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.
Additionally Shakespeare explores gender roles through a series of ‘lewd jokes’ and ‘cartoonish pratfalls’ which typically follow ‘the basic formula for comedy’ and also support the audience’s ‘expectation of plot’. Simultaneously Shakespeare subverts the audience’s ‘expectation of plot and character’ when exploring gender roles through the characters, as it creates tension and becomes less comedic. Following the ‘basic formula for comedy’ ‘A Midsummer Night Dream’ begins with the preparations for a royal wedding which is portrayed as a joyous occasion, Theseus is looking forward to the wedding and wishes to celebrate “With triumph, and with revelling” (Act 1: Line: 19) Shakespeare then removes the feeling of happiness and replaces it with a sense of tension when Egeus enters furiously with his daughter Hermia. It appears that Shakespeare has chosen to place these two events next to each other in order to sustain the audiences ‘expectation of plot’ as it
All of these things make him a very comical character enjoyed by the audience during Shakespearian times and in the present day. To begin, compared to Feste Andrew is the real fool. Fetse plays the role of the fool in Twelfth Night. In the play he is hired by Olivia to be the jester and entertain her. His name even means “the fool”.
Because people are making fun of his nose he is able to provide witty humor that makes the book become a comedy. Valvert says “Ah…your nose…hem!...Your nose is…rather large!” “Rather” “Oh well” “Is that all” “Well of course.”(35-36 Act 1) But Cyrano does not leave it like this he replies by insulting Valvert and ultimately making him angry by telling him all the better insults that he could have had. He threw it right back in his face by making it a joke. Throughout the story comedy like this occurs and that is why I believe it is a
In the play, it suggests that Puck is a mischievous fairy who has built up a reputation of scaring and playing pranks on mortals, but he also has a much kinder side. He sometimes helps people finish their work or chores and provides them with good luck as well. Puck is a well-rounded character whereas Bottom is a bit plainer. Bottom, an arrogant and ignorant worker in the play is seen more narrow-minded. He frequently makes rhetorical and grammatical mistakes in his speech and thinks highly of his skills as an actor (when rehearsing a play, he wanted to play all the main roles).
The next two acts of trickery are two of the most important scenes in the play- the overhearing scenes. Leonato, Don Pedro and Claudio- with full knowledge that Benedick is in earshot, have a ‘very loud’ conversation about how Beatrice was deeply in love with Benedick. Benedick would not have believed in this deception were it not for the fact that Leonato was participating, because he knew that Don Leonato was mature enough not to joke about those kinds of matters. When Hero, Margaret and Ursula play the same trick on Beatrice, “My talk to thee must be of how Benedick is sick in love with Beatrice…” Is what Hero says to her gentle-women. In saying that Benedick is head-over-heels for her, they make sure to include the fact that Benedick would never tell of his love.
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. Since Beatrice and Benedick have a history behind them that adds weight to their relationship, they are older and more mature than the typical lovers in Shakespeare’s comedies, though their unhealthy competitiveness reveals them to be childish novices when it comes to love. The play can also be perceived as a comedy of manners through the humorous bickering between Beatrice and Benedick. At the beginning of the play Beatrice interrupts the men speaking to make a smart remark on Benedick; “I pray you, is Signor Mountanto returned from the wars or no?” The fact that she interrupts questions her manners as a woman of that time, where there were great expectations of women to be submissive to men, however we soon unravel that Beatrice isn’t just an ordinary woman of that century, she’s greatly independent which is also seen in the continuous bickering between her and Benedick. This, however, also makes it funny because of the reactions received from other characters, for example the uneasiness of the Messenger after Beatrice’s very forward statement.
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.
These aspects help the reader understand the type of characters that are. A key important aspect in their relationship is the added presence of comedy. Comedy is expressed through the countless insulting threats and jokes that both Hal and Falstaff make at each other such as Hal calling Falstaff a “horse-back-breaker” and Falstaff calling Hal an “elf-skin”. The threats on each other are needed in this play to deconstruct all of the important events involving King Henry and Hotspur in relation to the throne. The comedy in the first half of the play helps ease the reader in taking in the information about Hotspur’s plan to get the throne back to Mortimer.
This shows the context where marriage would be used to enhance a families place in society rather than for love. Being in the first scene, structurally, this suggests to the audience that the play is going to have a running theme of disruption because straight away we are introduced to the fact that there are contrasts in the characters desires. This is enhanced by the fact that Egeus disrupts Theseus and Hippolyta to tell them of his daughter’s disobedience, which provides a visual display to the audience that the upcoming events are not going to run smoothly. The theme of disruption extends to include the supernatural world in act 2: scene 1 which suggests a lack of hope for the human world because those with powers are unable to live in equilibrium. In the argument between Titania and Oberon, Titania says ‘but with thy brawls, thou hast disturbed our sport.’ This shows the disruption in their relationship; the phrase ‘our sport’ showing how close they used to be, behaving in a lively, energetic way which suggests childish behaviour brought about by being in love.