Much Ado About Nothing

William Shakespeare (1564-1616)-born in Stratford Upon-Avon, England-lived/worked in London (left wife and family to become a writer, poet, actor) -wrote 36 plays (tragedies, histories, comedies)-wrote 154 sonnets
Queen Elizabeth I (1533-1603)-parents: King Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn-became queen in 1557 (never got married)-well-educated, supported the arts, gave patronage to theatre and Shakespeare
The Theatre -There were many round theaters in London-expensive seats (cushioned) cost 1 euro-There weren’t many stage props/settings (stage had balcony, trap door)-Actors were all male-Mixture of drama, death, comedy, love (kept audience entertained)
Shakespeare’s plays consist of ____ acts composed of any number of scenes 5
The 5 Acts Act 1: Intro/ExpositionAct 2: Rising ActionAct 3: Turning Point/Pinnacle/ClimaxAct 4: Falling ActionAct 5: Resolution
Shakespearean comedy includes… -funny characters-disguises/mistaken identity-wise fool; clever servant-separation and reunion-happy ending (marriage)-high and low comedy
High Comedy Written for nobles and upper class (includes puns, comedy, intelligence, word play, and satire)
Low Comedy written for commoners (includes slap stick, dirty jokes, drunk characters)
Much Ado About Nothing was performed between ______ to ______ 1588, 1599
Setting Takes place in Italy in a town called Mesino in southern Italy at the estate of Leonato
Plot Centers around the love story of Cladio & Hero and Beatrice & Bennedict, and villain Don John
Leonato governor
Hero Leonato’s daughter
Beatrice Hero’s cousin and Leonato’s niece
Ursula, Margret, Balthazar servants
The Prince (Don Pedro) His half brother is Don John (visitor)
Don John His half brother is Don Pedro (visitor)
Claudio and Benedict visitors; soldiers in the Prince’s army
Borachio and Conrad soldiers
Donberry, Verges, Seacuat, and others police officers/constables/guards
Monologue A long speech by one character that’s addressed to other characters
Soliloquy A speech to oneself (character speaks aloud to the audience to voice their thoughts)
Aside Turning away from other characters and speaking to the audience/other characters privately
Blank Verse Unrhyming poetry (written in iambic pentameter)
Prose Regular speech (sentences/paragraphs)
Couplet 2 rhyming lines of poetry
July 21, 2019