I have 30 days now till the end of nursing school and the beginning of the rest of my life. And tomorrow is the deciding test of whether or not I will actually graduate, so what should I do? Give this follow up post as promised of course! I completed reading Much Ado About Nothing Sunday night and have found I greatly enjoyed at least this of Shakespeare's many plays. My understanding of it based on the Mumford and Sons' song and a brief perusing of google and sparknotes was... passable. Though there are many intricacies I missed, but found upon reading.
A brief synopsis will be useful here, but I do believe there to be better ones else where on the internet. Following a successful war where few men of importance were killed a prince, named Claudio, and his friend Benedick return to Messina. Claudio feels the need to settle down and meet a good woman with a good name and goes about it in classic style, having someone else pass the word to the girl he wishes to woo to her at a masked ball.
It should be noted, now, that apparently, 'Nothing' in the original dialect and accent sounded like noting, so there is a play on words in the title. All of the characters make rash decision based on things they over hear, or note, when they shouldn't or when others arrange for them to "accidentally" note a tidbit of information. Hence, there occurs in the course of the play, much ado about 'noting' which amounts to nothing.
So, Claudio notes, from the villainous Don John the Bastard and his cronies, the false story that Hero, his love interest, has been unfaithful. He swallows this hard until the day of the wedding and lets the barbs fly causing Hero to pass out and appear dead. Long story short, she was not dead. Dogberry, the laughable hero and fumbling constable, saves the day, and Hero and Claudio are reunited at the end in a double wedding.
A double wedding?
Why, yes, I am glad you ask. While Claudio and Hero provide the back bone of the story, their personages are static and don't change; playing what I imagine to be the classic love story of the time (and today): Love. Misunderstanding. Resolution. Love. This is seen so often today that for me it was rather lack-luster.
Now, Benedick and Beatrice. That's a different story all together. They are both dead set on never, ever, ever, being with anyone. In fact, Beatrice says, "I had rather hear my dog bark at a crow than a man swear he loves me." And Benedick in his turn states, "May I be so converted and see with those eyes (here he addresses Claudio's recent fall into love)? I cannot tell; I think not. I will not be sworn but Love may transform me to an oyster, but i'll take my oath on it, till he have made an oyster of me, he shall never make me such a fool."
Benedick's last line occurs just prior to Don Pedro and Claudio arranging for him to over hear the false report of Beatrice's love for him. It is during this exchanged that the title of the song comes into play, a troubadour named Balthasar sings the words, "Sigh no more, ladies... men were deceivers ever, one foot in sea one on shore". So, here, Benedick notes that Beatrice indeed loves him. Mere minutes after daring love to turn him into an oyster he states, "When I said I would die a bachelor, I did not think I should live till I were married"... "I do spy some marks of love in her." Does she "Love me? it must be requited." And Beatrice, for her part, says after noting Benedick's love for her says "Contempt, farewell, and maiden pride, adieu!...And Benedick, love on; I will requite thee, taming my wild heart to thy loving hand."
Actually, this grows too long. And I do feel the need to study. I will finish this up at a later date. How's that for a dramatic pause!
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