The Influence of Commedia dell’arte on Much Ado About Nothing by William Shakespeare Commedia dell’arte had great influence of Shakespeare’s comedy “Much Ado About Nothing”. This form of theatre shows many comparisons to the Shakespearian comedy. Commedia dell’arte created elements within a comedy that became standards across comedic literature. Love, deception, matters of out witting one another and jealousy are components that make up the back bone to a comedy. “Shakespeare made use of many typical elements found in commedia scenarios” (McQuinn, Anne), creating plots that parallel those of the Italian comedies. The characters in Commedia dell’arte have somewhat universal traits and stereotypical characterizations that were able to cross over into Shakespeare’s Elizabethan period of writing. Although the Shakespeare’s plays did not take on the exact form of Commedia dell’arte; many themes, characters, societal and social based plots blended into “Much Ado About Nothing”. Commedia dell’arte is the Italian meaning of “comedy of the professional artists” (Wikipedia). It is a form of improvisational theatre that follows a “rough storyline, called Canovaccio” (Wikipedia). This allowed for the actors to express themselves fully, as there was no written script to follow. Since the actors had free will over the script “the dialogue and action could easily be made topical and adjusted to satirize local scandals, current events, or regional tastes, mixed with ancient jokes and punch lines” (Wikipedia). Shakespeare bases most of his plays, i... ... middle of paper ... ...y. Commedia dell’arte created elements within a comedy that became standards across comedic literature which Shakespeare used to create the comedy of “Much Ado About Nothing”. Commedia dell’arte creates stock storylines and characters that were easily adaptable into the comedy of “Much Ado About Nothing”. Commedia dell’ arte was partly improvisational theatre which allowed for much creativity and expression. This had a great influence on the storylines Shakespeare created within his comedy Much Ado about Nothing, allowing for him to satirize scandals or events, and mock aristocratic lifestyle. Much Ado about Nothing was written with influence by Commedia dell’arte; as comparisons and similarities arise between the two types of theatre proves that Commedia dell’arte set standards to what is known as a comedy.
Much Ado About Nothing. The Riverside Shakespeare, 2nd ed. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co., 1997. 366-398.
The modernization of nearly outdated and cliché settings typically used for Shakespearian plays such as Much Ado helps enforce Whedon's attempt to make the film and play familiar, as well as creates accessibility for the audience regardless of how well they may understand Shakespeare's language. Both the ensemble and individual cast members assist in achieving Whedon's vision by creating an atmosphere that seems familiar if only that it could be our own family and friends throwing that same banter back and forth between each other. Their playful and occasionally raw performances combine with a spectacular setting to help make Whedon's Much Ado About Nothing a stellar film that is a nearly perfect modern translation of a classic, centuries old
Shakespeare's Use of Deception in Much Ado About Nothing. In the play ‘Much Ado About Nothing’ the role of deceit is an. important one that is played to its fullest. The play is based upon deliberate deceptions and numerous schemes that are used to manipulate The thoughts of nearly every character and the characters deceive themselves by putting on a different public facade instead of showing their true feelings and personalities.
The romance of history has lured many of the world's greatest authors to search for their subject matter in the pages of time. William Shakespeare serves as a unfailing embodiment of the emotion of days past; yet he also turned to those before him. The comedy Much Ado About Nothing is a poignant love story, riddled with stunning imagery and allusion. An examination of the development of certain characters, the imagery and allusion, diction, and structure illustrate that the author wrote in a style heavily influenced by the classical movement of Ancient Greece and Rome. The classical thread strengthens the tapestry which is Much Ado About Nothing.
Much Ado About Nothing and Twelfth Night are two of Shakespeare’s most successful comedies. Some may say that the two poems are like day and night, much different from one another. But it will be proven to you that they are very similar. Shakespeare incorporates many of the strong elements of Much Ado About Nothing into Twelfth Night and vice-versa. The characters also share common traits across both plays. The settings have a slight utopian feeling, as both worlds are based on Italy. Even the plots have big similarities as they are both based on love, power, wealth and marriage.
In William Shakespeare’s play ‘Much Ado about Nothing’, there are many instances of trickery and deception, which seem to surround the whole of the play.
Auden, Wystan Hugh. “Much Ado About Nothing.” In W. H. Auden: Lectures on Shakespeare, reconstructed and edited by Arthur Kirsch, pp. 113-23. Princeton N.J.: Princeton University Press, 2000.
During Shakespeare's period, social status was the main focus of life. Everything was made around social status. Who was acceptable to talk to, who was acceptable to marriage, and who even how they treated others. Women had to live to strict ways of life. The father controls the daughter, she is accepted to do as her father says and what he pleases. A women must always have a man in charge of her, the father picks out her husband to which the future husband will help higher the social status that they have already. Shakespeare uses Hero and Beatrice to demonstrate the dangers of love at first sight vs. the benefits of a relationship based on mutual understating.
