Analysis of Much Ado About Nothing Essay - 3681 Words

Analysis of Much Ado About Nothing Much Ado About Nothing illustrates a kind of deliberately puzzling title that seems to have been popular in the late 1590s (ex quot;As You Like Itquot;). Indeed, the play is about nothing; it follows the relationships of Claudio and Hero (which is constantly hampered by plots to disrupt it), and in the end, the play culminates in the two other main characters falling in love (Beatrice and Bena*censored*), which, because it was an event that was quite predictable, proves to be quot;much ado about nothingquot;. The pronunciation of the word nothing would, in the late 16th Century, have been noting, and so the title also apparently suggests a pun on the word, noting, and on the use of the word†¦show more content†¦This attitude is reflected in Shakespeare’s plays. For example, in Much Ado About Nothing, many f the characters have Italian names (Borachio, Claudio, etc.). This is also true of some of Shakespeare’s others plays such as The Taming of the Shrew, and Romeo and Juliet. Major Themes One of the major themes in Much Ado About Nothing centers around the question and battle between deception and reality. One first notices of the image of deception as we witness the masking and unmasking at the masquerade. In the play, most overhear discussions are deceptions. It is through eavesdropping that we see the true battle between deception and reality as we look at the subplots of Bene*censored* and Beatrice, Hero and Claudio, as well as the comedy of Dogberry and his crew. The relationship between Bene*censored* and Beatrice is one manufactured completely through deception on the behalf of their friends. Though the plot to unite them was planned, many of the problems that arose were because of things that were overheard accidentally or on purpose. In Act II, Scene 3 Bene*censored* is deceived into thinking that Beatrice loves him because of the speech in the garden between Leonato, Claudio, and Don Pedro. Bea trice is sent to fetch Bene*censored* for dinner, and Bene*censored* notes some marks of love in her[Beatrice], (240-241) and he decides to take pity upon her and return her love. In Act III, Scene 1 BeatriceShow MoreRelatedMuch Ado About Nothing Analysis1387 Words   |  6 Pages Much Ado About Nothing Analysis Beginning in 15th century Messina in the aftermath of a war, the play opens with the army of Don Pedro of Aragon arriving in the country and being welcomed by Leonato, Messina’s governor. Count Claudio, hero of the war, falls in love with Leonato’s daughter Hero at first sight, and Don Pedro promises to woo Hero for Claudio. 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The title is an obvious indicator of the story thatRead More Much Ado About Nothing Essay: Effective Use of the Foil1025 Words   |  5 PagesEffective Use of the Foil in   Much Ado About Nothing      Ã‚  Ã‚   In The Marriage of Heaven and Hell, the famous British poet William Blake wrote that without contraries there is no progression - Attraction and repulsion, reason and imagination, and love and hate are all necessary for human existence (Blake 122).   As Blake noted, the world is full of opposites.   But, more importantly, these opposites allow the people of the world to see themselves and their thoughts more clearly.   For, as BlakeRead More William Shakespeares Presentation of the Two Pairs of Lovers in Much Ado About Nothing 1857 Words   |  8 PagesWilliam Shakespeares Presentation of the Two Pairs of Lovers in Much Ado About Nothing Much Ado About Nothing would have been pronounced Much Ado About Noting in Shakespeares time. 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It is also apparent that Benedick even sees loving each other as a competition, in that he wants to love her to a point of outdoing her loveRead MoreCharacter Analysis Of Beatrice And Benedick In Much Ado About Nothing1166 Words   |  5 Pagesthe first part of their conversation, Beatrice alludes that they have had some sort of past connection and Beatrice needs some reassurance from Benedick about their relationship.   Eve Best and Catherine Tate play Beatrice and Charles Edwards and David Tennant play Benedick in William Shakespeare’s play Much Ado About Nothing, a well-known comedy about love, drama, and gossip. Beatrice is a friendly wo man who has a quick wit. She gives the impression of not wanting to get married throughout the play