Shakespeare is a cat who has ruled over English Literature ever since he composed his first play, Henry VI, Part II (Mabillard). He had stretched the limits of known literature twice over with every stanza, and created fantastical worlds which everyday folk payed much coin just to view a glimpse. From terrible tragedies like Romeo and Juliet, to delightful comedies such as A Midsummer Night‘s Dream, literature was reshaped by the hands of this skillful artist. He was smart in his plays, often tying two or more plays together without even showing it. For example, he would write a play that would follow a same plot diagram as a previous one, but would change it so drastically so one could not recognize it. King Lear and Much Ado About Nothing are examples of the drastic changes, opposite styles but connected in the strangest ways. For example, King Lear is a tragedy, as both King Lear, and his favorite daughter, Cordelia, both die towards the end of the play. Lear is betrayed by his two daughters, and imprisoned along with Cornelia, who is later killed. Lear is noted as saying “Oh, you men of stones. Had I your tongue and ears, I’d use them so that heaven’s vault should crack. She’s gone forever. I know when one is dead and one lives. She’s dead as earth...” (Act 5, Scene 3, Lines 271-275). As so willfully noted by Joyce Oates at the University of San Francisco , “It is moving, yes, but bitterly moving, and our emotions will be turned against us shorty..”. Much Ado About Nothing, on the other hand, is completely a comedy, filled with sarcasm and witty comebacks at every corner. “Shakespearean comedies hold prominence in obvious, recurring elements such as Mistaken Identity, Young lovers struggling to overcome obstacles ... ... middle of paper ... ...ference for Shakespeare. He does a jig on a very thin line, much similar to Chaucer during his era, but he stays in favor just enough to keep his plays going. One might not understand the joke at the given time, but after dwelling upon it, the joke will suddenly click, and one understands the second meaning of the words. Which words, however, were written as a double meaning, and which were not? Works Cited Dogberry (Much Ado About Nothing). N.p., 4 May 2012. Web. 19 Jan. 2014 Jamieson, Lee. ‘Plot Summary for 'Much Ado About Nothing'. About.com, 2013. Web. 19 Jan. 2014. Mabillard, Amanda. The Chronology of Shakespeare's Plays. Shakespeare Online, 20 Aug. 2000. Web. 19 Jan. 2014. Much Ado About Nothing. StudyMode, Oct. 2011. Web. 19 Jan. 2014 Oates, Joyce. Is This the Promised End?": The Tragedy of King Lear. U of San Fransico, 2013. Web. 19 Jan. 2014.
Much Ado About Nothing, though a critically acclaimed play, seems to be truly a fuss of trivial details and sexist thinking. The title fits the play itself, in the sense that it is a case of a great amount of nothing, which perhaps can be assumed to be a mistake on William Shakespeare's part.
Wordplay exploits the ambiguities of words to produce humorous effects. Many subcategories of wordplay, such as puns, anagrams and homophones, prove to be crucial elements of comedic literature. Through careful dissection of the exchanges, wordplay can be found in many places and in many different forms. It is clearly evident in Much Ado About Nothing that William Shakespeare utilizes wordplay through the witty insults between characters.
The works of William Shakespeare have been one of the diligent hotspots for adaptation and appropriation. We see dramatic adaptation of Shakespearean playtexts began as early as Restoration period. Different fields like poetry, novels, advertisements, and movies have connected themselves with Shakespeare as well. The adaptation of Shakespeare makes him fit for new social settings and distinctive political philosophies.
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
With its entangled double plots and eloquent use of words, Much Ado About Nothing is a story that has the ability to entertain the masses both young and old. Shakespeare’s use of figurative language along with situation creates such vivid imagery for which carries the drama from beginning to end. For example, when we look at Act 1 Scene 1 of the play ...
Much Ado About Nothing is one of William Shakespeare’s best comedies and love stories. What is not to like about a play that is hilarious, romantic, and has a happy ending? In this play the foremost and most intriguing character is Benedick, a man who is a devout bachelor and who does not believe he will ever find the perfect woman; --because perfect is exactly what he must have. 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. Both of them despise marriage, are witty, and are each their own persons. These however are not the reasons why they come together. They are brought together by their respective companions who conspire to tell each of them that the one loves the other as the two misdirected lovers listen in. In his speech directly after this, Benedick is swayed to a life that he previously would have avoided at all costs. In hearing of Beatrice’s supposed affection he immediately changes his entire outlook on perpetual bachelorhood and pronounces a love that is not real or his own, but comes secondhand from trickery.
Even famous tragedies such as MacBeth and Romeo & Juliet have strong satirical elements to them, and this play is no exception. In fact, it is probably one of his greatest satires, along with maybe Troilus & Cressida. It is impossible to understand Much Ado About Nothing without knowing the mind of the playwright, and his intentions. Nothing is as it seems and 'much ado' is made of nothing whatsoever.
The Comedy of Errors has often been dismissed as a mere farce, unworthy of any serious attention. Yet, when the author is Shakespeare, even a "farce" is well worth a second look. Shakespeare himself may have takent his comedic work quite seriously, for audiences expected comedy of his day not only to entertain, but also to morally instruct. It is not surprising, therefore, that for one of his earliest comedies, Shakespeare found a model in the plays of Plautus and Terence, which were studied in all Elizabethan Grammar Schools, praised by schoolmasters, and critically respectable. (Muir 3)
William Shakespeare has become landmark in English literature. One must be familiar with the early days of English literature in order to comprehend the foundation of much of more modern literature’s basis. Shakespeare’s modern influence is still seen clearly in many ways. The success of Shakespeare’s works helped to set the example for the development of modern dramas and plays. He is also acknowledged for being one of the first writers to use any modern prose in his writings.
The play “Much Ado about Nothing” conveys the utilization of dramatic irony found throughout Shakespeare’s writing. This enables the audience to know facts about the character’s ignorance, thereby creating suspense, comedy, and more entertainment as the plot intensifies throughout the play. Some examples of dramatic irony include the misleading of Benedick and Beatrice, Hero’s infidelity and Hero’s death. Shakespeare’s usage of dramatic irony has been an important factor in giving the audience a vivid and pleasurable experience throughout his plays. Such factors like these have earned him the title of the greatest writer in English Language.
Shakespeare to create a lot of contrasts and moods, as and when he wants to.
Shakespeare’s plays are a product of the Elizabethan theatrical context in which they were first performed. A lot of pressure was put on Shakespeare as he wrote his plays because he was not allowed to upset the royal family. His style would have been different than others in those times and a lot more thought has gone into his writing than people listening would think. Usually, the audience take for granted the cleverness and thought of Shakespeare’s writing, however, now we have studied and gone into great detail about Shakespeare’s writing, we can appreciate it more than they did:
Humor in William Shakespeare's Twelfth Night In Twelfth Night we see different types of humour. There is the witty
The structure of Shakespearean comedy always starts with harmony then leading to chaos, resolution and restoration. Sean McEvoy commented that ‘critics tend to regard something as a comedy not so much because it makes us laugh. Laughter may be evoked in tragic circumstances but because a certain set of conventions is being followed’, which is exactly how Shakespearean comedies play out.
In his time, Shakespeare was the most popular playwright of London. As time passed, his smartness covers all others of his age; Jonson, Marlowe, Kyd, Greene, Dekker, Heywood—none had the craft or the kindness of character. He was the master of poetry writing and he did it well. He created the most vivid characters of the Elizabethan stage. His usage of language, both high and low, shows a remarkable fun and insight. His themes fit all generation even to this day.