Revision Tasks

Brief recall questions

PLOT

1. Which characters agree to marry in Act One?
2. Who is the villain of the play and what does he plot to do?
3. Which characters plot to trick Benedick?
4. Which character shames Hero at her wedding?
5. Who asks which character to kill which character?
6. Who comes up with the plan to pretend that Hero is dead?
7. Who agrees to do what in order to seek Leonato’s approval again?
8. Which two couples are due to marry after the play ends?
9. What happens to Don John at the end of the play?

CONTEXT

1. Were most marriages in the Elizabethan era based on love or practicality?
2. What was a woman expected to be before marriage?
3. If a woman was not considered to be pure, how did this change her marriage prospects?
4. What is meant by a patriarchal society?
5. Which characters represent a more traditional view towards love?
6. In Shakespeare’s plays, does he tend to accept the status quo, or challenge his audience’s attitudes?
7. What is a cuckold?

CHARACTER

1. Who has had a ‘merry war’ with whom for many years?
2. Who calls whom a ‘stuffed man’ and a ‘disease’ at the start of the play?
3. Which character says at the start of the play he will remain a bachelor forever?
4. Who calls whom a ‘harpy’ at the start of the play and later professes his love for her?
5. Who says about whom, ‘Can the world buy such a jewel’?
6. Which character is honourable and obedient?
7. Which character plots against others due to jealousy?
8. Who calls whom a ‘rotten orange’ and why?
9. Who suggests that ‘death is the fairest cover’ for whose shame and when?

QUOTATIONS

1. ‘m________ w____’ (describing the relationship between Benedick and Beatrice)
2. ‘h_____’ (a derogatory term used by Benedick to refer to Beatrice at the start of the play)
3. ‘st_____ m___’; ‘d________’ (derogatory terms used by Beatrice to refer to Benedick at the start of the play)
4. ‘Can the world buy such a j_______?’
5. “I had rather hear my dog bark at a c______, than a man swear he ______ _______.”
6. ‘I am loved of a___ l_____’
7. ‘I am plain dealing v_______’
8. "It is my cousin's duty to make c_____ and say 'Father, as it p______ you.’
9. ‘I was born to speak all m_____ and no m_______’
10. ‘I will be h_______ in love with her’
11. ‘d________ and s_______ rise sparkling in her eyes’
12. ‘taming my w_____ h______ to thy loving hand’
13. ‘I stand d________….to link my dear friend to a c_______ s_______.’
14. ‘Give not this r_____ o_______ to your friend’
15. ‘Death is the f______ c_______ for her shame’
16. ‘foul tainted f________’
17. ‘she, dying...shall be l______, p________ and e________’
18. ‘I love you with so much of my heart that none is left to p_________’
19. ‘Sweet Hero, she is w_______d’
20. ‘Thou hast wronged mine innocent ______ and ______’

Character Tasks

Task:

1. Who calls whom a ‘harpy’ in at the start of the play?
2. Who is having a ‘merry war’ with whom at the start of the play?
3. Who refers to whom as a ‘jewel’ at the start of the play?
4. Who refers to whom as a ‘rotten orange’ in the middle of the play?
5. Who refers to whom as ‘foul tainted flesh’ in the middle of the play?

Task:

1. Who boasts of being ‘loved of all ladies’ at the start of the play?
2. Who calls herself a ‘bachelor’ at the start of the play?
3. Who is submissive and obedient throughout the play?
4. Who accuses whom of what at the altar?
5. Who asks whom to kill Claudio?

Task: copy and complete the sentences about the character.

Claudio

1. Before he arrives in Messina, Claudio…
2. After he catches sight of Hero, Claudio…
3. Even though he cannot be sure of what he has seen, Claudio…

Hero

1. After she has been publicly shamed, Hero…
2. Although he accused her of something so shameful, Hero…

Leonato

1. When Claudio accuses Hero of sexual activity before marriage, Leonato…
2. After Don John’s villainy is revealed, Leonato...
3. Unless Claudio agrees to marry Hero’s ‘cousin’, Leonato…

Benedick

1. Whenever he and Beatrice meet, Benedick...
2. Before he realises Beatrice is in love with him, Benedick…
3. After he realises Beatrice is in love with him, Benedick...
4. When Beatrice asks him to kill Claudio, Benedick...

Beatrice

1. When asked about marriage, Beatrice…
2. Whenever she speaks with Benedick, Beatrice…
3. After she realises Benedick is in love with her, Beatrice…
4. Although others believe Hero is guilty, Beatrice…
5. Unless Benedick agrees to challenge Claudio, Beatrice…

Don Pedro

1. While at the masked ball, Don Pedro…
2. Since he has such a high status, Don Pedro…
3. When Don John tells him of Hero’s shame, Don Pedro...

