Much Ado About Nothing
Background
Although Shakespeare is known for his tragedies, his comedies exemplify his natural genius. As is the case with his other 38 plays, the plot of Much Ado About Nothing is also borrowed. Critics have noted two possible inspirations for this comic play. One is Matteo Bandello’s Novelle, dealing with the love story of Sir Timbreo and his fiancée Fenicia Lionata and the other one is Ludovico Ariosto’s Orlando Furioso on the romance of Ariodante and Ginevra. Since, the action is set in the city of Sicily, it also implies at the 16th century romance in Italy. The play is similar in themes to two other plays by Shakespeare – the romantic tragedy, Romeo and Juliet and the problem play, The Winter’s Tale. But unlike his other …show more content…
He brings the culprits to the light along with their own self admission of the offence, thus restoring Hero’s integrity. The treacherous villain, Don John flees for his life but the soldiers are sent to make him captive. Claudio, filled with the guilt and shame at the loss of his beloved, accepts Leonato’s condition to proclaim the chastity of Hero’s character to the public and to marry Antonio’s daughter “almost the copy of my child that’s dead” (Much Ado About Nothing,V.i.273) to carry on their tradition.
The dramatic irony comes into play when Claudio is shocked to find the ‘supposedly dead’ Hero as his bride and they are finally united. Also, upon their friend’s bidding, Beatrice and Benedick accept their relation in front of everyone. The play ends with the news of Don John’s capture but Benedick reserves the trial and punishment to another day and chooses to revel in the happiness of their relations. The denouement echoes the familiar endings of Shakespearean comedies – All’s Well That Ends Well.
Analysis of Major Characters
Background
Although Shakespeare is known for his tragedies, his comedies exemplify his natural genius. As is the case with his other 38 plays, the plot of Much Ado About Nothing is also borrowed. Critics have noted two possible inspirations for this comic play. One is Matteo Bandello’s Novelle, dealing with the love story of Sir Timbreo and his fiancée Fenicia Lionata and the other one is Ludovico Ariosto’s Orlando Furioso on the romance of Ariodante and Ginevra. Since, the action is set in the city of Sicily, it also implies at the 16th century romance in Italy. The play is similar in themes to two other plays by Shakespeare – the romantic tragedy, Romeo and Juliet and the problem play, The Winter’s Tale. But unlike his other …show more content…
He brings the culprits to the light along with their own self admission of the offence, thus restoring Hero’s integrity. The treacherous villain, Don John flees for his life but the soldiers are sent to make him captive. Claudio, filled with the guilt and shame at the loss of his beloved, accepts Leonato’s condition to proclaim the chastity of Hero’s character to the public and to marry Antonio’s daughter “almost the copy of my child that’s dead” (Much Ado About Nothing,V.i.273) to carry on their tradition.
The dramatic irony comes into play when Claudio is shocked to find the ‘supposedly dead’ Hero as his bride and they are finally united. Also, upon their friend’s bidding, Beatrice and Benedick accept their relation in front of everyone. The play ends with the news of Don John’s capture but Benedick reserves the trial and punishment to another day and chooses to revel in the happiness of their relations. The denouement echoes the familiar endings of Shakespearean comedies – All’s Well That Ends Well.
Analysis of Major Characters