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Shakespeare historical plays
Shakespeare historical plays
Shakespeare historical plays
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The Dynamic Duo of Character Foils Much ado about nothing (a book written by William Shakespeare) is full of character foils but there’s one that stand out the most (the character foil being Hero and Beatrice)! Much ado about nothing is about love and drama and is based in the Elizabethan era , it takes place in Messina, Italy when the soldiers come back from war to find love, but when it's all fine and peaceful it gets complicated by somebody’s diabolical scheme. Hero and Beatrice are opposites since their traits are very different, Hero being polite and Beatrice being sassy. In the context of Hero being polite, Claudio is presenting his love for hero to his friend benedick. While here beatrice is complaining about benedick about how he is acting like a dummy. In the book the following that was said before is quoted (Hero) …show more content…
However they can also have different traits too. Hero and Beatrice are alike since they show the same character trait which is forgiving. Hero forgives Claudio for what he did during their first marriage and Beatrice forgives Benedick by writing him a love letter, the textual evidence is provided. Hero states “And here’s another poem, stating her adoration for Benedick” 235 pg ”I was your other wife and when you loved me you were my other husband”233 pg. Beatrice’s letter of adoration for Benedick, and Hero’s love for Claudio leads them to forgive the men that were meant for them. So the way Hero and Beatrice are alike they impact the story by showing that they aren't just the complete opposite of eachother, they can also act and be the same. To restate, In Much Ado about Nothing character Beatrice serves as a character foil of hero by which Hero’s quietness is illuminated by Beatrice’s sassiness; thus, continually influencing the plot. So all in all Beatrice and Hero have similarities and differences but in conclusion they are the best character foils in Much ado about nothing. Even though there are other
Beatrice's courtship with Benedick greatly contrasts with the courtship of Hero and Claudio. Hero gladly and willingly submitted to marriage, and she accepted the role of the relatively powerless woman. In contrast Beatrice chose her submission after openly criticizing the institution of marriage.
Whedon's production of Much Ado About Nothing is a modern, black and white retelling of the famous Shakespeare play of the same name which tells the story of love and deceit between two couples: Hero and Claudio, and Beatrice and Benedick. While Hero and Claudio court and prepare to marry each other, Beatrice and Benedick steal the show away with their wit, humor, and constant bickering. Though they both insist that they hate each other, the flashback presented at the start of the film suggests that there is far more to the story than meets the eye. While the style of the film certainly enhances the story being told, making it a timeless classic entangled with modern society, it is the ensemble cast that work both individually and as a unit which make the film a true masterpiece, as well as the genius idea of a change in scenery that propels a sense of realism not often found in your average Shakespeare adaptation.
The author portrays Beatrice as being very dominant and strong woman. I believe she protects her cousin and her family from the accusation that has been projected towards Hero as this has insulted not only Hero but also her family. When she is in the tabernacle with Benedict and confessing her love for him....she shows her demanding nature by essentially forcing Benedict to choose between the brotherly love of men and the loyalty of a man to his wife. Beatrice knows that she must destroy Benedict's former male bonding. Her order is therefore a command for Benedict to support her against Claudio, and represents the only way for them to have a mature relationship. Although being quite intelligent, Beatrice does manage to appear gullible when she overhears Hero and another woman discussing Benedict and Beatrice's relationship. So this can be seen that Beatrice does have a softer side as well.
This may seem to be a harsh and pessimistic outlook on life, but the way Shakespeare brings this character to life portrays Benedick as a funny and caring man who really is not that certain about what he wants for the future. Benedick’s counterpart in the play is Beatrice, who is an independent woman with a quick tongue. Benedick and Beatrice despise and cannot stand each other because it is seemingly impossible for them to have a conversation without arguing and angering each other. The two of them provide some of the more amusing scenes of the play with their word play and mocking of each other. In reality though, they have much in common that they have yet to realize.
