Explore how Much Ado draws on and challenges comic conventions. Much Ado About is a play largely based on romantic comedy. Many aspects of the play are funny because of the desire and need shared by characters, to be together, although they each express it in different ways. Although the young lovers Hero and Claudio provide the main storyline through their excelling relationship, the tension between the older, lovers Benedick and Beatrice is what makes Much Ado About Nothing so memorable. Benedick and Beatrice argue with delightful wit, and Shakespeare develops their journey from antagonism to sincere love and affection with a rich sense of humour and compassion.
In the movie, Leonato exaggerated his speech, entertaining the audience. As a result of that, Benedick’s deckchair collapsed when he heard those words, symbolising he was in shock, and also indicating that there would be more amusement to come. Also, Claudio, Don Pedro and Leonato sat down in unison together, implying this was rehearsed, and adding to the comedy factor. Claudio replied ‘Stalk on, stalk on; the fowl sits. - I did never think that lady would have loved any man.’ The part I have highlighted in bold was intended for only Don Pedro to hear.
He is always ready for a party, and he likes to have a good laugh. Toby does not like to take life too seriously, and he makes light of anything too grim. This attitude is shown when he first comes into the play, drunk, saying “What a plague means my niece to take the death of her brother thus? I’m sure care’s an enemy to life.” (1.3.1-2) Toby cannot understand why his kinsman, Olivia, is taking her brother’s death so seriously, and says that he believes grief is unhealthy. At times, Toby is a cheerful character who always is ready to have fun and make light of a situation.
Explain the way in which the theme ‘tricks and disguises’ is central to the play Much Ado About Nothing? Main theme in Much Ado about Nothing by William Shakespeare is Tricks and Disguises. Much Ado about nothing is a comedy like most of Shakespeare’s plays; the characters play tricks on each other throughout the play. Firstly this essay will discuss Don Pedro tricking and wining Hero for Claudio. Secondly this essay will examine Don Pedro, Leonato and Claudio tricking Benedick into thinking that Beatrice love him and Hero and Ursula tricking Beatrice into thinking that Benedick is in love with her.
The audience get their first indication of what Beatrice thinks of Benedick from her first line in the play whereupon she asks “I pray you is Signior Mountanto returned from the wars or no?” Here she makes a joke about Benedick’s arrogance as the title ‘Signior Mountanto’ can be translated as ‘Sir Stuck Up’. However behind the joke it is apparent that she cares about him otherwise, she would not have asked. The audience is now becoming aware of Beatrice’s verbal wit and dexterity but also her apparent disdain for Benedick. What might be seen as her attempt to mask her true feelings is often greeted with delight in the theatre. Leonato then explains the situation to the messenger, stimulating the audience to want to know more about the relationship between Beatrice and Benedick.
Feste shows us his intelligence through his many displays of knowledge and good decisions. Feste may be labeled a fool, but if you were to compare his knowledge to that of anybody else's in the play, you'd think they were all the fools. One of the most prominent examples of Feste's knowledge is in his implied understanding of the fact that Viola is not, indeed, a man. "Now Jove in his next commodity of hair send thee a beard," (Shakespeare 35) Feste says to Viola when he is having one of his "word bouts" with her. To the innocent bystander, it looks as if Feste is just being funny and commenting on Viola's apparent lack of facial hair, but between Viola and himself, there is a mutual knowledge that he knows she is not a man.
I feel Wilde did this to express how easily people can lose their highly regarded reputation; this is the social message throughout the play as Lord Illingworth becomes ‘a man of no importance’. The audience would expect Lord Illingworth to be offended by Lady Stutfield remark that he is ‘very, very wicked,’ however Lord Illingworth basked in his notoriety. So already the audience are unsure about the behavior of Lord Illingworth. At the time of the showing of the play many were appalled by Lord Illingworth’s sense of moral abandonment. Lord Illingworth in today’s society could be seen as being a misogynistic condemnable character.
It establishes comedy very early with some of the lower class people before the anticipated play of La Clorise. Another place that it establishes comedy with a low class character is in Ragueneau. But the majority of the comedy comes from the high class main character Cyrano. Throughout the story people are making wise cracks about his nose, but no one is able to defend themselves and back up what they say. Because people are making fun of his nose he is able to provide witty humor that makes the book become a comedy.
By using the artificiality and immaturity of Romeo and Juliet’s love, as well as their combined impulsiveness and naïveté, Shakespeare warns against the consequences of young love. In the play, Shakespeare utilizes the actions and speeches of Romeo to portray the detrimental effects of immature, young love. Romeo, although being approximately 17, is still just a young adult who knows nothing of true love. While at the party, for example, Romeo is still suffering from anguish and has no intention of looking for new love. At the party however, Romeo spots Juliet and falls in “love” again almost instantly, forgetting about his heartbreak.
A celebration of singing and dancing immediately ensues. This celebration creates an air of joviality and love and leads to Claudio (a member of Don Pedro’s military troop) falling in love with Leonato’s daughter, Hero. Hero is smitten with Claudio as well, and early on in the play they decide to marry, even over the objection of Benedick, another member of Don Pedro’s troop and a good friend of Claudio’s, who celebrates bachelorhood and promises never to marry. Because he believes it is evil, Benedick tries to convince Claudio that marriage should be avoided at all costs. He celebrates being a bachelor and tells Claudio that he will “live a bachelor.” (Act I, scene 1, l. .201).