In Much Ado About Nothing, there are many ways in which Shakespeare looks into the theme of words and silence through the characters of Dogberry, Don John and Hero. Shakespeare analyses this theme through how the characters use their own words to help themselves whether it be their weapon, shield or a weapon against themselves. Also, what effect their words have on the audience and other characters such as fear, humour and allowing the audience to get more involved. The theme also shows how they express their feelings of love, hatred or authority through silence.
From the very beginning Shakespeare has carefully determined how the characters use their words to defend themselves against others. Don John uses his words as a weapon to destroy the other characters; he prefers to be a ‘canker in a hedge than a rose in his grace’. This metaphor suggests that Don John hates that Don Pedro has more authority than he does and he despises the way Don Pedro casts a shadow over him. The contrast Shakespeare uses between a ‘weed’ and a ‘rose’ shows the audience how much Don John wants to stop pretending to be someone who he isn’t since it’s better for his ‘blood to be disdained’. As a comparison to Don John, Shakespeare makes Hero use her words as an act of defence. During the wedding scene Hero protects herself by saying, ‘Oh, God defend me! how am I beset!’. Hero looks to ‘God’ for help instead of defending herself whilst Claudio is attacking her with his words as ‘weapons’, this shows Hero’s desperation and the audience feels annoyed because Hero doesn’t always use her words as a shield when she should. However, when Hero does defend herself she uses her words sparingly by saying, ‘Is my lord well’ and ‘seem'd I ever otherwise to you?’ Shak...
... middle of paper ...
...e they are both too ‘overcome by love’. However, Dogberry is hardly silent therefore showing his authority by never being quiet, this may cause annoyance among the audience. One of Dogberry’s orders is, ‘You shall also make no noise in the streets’, this imperative is used to make sure the rest of the watch know what they are doing and Dogberry uses so many imperatives because he feels important and it is almost as if he is assuring himself that he has a high position.
Personally, I believe that Shakespeare’s use of the theme of words and silence is really effective because it engages the audience as they have a chance to get inside the characters head and understand their motives. Also, it shows the audience that it doesn’t matter how many lines the characters speak, it matters how the characters say it and what they say that really defines them for who they are.
“And when I lived, I was your other wife, And when you loved, you were my other husband(Shakespeare 60).” In the beginning of the play it was overwhelming, steeped in love at first sight between Hero and Claudio, until Don John’s evil-manner took a role in ruining the love between them. And because of this a conflict developed between them, but was resolved when their vigorous love for one another overcame the conflict. In Much Ado About Nothing by William Shakespeare, Hero serves as the foil character of Claudio because of Hero’s dignified, well-mannered, eminent reputation is illuminated through Claudio’s insecure, accusing, and doubtful weakness; thereby, interminably influencing the conflict in the plot.
Rossiter, A.P. "Much Ado About Nothing." William Shakespeare Comedies & Romances. Ed. Harold Bloom. New York: Chelsea House Publishers, 1986.
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
Much Ado About Nothing many events dealing with gossip, perplexion, and rumors. In the 1993 film version, mainly emphasizes on the confusion that the characters have. In Shakespeare’s day, the “nothing” would have been pronounced as “noting” meaning gossiping.
“Language is frequently used to stir up & manipulate emotions.” - Mary Hamer. The words that people say can appear brutal or detrimental. These violent words take up many forms such as lying, insulting, etc. Along with its’ comedic formula, William Shakespeare's, Much Ado About Nothing is enhanced with humorous mockery and intertwined dialogues. In the play, the soldiers have just returned from a successful war. Love is traveling through the village; however the “language of war” appears rooted in the language. Numerous times do the characters joke around in cruel dialects. The mockery, however, is not considered to be as harsh due to the presence of comedy within the play. William Shakespeare’s intricate use of language in his play, Much Ado About Nothing, allows immense aggressive language to thrive in the characters yet is able to use this to alleviate the violence.
Shakespeare uses rhetorical appeals in his writing. The soliloquy by Hamlet for example uses more the expression of pathos. Pathos interferes with emotional appeals, the sentimental imagery, and the visualizations represented in the writing. The character expression of pathos is obvious since he says everything from his heart and is serious about considering suicide. He has an effect on the reader by making the reader feel sympathy towards him and his situation. For example, he says, “For who would bear the whips and scorns at time” (Shakespeare, Pg.4), which means who would deal with life struggles. He also says, “Thus conscience makes coward of us all” (Shakespeare, Pg.4), which means our own inner self stops us from doing what we want.
