Tag Archives: Much Ado About Nothing

Stubborn Love

Posted on September 26, 2011 by raquel.ortega1

       This play had struck my interest for a few reasons. For one, I enjoyed reading the play and noticing how relaxed the text was to read and understand. I did enjoy reading how characters like Benedick spoke in way that was translucent and simply understandable. The prose of the text made for a more enjoyable reading. However, I most enjoyed seeing two tough and obstinate characters like Benedick and Beatrice (two people of whom) rejected any facet of true love fall completely in love. Through the beginning of the play, we can see how Benedick proclaims his declaration of a bachelor he says,

                                                Those women conceived me. I thank her;

                                                that she brought me up, I likewise give her most

                                                humble thank. But that I will have a rechate

                                                winded in my forehead, or hang my bugle in an

                                                invisible baldrick,all women shall pardon me.

                                               Because I will not do them the wrong to mistrust any

                                               I will do myself the right to trust none…

                                               I will live a bachelor. (1.1 229-236)

We can see that Benedick has no intentions of falling in love and will not have anything to do with women and truly believes that his relationship to a man is much closer to that of a women. In Benedick’s eyes all men are considered bachelors, and therefore unmarried. As stated above Benedick makes a reference to being taken by the horns, and it seem as if he does not want to be taken control of especially by a women. Benedick holds this philosophy of love true until the end of the play when his feelings are  confronted and challenged by Beatrice, who is just as persistent as Benedick. 

        Beatrice’s’ mind-set seems to correspond exactly to Benedick’s. For one, she does not believe in love. This is because she truly thinks no man is going to suit her, in other words, no man will ever live up to her standards. Beatrice and Benedick develop feelings for each other. Thus, they cannot resist one another and cannot avoid falling in love.

 

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The Need for Comedic Relief in a…Comedy?

Posted on September 21, 2011 by Ilya Mavashev

It is strange that you would need comedic relief in a comedy, but while the first two acts of this play contain a lot of humor and lightheartedness, in typical Shakespearean fashion, the play quickly takes a turn for tragedy in the third act with some very intense scenes. This is where the sudden introduction of the character Dogberry becomes important, because a distraction and catharsis was needed for the audience.

While Benedict and Beatrice constantly go at one another and amuse us with their use of creative language, and Claudio’s and Hero’s relationship is being manipulated for our entertainment by Don John and his men, all of these characters still maintain a realistic and relatable sense about them. They may not be comedic as individuals, but in the types of situations that they are put into is what I believe makes this a comedy.

Dogberry is a special case in this play though. His dialogue is very memorable and funny in its own right with the way he tries to sound so self-important, smart, and refined, but just ends up horribly botching everything he says through the incorrect use of words and language. To the audience it is the obvious the words he should be using instead, and this memorable form of malapropisms, which I learned from today’s scene study group, brilliantly adds to the value of his comedic timing and relief.

There is also silver lining and humorous contradiction within the character of Dogberry, for although he is the bumbling idiot of the play that constantly botches every line uttered out of his mouth, he also botches and foils the plan of Don Johns plot, exposing not only him and his men, but indirectly saves and redeems Hero from public humiliation, perhaps being the foolish, oblivious, and ironic hero of the play himself.

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