro – Prince of Aragon, courtly and conventional Balthasar – singer attending Don Pedro, whose out-of-key love song sets the tone of the play Don John – Don Pedro’s illegitimate brother, envious and mischief-maker

Summary Main plot: Obstacles in the union of young Claudio and Hero Conventional “The villainous luring of Claudio into the mistaken belief that Hero is unchaste” Subplot: Battle of the sexes between older and wiser Beatrice and Benedick Intellectual, witty, and humorous “The benevolent luring of Beatrice and Benedick into mutual declarations of love”

Summ More Beatrice and Benedick are self-conscious makes them indifferent to conventional niceties. If they do not declare their love, it is because they are too defensive or too wise to play society’s conventional game. Don John is a radically antisocial human being who refuses to observe the appropriate code of manners.

Language Pun: a play on words that capitalizes on a similarity of spelling and/or pronunciation between words that have different meanings. Innuendo: an indirect or subtle and usually derogatory implication in expression; an insinuation. Claudio: Now you talk of a sheet of paper, I remember a pretty jest your daughter told us of. Leonato: O, when she had writ it and was reading it over, she found Benedick and Beatrice between the sheet. The word “sheet” is used to refer to a piece of paper and used to refer to a  bed sheet, with an innuendo placed in between about Beatrice and Benedick.

Language Clever word play: verbal wit based on the meanings and ambiguities of words. Benedick: What, my dear Lady Disdain! Are you yet living? Beatrice: Is it possible Disdain should die while she hath such meet (suitable) food to feed it as Signior Benedick? Courtesy itself must convert to Disdain if you come in her presence. The word “disdain” is used as a name for Beatrice and as a description of her attitude toward Benedick.

Themes The nature of attraction between man and woman The role of marriage in society Gender roles The nature of truth Reality versus appearance

Modern Connections The innocent being wrongfully accused. The romance: Friends serve as “go-betweens”, or in some way help potential lovers come together. The public’s disdain for illegitimate children.

What do you think? Men and women should marry persons of a similar social and economic status as themselves. People choose with whom they fall in love. It is better not to marry than to marry and risk being cheated on by your spouse. Most people can be trusted to be faithful in marriage. Men are attracted to women who are assertive and bold.