All of the characters in Much Ado About Nothing seemed to develop a personality of their own from the very first scene. It also helped that I saw the movie version of Much Ado About Nothing before we read the play so I could almost get a picture in my head as to what each character looked like. As the character's had their own personality, so did the two love relationships in the play. Benedick and Beatrice seemed to hate each other so much from the very start of the play that as the play carried on it almost seemed like the two went full circle in their relationship. But their relationship might not have changed for the better without help from Claudio, Don Pedro, Leonato, Ursula or Hero. In Claudio's and Hero's relationship seemed to be much more conventional in the way they came together. Claudio first saw Hero and instantly fell in love with her, while Hero stood by and took orders from her father, Leonato. Only when Don John devised his deception to break Claudio and Hero apart that I felt the relationship was in trouble, but even then I felt there was hope.
In every book ever made there are always at least two characters that are the opposites of each other, these opposites create what is called a character foil. In William Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing, there is an abouis character foil: Friar Francis and Dogberry. Once the reader has read the play they can understand that the main problem is that Don John wants to sabotage the marriage of Count Claudio and Hero. After Dogberry tries- and fails with his limited understanding of words- to tell Leonato that Don John, Borachio, and Conrad are trying to sabotage his Daughter’s wedding; it was up to the Friar to come up with a plan to help redeem Hero’s reputation. Luckily the Friar’s plan worked and everyone has an happily ever after. Friar
Set in the sixteenth century, Much Ado About Nothing is revolved around the thought of love and marriage. Primarily, this is prevalent in the two main characters, Beatrice and Benedick. They have once been courted which suggests more maturity than the majority of couples in Shakespeare’s various plays. In the duration of the play, the violent language between Benedick and Beatrice is most evident through their ridicule. Both characters always speak critically regardless of whether they are talking to each other or out loud about one another. This is highlighted when Beatrice exclaims, “What should I do with him—dress him in my apparel / and make him my waiting gentlewoman? He that hath a / beard is more than / a youth, and he that hath no beard is less than a/ man; and he that is more than a youth is not for me, and he that is less than a/ man, I am not for him...
A central theme in Much Ado About Nothing is deceit and trickery. This theme is also what moves the plot of the play along. While deceit is usually viewed as bad, in the case of Beatrice and Benedick it was a good thing that helped them discover their love for each other. For Hero and Claudio, deceit almost tore their relationship apart, however, it also brought them back together in the end. If deceit and trickery was not in Much Ado About Nothing, the play would definitely be different.
“Eyes in Much Ado are not what one sees with, but what one sees through-the filters that lead characters to see people in particular, conventionalized ways,” (Myhill). We can see this take action in such characters like Hero. Hero is portrayed as the dutiful daughter, quite, modest, and obedient to her father’s will; she is the perfect picture of the conventional Messina women. Beatrice points this out when describing her cousin she states: “Yes, faith; it is my cousin’s duty to make curtsy, and say, ’Father, as it pleas...
...o asks Hero about Claudio she responds with: "So you walk softly, and look sweetly, and say nothing, I am yours for the walk, and especially when I walk away." (2.1.81-83). Beatrice is what a woman should be. A more modern view of feminism would have had Beatrice not only make her own decisions but follow through with them on her own. While Much Ado About Nothing seemingly questions the traditional gender roles of men and women in Messina through Beatrice's resistance to them, at the same time, the play decidedly ends Benedick saying, "Peace! I will stop your mouth" (5.4.96), silencing Beatrice with a kiss. Still, it cannot be denied that Beatrice, for a time, equates herself with men and the power they hold. Unfortunately, she gives in to love and in so doing, she relinquishes her independence and self-control in the male-dominated world of Much Ado About Nothing.
For my group's interpretation of Much Ado about nothing we chose to portray the scene where Claudio, Don Pedro, and Leonato trick Benedick into thinking Beatrice is in love with him. The overarching concept is that the play is set in modern times on a college campus. Instead of Claudio and Don Pedro being warriors, they’re part of a different brotherhood, a fraternity. In the middle of a raging frat party Leonato, Claudio, and Don Pedro decide to play a trick on Benedick, to make him think Beatrice is in love with him.
