Aspects of Love, and why it isn’t called “Beatrice and Benedick” 12 November, 2018

Since 4thC BC, Comedy centres around a love story and the struggles of lovers to achieve a happy ending. A typical plot revolves around a pair who suffer a tragic misunderstanding which leads to the heroine being wronged, before all comes out alright after vital information is discovered. The plot turns on an element of “recognition” and is based on resolution of conflict. A comedy

Recognition Easy to see this as “NOTING” Discuss with a neighbour the elements of “recognition” or “NOTING” which bring about the reconciliation in this play. Share your ideas. Recognition

In the “New Comedy” of Ancient Greece and Rome, plots usually hinge around mistaken identity. Consider MAAN. How does Shakespeare introduce this element into the story of Hero and Claudio? Who is it really?

Complexity in Elizabethan England Shakespeare wrote 16 comedies and took the conventions to the absolute limit. Not content with a single pair of lovers. Here we see two contrasting pairs. One pair meet in Act 1.1 The other know each other of old and apparently hate each other. Complexity in Elizabethan England

Hero and Claudio The pair resemble traditional comedy pairs BUT: There is no obstacle to their marriage from either her father or his patron/ Shakespeare introduces a “dark side” in Don John, who vows to ruin the wedding simply for sport. Hero and Claudio

Darth Vader: “You underestimate the power of the Dark Side” If Don John is a prototype Vader he needs to act as puppet master for Claudio: Discuss how this works. Does Claudio cross over to the dark side? To do so he needs to become jealous, uncaring, selfish, self- righteous… Journey to Darkness

Claudio and Hero as central Claudio is “Light” - innocent and naïve- at first – find quotations to support this statement. Look in the first two acts. After Boracchio’s “show” he becomes a Dark Character. Find evidence for his jealousy, cruelty and self-righteousness. Claudio and Hero as central

What changes? Claudio needs to learn a lesson and repent. Look closely at the scenes in Act 4 and 5 where this happens. His meeting with Leonato and Antonio, then that with Benedick. Then the revelation. How does he react to this? Find evidence that he returns to the “Light”. What changes?

An innocent girl, she meets her love early in the play. He is duped and she is attacked. She has to hide (the fake death) whilst “Darkness” is in the ascendancy. She can return once the “Light” is restored, BUT Shakespeare respects custom in such comedy by playing out a scene in which identities are hidden. Once order is restored, a happy ending follows. The two are reunited and recognise their love for each other: CLAUDIO Another Hero! HERO Nothing certainer: One Hero died defiled, but I do live, And surely as I live, I am a maid. Hero as heroine

The sub-plot… …Is so much more fun! B&B are old sparring partners. Find evidence of their prior relationships. THEN: The pair are tricked (NOTING) into falling in love. The love is tested: “Kill Claudio” The love blossoms only after both are acquainted with the trick… Can you find evidence to support the idea that they really do love each other as the play ends? The sub-plot…

Alongside this mixture of convention and exploration of love, there is another strand of comedy: The high brought down by the low. Dogberry, Verges and the guard are tiresome comics. Elizabethan puns do not render into modern minds with ease. TWO TIER COMEDY

For a comedy to work, there should be a clash of status and a sense that the world is turned on its head. Don Pedro’s sense of honour is piqued by Don John’s plot Claudio humiliates Hero All is revealed, not by the clever Beatrice, but by the stupid guard and their incompetent leader: Dogberry SO:

Dogberry The instrument of comic revelation! Please find instances of Dogberry’s stupidity hindering the discovery of the plot. Make a list. Then enjoy the utter simplicity of the plot: A couple vow to marry A Dark character plants a seed of jealousy A comic fool discovers the plot All is revealed. Dogberry

Shakespeare’s genius Using Dogberry to delay his own revelation Adding the comic Boracchio and Conrade to his Dark character Stressing the social climbing of the world of the play through Leonato (find evidence for this statement) Introducing a sub-plot that introduces two of the finest characters in any of his plays. Shakespeare’s genius

Much Ado: Standard comedy plot requires a couple to split and re-join. The heroine is innocent and is wronged A dark force has to cause this split. There should be a clash between upper and lower classes, in which the upper classes may learn something from the lower. Much Ado: