Revision of Play- themes

Themes

1. Marriage:

• centre of the play
• Claudio + Hero, Benedick + Beatrice
• primary source of drama
• treated as of necessary
• light subject- source of jokes

2. Deception

• tool of villains
• spread chaos and unhappiness
• also used to improve lives -B+B
• neither absolutely good or bad
• whether acceptable is down to intentions
• play is built on problems caused by deception
• all mishaps are righted again by deception

3. Communication

• mischevious schemes using language
• communication obscures characters feelings
• miscommunication (intentional + unintentional) causes drama
• most characters take for granted whether what others say is true or not- never think of other sides of the story or evidence
• characters don't believe others would lie

4. Love

• inadvertent result of hatred
• incidental fact of marriage
•  love is only one of many factors that goes into a love affair
• love comes with complications/difficulties from villains and lovers themselves

5. Reputation

• easily made, easily lost
• primary conflict- Hero losing her reputation

6. Transformation

• little changes throughout
• characters learn and mislearn about themeselves/others
• moving from hating to loving, or reversed
• all begine transformation as result of lies/deceit- cause strong emotions causing transformation
• shame ---> anger ---> affection

7. Gender

• characters= subject to limitations due to gender
• e.g Hero= daughter subject to Leonato, Claudio= husband subject to him
• gender used as cover/excuse
• B+B= both negative perceptions of other gender in relationships
• faithlessness/deception are actually non-gender issues

8. Pride- damaged and preyed upon.
9. Maturity- mark of age, personal growth

HERO
Cake decoration ingredients:

• Butter icing- gentle 'I talked to no man at that hour, my lord'
• melted chocolate- vulnerable/delicate [Hero falls]
• loving- love heart sweets
• lack of backbone- hundreds and thousands 'my heart is exceeding heavy'
• icing sugar- sweet nature 'I'll devise some honest slanders'
• chocolate buttons- innocent 'I will do any modest office, my lord, to help my cousin to a good husband'

I have chosen butter icing to reflect Hero's gentle nature. The texture is smooth and it melts right away when eaten thus making it gentle on the tastebuds. Her gentle nature is reflected by her calm and gentle reaction to Claudio's slanders she states 'I talked to no man at that hour, my lord'. She remains respectful and is not angry by the lies. I have chosen melted chocolate to represent Hero's vulnerable/delicate side, which is portrayed in the stage directions [Hero Falls]. Chocolate is vulnerable to heat and loses its solidity therefore showing this. Hundreds and thousands will be Hero's lack of backbone. This is due to the fact they fall everywhere and have no stick ability. This is shown in the quote 'my heart exceeding heavy'. Hero's sweet nature is represented with icing sugar. This is because it is extremely fine and sweet.

Act 4 Scene 1

1. Claudio and Don Pedro decide to publicly shame Hero at the wedding in order to seek revenge. By shaming her in public it means that everyone will know what sins she has committed and the fact that she is 'disloyal'. In turn this will ruin her future, no man will want to marry her if they think this is the case. She will be lonely forever. It is a way for Claudio to heal his reputation and show his disgust towards her.

2. At first Leonato's reaction to the accusation is denial. He questions 'what do you mean' and then goes on to question whether Claudio in fact took her viginity before the wedding. Following the revelations when he finally realizes they are true (although the audience knows this is not the case) his reaction is angry and shameful. He says 'Do not live, Hero;' showing he is so ashamed of her that he wants her dead. Leonato further goes on to show despair about having only 'one' daughter. This is an issue because he is now stuck with a single daughter who is labelled disloyal and therefore she will never marry. He also describes her falling to hell 'into a pit of ink'. This reinforces his abhorrence towards the accusations.

3. Benedick's allegiance has shifted from what it was previously. His loyalty now aligns with Beatrice and Hero instead of the other men. This is portrayed by him telling Leonato to 'be patient' and he states 'I know not what to say'. It shows that he is telling everyone to pause and reassess the situation and to think about whether there is any truth in the accusations. This is supported by the fact he says 'were you her bedfellow last night?', he is attempting to uncover the truth. These actions present his loyalty towards Hero as he is doubting his previous close friends' accusations. 

4. Leonato interprets Hero's facial expression to expose her guilt and that it represents her disloyalty meaning it is true. However, the Friar interprets it to be quite different. He states 'in her eye there hath appeared fires/ To burn the errors'. Showing he interpreted her facial expression to show anger and the fact that the is innocent.

5. Benedick is the first person to name Don John as the villain behind the plot. He states 'John the bastard... spirits toil in the frame of villainies'.

6. The purpose of Friar Francis' plot to deceive Claudio into thinking Hero is dead is to re-evaluate the situation and feel guilty. Death is a serious punishment and will make him question whether the accusations were true or not. He will realize he took her for granted as she is gone. It will make him see how much he loves her. The Friar states 'to change slander to remorse' highlighting this.

7. The backup plan if Hero's reputation cannot be salvaged is to send her to a nunnery- 'conceal her... in some reclusive and religious life'.

8. The language alters when Beatrice and Benedick are alone together. It becomes more fiesty and blunt, the sentences are shorter however at the same time it is more passionate. For example Benedick says 'I do love nothing in the world so well as you'.

9. Benedick delcares his love for Beatrice first he states 'I do love nothing in the world so well as you' and when she does not believe him he goes on to say 'I protest I love thee' reinforcing his feelings. Benedick may have revealed this first because he has seen Claudio and Hero's relationship be destroyed and now he realizes how much love can be taken for granted. This is supported by the Friar's previous statement 'Whiles we enjoy, but being lacked and lost.. then we rack the value'. Benedick has finally allowed his feelings to be revealed. However, the complicating factor in this is that Beatrice wants him to 'Kill Claudio' to which Benedick responds 'not for the wide world'. He refuses to kill his best friend but Beatrice deems this to mean he does not love her after all.

10. The lecture highlights the ferocity of Beatrice's rage as she slanders Claudio. She uses language such as 'villain', 'scorned' and 'dishonoured' to show this. She also goes on to say 'I would eat his heart in the market place'. This demonstrates her rage as she is so angry she is willing to rip his heart out and eat it, killing him.

11. Benedick's decision to challenge Claudio represents a major change in his character. It highlights his transformation throughout which the reader has followed closely. It began with him altering his clothing and shaving his beard and now has reached a pinnacle. Instead of avoiding all essence of love and caring for Beatrice he is now willing to challenge his best friend in Hero's defense.