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.
... acts that carefully reflect the pyramid organization of an exposition, a rising action, a climax, a falling action, and a denouement. With the support of the pyramid organization, we can better analyze the play Macbeth. The plot line corresponds that of any other Elizabethan tragedy in such a way as to still keep its unique quality. This tragedy has became a famous part of our literature today, and it gives us insight into the genius we call William Shakespeare. With much more to discover, Shakespeare's works are studied by many. He was one of the first dramatists to work extensively in blank verse. Blank verse consists of a line of ten syllables arranged so that an unaccented syllable is followed by an accented syllable. He also used other tools: puns, metaphors, soliloquies, and asides. He forever challenged the many playwrights to come by setting a high standard.
Blindness is only a disability to those that are mentally eyeless. Shakespeare being a man of keen mental sight, he has had the ability to portray mental blindness in several of his plays. Being one of the best writers, he is actively able to capture the four elements of a well-made play being peripetiea, denouement, timely entrances and exits and incredibly gripping scene entrances and conclusions. Having written 38 plays with two original plots, Shakespeare expresses his themes through passionate romance, sorrow filled tragedy, inviting history and hilarious comedy. One of his most famous comedies is the play called, Much Ado About Nothing. In this play the comedic aspects greatly emphasize the important theme of self-knowledge. Self-Knowledge is the most imperative form of knowledge that one can acquire being that it is the ability to recognize and accept through forgiveness of ones flaws. Thus the ability to love one’s self, love others and participate in the love of god. The two subplots of Dogberry as well as Benedict and Beatrice coincide with the main plot of Don Pedro and Claudio to convey Shakespeare’s main idea that to see reality for what it truly is, self-knowledge is necessary.
William Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing is a play involving by deception, disloyalty, trickery, eavesdropping, and hearsay. The play contains numerous examples of schemes that are used to manipulate the thoughts of other characters; it is the major theme that resonates throughout the play. Ironically, it is one of these themes that bring serenity to the chaos that encompasses most of the play.
Scott, Mark W., ed. "Much Ado About Nothing." Shakespeare Criticism. Vol. VIII. Detroit, Michigan: Gale Research Co., 1989.
The means in which Shakespeare develops the dialogue between his characters allows the reader to hear the words as if they are being spoken to them personally. This helps in understanding the personality of each character. Once a reader develops a feel for each character and who they are, the audience begins to foreshadow and analyze a theme for the story. Shakespeare uses imagery and repetition of events in his dialogue to make the story easy to understand. Overall, diction place an important role in every story whether it be describing a character, developing a plot, or understanding a theme.
Moreover, Shakespeare focuses the plot around verbal messages. For example, Romeo, Mercutio, and Benvolio only hear of Capulet’s ball accidently by the Capulet’s servant. ...
...ternal conflict as soon as the play began. Though he only expresses his true emotions to himself, the audience benefits from his profound soliloquies and can understand his decisions and behaviours more easily despite the complex plot. In addition to recognizing the reasons behind his actions, his soliloquies also provide an opportunity for the audience to connect to his elusive nature and temperament. Since speech is a supporting foundation for conveying thoughts and opinions, the speeches that are performed regarding his depression, cowardly character, and decision whether or not to live and fulfill his father’s wish, are the keys to grasping the true story line that Shakespeare intended to create. Not only do Hamlet’s brilliant soliloquies bring the story of Hamlet to life, but it has also helped to make it one of the most famous pieces of literature of all time.
...and works very seriously. William Shakespeare is the best writer of all time in the field and time he resigned in. He is widely known as the best and is very famous for his works. He used humor to create the laughter from his audiences. He wrote many works with humor called comedies. His comedies transformed into different type of comedies. Another one of Shakespeare’s techniques is the use of irony. He uses dramatic irony, situational irony, and verbal irony. Irony plays a very large role throughout all of his works along with comedy. He has contributed so much to the English language and literature. William Shakespeare uses everything from new words to new techniques. He created many new words and phrases. Now the English language can always thank the one and only great William Shakespeare for all that he has done for the English language throughout all his works.