Oh, That I Had Been Writ Down an Ass!

Twenty-Six days remain!

Two papers, a handful of tests, one more day of clinical, some journals, and insufferable lecture periods remains.  That test I mentioned in the previous post-- killed it.  I received a 99% probability of passing boards.

So, Much Ado About Nothing.

Benedick has overheard that Beatrice loves him, and Beatrice that she is loved as well.  Then, the debacle at the wedding leaves Beatrice angry to the point of murder (for Beatrice and Hero are cousins) and charges Benedick to kill Claudio.  Benedick asks Beatrice for which of his bad parts she loved him first and she in turn asks for which of her good parts did he suffer love.  Benedick says he indeed suffers love, for it is against his will and the they are too 'wise to woo peaceably'.

The good news arrives that Hero is alive and belied, Claudio and Don Pedro abused, and John the Bastard fled.  Here Benedick uses the pick-up line I will use from hence forth; " I will live in thy heart, die in thy lap, and be buried in thy eyes".

Finally, Claudio and Hero are married and the question of Benedick and Beatrice must be answered.  Each asks the other if they love them and each responds in kind, in one last ditch effort to avoid being wedded, "No, no more than reason."  And to the rescue the rest of the merry cast comes to produce letters each had written to the other expressing their love. And, Benedick stops her mouth with a kiss.

So, what does this all mean? For me?  For you?  I wonder if maybe it means nothing.  Maybe Shakespeare was simply telling a story, a love story, that could inspire love or not.  At the very least it could inspire a laugh, and an empathetic reaction, not a life changing realization.  I believe I responded thus to the song because I am accustomed to responding to music in that way.  But books do that, too.

I am left, I guess wondering, if I could be so bold to tell Love he must turn me into an oyster before I could ever settle.

In the end, it's a comedy with a happy ending.  Except for the witticisms, quick quotes, and use of the language it was just as vapid when Shakespeare wrote it as when it is reproduced in every romantic comedy to this day.  But, there was a bumbling constable in this one.