The plot of Much Ado About Nothing is an elaborate network of schemes and tricks. This statement is confirmed throughout Much Ado About Nothing. The play contains many examples of tricks and schemes that are used to manipulate the thoughts and feelings of characters. The major examples of such manipulation include- Don Pedro, Claudio and Leonato tricking Benedick into believing that Beatrice loves him, Hero and Ursula trick Beatrice into thinking Benedick is in love with her. The relationship between Claudio and Hero also endures much manipulation. For instance Don John and Borachio trick Claudio and the Prince into believing Hero is unfaithful. As in the tradition of Shakespeare, the Friar deceives everybody into thinking Hero is dead. An instance of trickery involves Benedick being manipulated to believe Beatrice is in love with him. This trickery is carried out playfully by Don Pedro, Leonato and Claudio. They realise Benedick's stubbornness in Act II Scene iii, when he states "man is a fool when he dedicates his behaviours to love." Due to this stubbornness Don Pedro, Leonato and Claudio must devise a way of attaining the love amid Benedick and Beatrice. In Act II Scene iii the men accomplish this by way of waiting for Benedick to be within ears reach, then raising the topic of Leonato's niece Beatrice. Don Pedro’s reference about "your niece Beatrice was in love with Signor Benedick." helps to accomplish such manipulation. This scheme is completed when this is overheard by Benedick, and due to his insecurity about love he falls for their trick, thus loving Beatrice. Another example of manipulation that is closely related to the one involving Benedick but Beatrice becomes the focus of the scheme. Like Benedick, Beatrice's feelings about love are strong and opposing. When she states "Not till God make men of some other mettle than earth" she assumes that her desired partner does not exist. Hero and Ursula believe that Benedick would make a good husband for Beatrice and as a result of this, they plan a scheme to bring about love between Beatrice and Benedick. Hero and Ursula accomplish their scheme in Act III Scene i. Their scheme is concluded by means of discussing that they have heard that Benedick loves Beatrice greatly. Beatrice overhears this and thinks the combination of her and Benedick’s wit and intelligence would make a successful match. Beatrice displays her free will when making this decision.
Shakespeare’s play ‘Much Ado about Nothing’ has two main female characters, Beatrice and Hero, who are cousins. Both appear to be completely different in the beginning of the play but, as things progress and their characters develop, there are also some very obvious similarities between them. Hero and Beatrice have a very close relationship; they are best friends. Leonato is Hero’s father but Beatrice has no parents, which gives her greater freedom. Where Hero is polite, quiet, respectful and gentle, Beatrice is feisty, cynical, witty, and sharp.
Beatrice is, without a doubt, one of the strongest female characters that Shakespeare ever came up with in his time of writing. Shakespeare shows, through Beatrice, how every woman should act in an era where only the men were even able to have control. In this era, or the renaissance time, no woman had free will; they were always told what they could and could not do, as well as, who they were to marry. In the play “Much Ado About Nothing” Beatrice has many qualities but the ones that stand out the most in the play are: her independence, her feistiness, and of course her openness to defy male subjection.
Throughout the play Beatrice and Benadick are constantly insulting eachother. However, they eventually both confess their love for eachother. Beatrice says “I love you with so much of my heart that none is left to protest” (4.1.279-280). The fact that they took s long to confess their love shows us that their love is more genuine. It also shows that they are slightly scared of love especially since earlier in the play Benadick talked about how he never wanted to marry (1.1) The other main couple in the play is Claudio and Hero. This type of romantic love is very different to that of Beatrice and Beanadick. After Heros chastity is once again confirmed Claudio says “Sweet Hero, how thy image doth appear in the rare sepalane that I loved it first” (5.1.262-263). This shows that Claudio’s love for Hero may not be as genuine as we first thought as he did not love her while he thought that she was unfaithful. This is how romantic love teaches us about the characters in ‘Much Ado About