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    Much Ado, Act 1

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    رياض حمودي خضير
    Much Ado About Nothing is set in Messina, Italy in the late 16th century. The story draws from older Greek, Spanish, and Italian romances, though the relationship between Beatrice and Benedick is thought to be Shakespeare's own invention. The play introduces the main characters: the sparring couples Beatrice and Benedick, and Hero and her new love interest Claudio. It also introduces the villain Don John who plots against the couples. Much of the action takes place at Leonato's estate, where the soldiers are staying and a celebration is planned, setting the stage for deception, misunderstandings, and romance to unfold.

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    Much Ado, Act 1

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    رياض حمودي خضير
    39 views7 pages
    Much Ado About Nothing is set in Messina, Italy in the late 16th century. The story draws from older Greek, Spanish, and Italian romances, though the relationship between Beatrice and Benedick is thought to be Shakespeare's own invention. The play introduces the main characters: the sparring couples Beatrice and Benedick, and Hero and her new love interest Claudio. It also introduces the villain Don John who plots against the couples. Much of the action takes place at Leonato's estate, where the soldiers are staying and a celebration is planned, setting the stage for deception, misunderstandings, and romance to unfold.

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    Much ado about nothing act 1

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    Much Ado About Nothing is set in Messina, Italy in the late 16th century. The story draws from older Greek, Spanish, and Italian romances, though the relationship between Beatrice and Benedick is thought to be Shakespeare's own invention. The play introduces the main characters: the sparring couples Beatrice and Benedick, and Hero and her new love interest Claudio. It also introduces the villain Don John who plots against the couples. Much of the action takes place at Leonato's estate, where the soldiers are staying and a celebration is planned, setting the stage for deception, misunderstandings, and romance to unfold.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Flag for inappropriate content
    Download as pdf or txt
    39 views7 pages

    Much Ado, Act 1

    Uploaded by

    رياض حمودي خضير
    Much Ado About Nothing is set in Messina, Italy in the late 16th century. The story draws from older Greek, Spanish, and Italian romances, though the relationship between Beatrice and Benedick is thought to be Shakespeare's own invention. The play introduces the main characters: the sparring couples Beatrice and Benedick, and Hero and her new love interest Claudio. It also introduces the villain Don John who plots against the couples. Much of the action takes place at Leonato's estate, where the soldiers are staying and a celebration is planned, setting the stage for deception, misunderstandings, and romance to unfold.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
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    Download as pdf or txt
    of 7

    Much Ado About Nothing

    The Source and Other Notes


    - As it is with Shakespeare's plays, the story of Much Ado
    About Nothing is not original or at least part of it is not!

    - The Hero-Claudio plot is very old and appears in Greek,


    Spanish and Italian romances.

    - The Beatrice-Benedick plot is thought to be largely


    Shakespeare's own invention.

    - The play was probably written between 1598 and 1599.


    The play is set in Messina, Sicily (Italy). Most of the action takes
    place mainly at the house and on the grounds of governor Leonato's
    Estate.
    Who is Who ??
    What do we learn from Act 1?

    -We are introduced to two couples; Beatrice and Benedick / Hero and Claudio.

    -We are also introduced to Don John, the villain of the play. He is the illegitimate brother of
    Don Pedro, the prince of Aragon. He hates his brother.
    Borachio & Conrad are followers of Don John. They are loyal to him.

    -Don Pedro is the noblest character in the social hierarchy of the play. Don Pedro and his men
    have recently fought a war and won. Claudio & Benedick are officers in his army. Claudio is
    interested in Hero. Don John hates Claudio because unlike him he is well- liked by others
    especially by Don Pedro.

    -Beatrice and Benedick know each other from before the war; therefore, we see Beatrice asking
    about him in the 1st scene of the play.

    -The soldiers will stay at Leonato's house for at least a month. Leonato plans a big party (mask
    ball) for the soldiers.
    Things to consider in this Act
    - Notice how quickly Beatrice asks about Benedick in scene 1 & how much she talks about him.

    -She is also the first one to approach him when the men arrive. What does this say about her
    feelings toward Benedick.

    -Notice that Benedick has a lot to say about women and marriage.

    -The first theme of the play is introduced to the reader in this Act, the battle of sexes or gender
    roles.

    -In the first moments of the play, Leonato says that there “is a kind of merry war” (Scene 1,
    L59-61) between his niece Beatrice and Benedick. He explains: “there’s a skirmish of wit
    between them” (Scene 1, L61-62). Beatrice and Benedick always fight, but not physically –
    they exchange verbal blows. Each wants to prove their cleverness and wit to be deadlier than
    the other’s. This act if full of instances where they both express disdain toward each other
    (Scene 1, L114-117/ 164-166). They both swear that they will never marry!

    -Unlike Hero, Beatrice does not conform to the expectations placed on women of the time. She
    shows her distrust of men, “I had rather hear my dog bark at a crow/ than a man swear he loves
    me” (Scene 1, L 129-130). She also shows a strong determination that’s unusual of women
    during the Elizabethan era who were expected to be gentle and obedient.

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