Shakespearean plays are complex, intricate pieces of work in which a diverse range of interpretations and readings can be made. This is particularly true of his comedies, where the light-hearted humour is often offset by darker, more serious undertones. In adapting these comedies it is for the director – in the cinematic context – to decide how to interpret the play and which elements are privileged and which are suppressed. This variance in interpretation is exemplified in comparing two of the more recent cinematic adaptations of Shakespeare’s comedies, Trevor Nunn’s Twelfth Night and Kenneth Branagh’s A Much Ado About Nothing [‘Much Ado’]. Although both films can to an extent be seen as comedies with serious, almost tragic aspects inherent throughout, Nunn’s film deals with these serious facets as central to the depiction, whereas Branagh, although not entirely ignoring the deeper issues, prefers a more light-hearted and visually attractive adaptation.
Othello teaches us much about our current postmodern culture. The play connects to our ideas of sexism, male-bonding, racism and capitalism. Shakespeare uses these universal and timeless flaws in humanity along with our use of language and truth to tell his tale. Iago, over a period of about three days, uses these facets of humanity to turn Othello against his wife Desdemona and his friend Cassio. Othello reveals both the struggle of the British people of the early 1600's and Americans in the late 1900's with sexism, capitalism and racism.
and sub plots as well as the play as a whole. I will also be focusing
Although Shakespearean comedies are not frequently perceived as funny in today’s society, they may, in fact, hold a more significant role in our lives; much like tragedies written by William Shakespeare, there may be an important lesson to be understood in the text. Despite the fact that both of these types of plays display crucial lessons they are often expressed through different means, in comedies the lesson is often learned after one of the characters who had done the wrongdoing are taunted by the victim and then they are typically forgiven, a prime example of this occurrence in Shakespearean comedies can be found in The Tempest. In The Tempest Prospero had been overthrown and betrayed by Alonso and Antonio, once they have arrived on the
We have all certainly heard the expression “the pen is mightier than the sword” and as Hamlet states when he realizes the power of words: “I will speak daggers to her, but use none” (Hamlet 3.2: 366). William Shakespeare is one of the most important writers in history and arguably the most notable, particularly with his use of language. I believe that Shakespeare consistently uses the knowledge that language is power to his advantage throughout his plays. From themes of power, control, disguise, deception, and manipulation, there remains the underlying theme that ties all of these together: the power of language. The beauty of Shakespeare’s work and what makes it resonate even today is his use of discretion and subtlety to tie together the complexities of humanity and art. Shakespeare proves that he can utilize language in stunning ways that move both the audience and characters of the play at the same time, for instance Henry’s speeches in Henry V. Through his use of language, he is able to manipulate and control audiences and characters exemplified by Richard in Richard III. He is also able to dominate and subdue the characters in special ways like that of a chess master and entirely deceive other characters as Iago does in Othello. Shakespeare fully explains and drives his thoughts on language and his persona audibly through Hamlet. It is my firm conclusion that Shakespeare uses the power of language to fully engage the audience as well as his characters, misdirect them while hinting at larger truths, and demonstrate his capability as a writer and artist while joining all of his themes cohesively.
Shakespeare's comedies can be recognized in terms of plot, structure and characters. We can see that Shakespearean comedies follow the same structural pattern, a basic plot on which the play is based. For example, a key feature of all comedies is that they depend upon the resolution of their plots. However, Shakespeare's comedies are distinguishable, as some are classed as comic dramas and others as romantic comedies. In comic drama, there is usually a motif of a place where reality and the unreal merge, the roles of characters are reversed and identities are mistaken or lost. This place may take on the form of a feast or celebration, or it may be presented as a place segregated from the normal society, such as the wood in A Midsummer Night's Dream. When scenes are set in this place, the ordinary rules of life and society do not apply. There is always an experience of chaos, which must be resolved in order for the play to become a true comedy.
In William Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night, the art of music appears in the opening of the speech as the unhappy and lovesick Orsino tells his musicians, “If music be the food of love, play on” (I.i.1) In the speech that follows, Orsino asks the musicians to give him so much musical love i.e. food that will “surfeit” and cease to yearn for love any longer. Shakespeare uses music in opening line of play and at the end by Feste singing his song. It reveals that Shakespeare has presented on stage a romantic comedy which is not detached from our everyday reality. Thus songs are used by Shakespeare with surfeiting desire not only for the purpose of entertaining the audience but also closely linked to the play’s theme.