2. Beginning reading
• Look at list of characters and
decide what can be deduced
about the society in which the
story takes place.
• Consider
1. what themes are established
2. ways of staging this to make it
striking and attention
grabbing
3. style of language used.
3. Beatrice’s entrance to ‘DonPedrois
approached’.
• Read the scene then look closely at the things Beatrice
says about Benedict using the sheet Beatrice’s view of
Benedick
• Share findings and discuss imagery used and her use of
wordplay – puns.
• Discussion:
• Why do you think Beatrice has so much to say about him?
• What will the audience be anticipating when the two characters
meet?
4. Beatrice and Benedick
• Write 3 adjectives to
describe Beatrice.
• What does Leonato
say that gives us
information on their
relationship?
5. Lines 105 -Beatriceand Benedickto ‘I know
youof old’ 131)
• How Benedict does talk to Beatrice?
• How does he insult her?
• In what ways are they similar?
• What impression does the audience form of him?
• What impression does the audience form of their
‘merry war’ relationship?
• Who wins?
• In pairs to come up with 5 adjectives to describe
him.
6. • In pairs to turn Beatrice and Benedick’s exchange into
modern English. (From “What my Lady Disdain…” to “…I
know you of old”)
• See a couple being performed.
• After as a class – rank them - which would be most
insulting?
• Do Quotation Quest worksheet.
• In class, write a paragraph about your first impressions
of each character, using PEHE.
7. Example PEE
In the play Much Ado about Nothing, the character of
Beatrice is introduced as a witty, intelligent, sharp-
tongued, young woman, she says of Benedick,
“How many hath he killed? – for indeed I promised
to eat all his killing.” This indicates she is insulting
Benedick’s prowess as soldier by being ironic as she
doesn’t believe he will be very successful in the war, so
she says she will eat all he kills. The fact that she asks
after him does however show that he is on her mind and
despite all the insults about him which follow, there is an
underlying fascination with him.
8. Benedick and Claudio
CLAUDIO “Benedick, did thou note the daughter of Signor Leonato?”
BENEDICK “I noted her not but I looked on her”
• Another motif is the play on the words nothing and noting, which in
Shakespeare’s day were homophones. Taken literally, the title implies
that a great fuss ("much ado") is made of something which is
insignificant ("nothing"). The title could also be understood as Much
Ado About Noting. Much of the action is in interest in and critique of
others, written messages, spying, and eavesdropping. This is
mentioned several times, particularly concerning "seeming",
"fashion", and outward impressions. Nothing is a double entendre,
"an O-thing" (or "n othing" or "no thing") was Elizabethan slang for
female genitalia evidently derived from the pun of a woman having
"nothing" between her legs.
9. Benedick and Claudio
• What is the contrast here between Claudio
(courtly lover) and Benedick (misogynist).
• Pick out examples of Benedick’s love of words
that reflect his professed hatred of women.
• Note the imagery used.
• Discuss connotations of bachelor (Ben) and
spinster (Bea) –– society’s views.
10. Don Pedro
• Reveals more about Benedick and his views on women. Explain
cuckold (man whose wife was unfaithful to him supposedly grew
horns) Notice the development of this image in the scene.
Don Pedro’s plan to woo Hero in place of Claudio. (KINDLY
DECEPTION)
• Social conventions of the time would see it as acceptable for Don
Pedro to woo on Claudio’s behalf.
• Note the change from prose to verse in this section.
• Note also references to love and war in the language – what does this
tell you about male ideas of how to woo a woman?
• Discuss – can Claudio really love Hero? Find evidence that he is only
interested in her appearance.
