Essays on Benedick

Kenneth Branagh's adaptation of William Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing is true to the characters, plot, and language of the original play. However, it is not just a flat, uninspiring copy. Instead, it builds on Shakespeare's language and the play's cast of characters with the addition of cinematography, sound, and other elements. The effectiveness of these elements is especially prevalent in the early part of act 1, scene 1, where Benedict and Beatrice trade barbs after Claudio and Hero have been introduced. The effective use of sound and blocking in this scene serves to highlight how others view Benedict ...

Love is a complex subject as its definition and understanding varies among people. Collins and Manfred (27) assert that true love is one that triumphs lastingly through painful moments and hurdles present in everyday life. It is undeniable that love is quite essential in different cultures, considering how it is discussed in songs, films and books by people from various societies. Love is a vibrant theme especially among the youth as they transit from childhood to adulthood. Philosophically, love cuts across a variety of disciplines such as metaphysics, human nature, ethics, religion and epistemology. In this regard, love may ...

William Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing presents a happy ending with the marriage of two couples. While both of the marriages are desirable by the majority of the play’s characters, it is the marriage of Hero and Claudio that is more important to the play’s ending. This is because the main conflict of the play revolves around the marriage of Hero and Claudio. The marriage of Hero and Claudio provides a satisfactory ending because their marriage provides resolution to the play’s primary conflict and because Hero and Claudio have similar personalities, making them more suited to each ...

Shakespeare writes his play in an era where males are not accepting of women in power and authority. While the Elizabethan Age had Queen Elizabeth at the throne, many critics did not accept women in these positions readily. As a result, Shakespeare’s works reveal women in both negative and positive ways. Males controlled aspects of the society such as power and authority while women were expected to be submissive or weak and follow the orders as stipulated by these males. This submission was important to their survival in the society and within their families. During the Renaissance period, the ...

Keneth Branagh's Much Ado about Nothing from 1993 has both similarities and differences with Joss Whedon's film from 2012. Branagh's film was done in the old-fashioned way. It is a color version and actors are wear period dresses. Beatrice, played by Emma Thompson, has expressive eyes and way of acting. She is against marriage. Benedick shows the audience acting that is worth enough for theater stage. He is very expressive. Leonato is a noble, rich man. Claudio is a reasonable man, not very emotional. Hero is sensitive, feminine and seems like a fair lady in need of male protection. She is virtuous. Don ...

Many of the classic mistaken-identity comedies that entertain us owe their origins to plays like Much Ado About Nothing. One of my favorite episodes of the sitcome Frasier, for example, involves a trip to a ski lodge. The characters are Frasier, his brother Niles, their father Martin, Martin’s nurse Daphne, Daphne’s friend, and the ski instructor Guy. Niles is interested in Daphne; Daphne’s friend is interested in Guy; Frasier is interested in Daphne’s friend; Guy is interested in Niles. The set for this episode features all of the bedroom doors opening. Double and triple entendres fly back ...

Much Ado about Nothing is a comical and romantic story about the courtship of two couples. Despite the dated setting of lords and ladies in the midst of a war, the relationships between the characters, specifically Beatrice and Benedick, are relatable to the reader because of their timeless humor. I feel that this play, although better seen than read, is a witty and interesting story of love that can be easily related to in the modern world. In Much Ado about Nothing, the ideal way to understand this play is to see it performed by actors on a stage. Just like other ...

In Much Ado About Nothing, Shakespeare uses irony in different ways. Sometimes it is used for humorous purposes, and sometimes for dramatic purposes. It works because the audience hears the character saying one thing, and yet the audience knows that the literal meaning is not true, and in fact the opposite is true. By using irony in both humorous and dramatic scenes, Shakespeare allows the audience to enjoy the experience of sometimes knowing more than another character does about what is really happening. In contrast, the irony in Trifles is not so much a play on words as it is ...

Background

Much Ado About Nothing is a play by William Shakespeare that dramatizes a number of contemporary topics such as Love, friendship, society, customs, parent-child relationships and villainy. Considered one of the great writer’s best comedies, the play combines aspects of robust hilarity with some serious discussions of honor, friendship, love, relationships, court politics, and shame. The play is considered a joyful comedy that ends with multiple marriages and has no death. Shakespeare introduces the reader to a group of individuals having a past with each other from the point where Beatrice asks the messenger if all soldiers have returned from the war. Although ...

Much Ado about Nothing in the movie by Kenneth Branagh

Despite the law that exists to protect women in the society against inequality, men still look down upon women and still nothing is done about the oppression. This is a concept that is evident in the two plays as we can be able to see women in the play ‘Much Ado about Nothing’ being manipulated at will and the ones in the play ‘the trifles’ also being looked down upon by their male counterparts. Much Ado about Nothing is a comedy that was initially written by William Shakespeare and was later on presented in a movie by Kenneth Branagh. It revolves around ...

Much Ado about Nothing features many virtuous, proper characters who behave in an upper-class manner befitting the upper crust of the Renaissance. As a result, a great importance is placed upon virginity, chastity, and avoiding scandal at any cost. Virtue and honor are very important in this society, with a great emphasis on remaining faithful and virginal for one’s husband. In this essay, the ideals of virtue and virginity/sex will be explored in Much Ado about Nothing, including how many characters deal with these issues. In the beginning of the play, Claudio is attempting to woo Leonato’s daughter, Hero. ...

SUMMARY

In light of the “revelation” that Hero has been unfaithful, Leonato becomes extremely saddened and feels betrayed by her. Leonato continues with the ruse that Hero is dead, in order to expose the person who would betray her. He challenges Claudio to a duel and leaves; then Benedick challenges Claudio as well, having felt betrayed by Claudio’s actions, which led to Hero’s apparent death. This leads Claudio and Don Pedro to realize that he does, in fact, love Beatrice. Dogberry and Verges bring Borachio and Conrad with them and convey the truth of their crimes to Claudio and ...

SUMMARY

Hero begins the plan to bring Beatrice and Benedick together by holding a conversation with Ursula and Margaret about how Benedick is in love with Beatrice, with Beatrice overhearing – they attempt to guilt her into having feelings for Benedick. They talk him up, stating that he is a catch, and Beatrice decides that it might be a good idea to “take pity” on poor Benedick and give him a chance.

On the other side of the coin. Benedick is being teased by Leonato, Don Pedro, and Claudio about opting to never marry. Benedick says he has changed his mind, but will not say ...