Don John

1. If Don John were not a bastard child,...
2. When Claudio is due to be happily married, Don John…

Quotation recall tasks

1. ‘m________ w____’ (describing the relationship between Benedick and Beatrice)
2. ‘h_____’ (a derogatory term used by Benedick to refer to Beatrice at the start of the play)
3. ‘st_____ m___’; ‘d________’ (derogatory terms used by Beatrice to refer to Benedick at the start of the play)
4. ‘Can the world buy such a j_______?’
5. “I had rather hear my dog bark at a c______, than a man swear he ______ _______.”
6. ‘I am loved of a___ l_____’
7. ‘I am plain dealing v_______’
8. "It is my cousin's duty to make c_____ and say 'Father, as it p______ you.’
9. ‘I was born to speak all m_____ and no m_______’
10. ‘I have w_______ in thy name and fair Hero is w___’
11. ‘Till all graces be in one w______, one woman shall not come in my g______’
12. ‘I will be h_______ in love with her’
13. ‘d________ and s_______ rise sparkling in her eyes’
14. ‘taming my w_____ h______ to thy loving hand’
15. ‘I stand d________….to link my dear friend to a c_______ s_______.’
16. ‘Give not this r_____ o_______ to your friend’
17. ‘Death is the f______ c_______ for her shame’
18. ‘foul tainted f________’
19. ‘she, dying...shall be l______, p________ and e________’
20. ‘I love you with so much of my heart that none is left to p_________’
21. ‘Sweet Hero, she is w_______d’
22. ‘Thou hast wronged mine innocent ______ and ______’

Context recall tasks

Task 1: Copy and complete these sentences:

1. Elizabethans lived in a patriarchal society, which means…
2. A woman’s honour relied upon…
3. Before marriage, women were expected to...
4. In Elizabethan society, marriages were often arranged to…
5. Shakespeare offers different perspectives on love through...
6. Elizabeth I defied..

Within each paragraph, turn the fragments into sentence by rewriting them:

Elizabethans believed that God set out an order for everything in the universe. They believed that people were born with a certain status because God.

A man was considered honourable if he was admired by other for his bravery, honesty and loyalty. A family's actions reflected on the head of the household. A woman’s honour depended on. When Hero is accused of being dishonourable, Leonato’s pride as a good father to a good daughter has been damaged. This wounds him so deeply that.

Reputation is important at all levels of society in the play - the lower-status characters are concerned about their reputation just like the nobles. Don John uses the characters’ fear of losing honour and reputation to. Hero’s reputation is temporarily destroyed by. Without her honour, she is nothing - even Leonato calls her ‘foul-tainted’. She pretends to be dead rather than.

Task 2: Unscramble these sentences:

1. Elizabethans lived in a patriarchal society
2. Women were expected to be ruled by their fathers and husbands
3. Women were expected to remain chaste until marriage
4. Elizabeth I defied expectations of female behaviour
5. Elizabeth I was a strong ruler who never married or had children
6. Shakespeare was influenced by the changing attitudes to women in the Elizabethan era

Task 3: True or False?

1. A patriarchal society is one in which women are expected to obey men.
2. A woman’s honour and eligibility for marriage was dependent on her education and intelligence.
3. Elizabeth I fulfilled conventional expectations of female behaviour.
4. Elizabeth I was a strong ruler who never married or had children.
5. Shakespeare doesn’t really explore the changing attitudes to women in the Elizabethan era - he appears to be a patriarch himself.
6. Hero and Claudio represent more modern and realistic attitudes towards love.

Answer these questions (short answer):

1. Were most marriages in the Elizabethan era based on love or practicality?
2. What was a woman expected to be before marriage?
3. If a woman was not considered to be pure, how did this change her marriage prospects?
4. What is meant by a patriarchal society?
5. Which characters represent a more traditional view towards love? Claudio and Hero or Beatrice and Benedick?
6. What was a cuckold?

Much Ado About Nothing Thinking Exercises

Task 1: Characteristics and Choices or Actions

1. Hero is presented as _____________ and _____________ because she ...

2. Beatrice is presented as _____________ and _____________ because she ...

3. Benedick is presented as _____________ and _____________ because he ...

4. Claudio is presented as _____________ and _____________ because he …

5. Don John is presented as _____________ and _____________ because he …

6. Leonato is presented as _____________ and _____________ because he …

Possible Options: conventional? unconventional? outspoken? impressionable? manipulative? cruel? self-pitying? brave? vulnerable? forgiving? patriarchal? resentful? jealous? humourous?

Task 2: Character Feelings and Motives

1. Why does Beatrice calls Benedick a ‘disease’?
2. Why does Benedick calls Beatrice a ‘harpy’?
3. Why does Claudio calls Hero a ‘jewel’?
4. Why does Benedick calls marriage a ‘yoke’?
5. Why does Benedick claim he ‘would not marry’ Beatrice?
6. Why does Don John say he is in a ‘cage’?
7. Why does Don John call himself a ‘villain’?
8. Why does Borachio call Don John the ‘devil’?
9. Why does Benedick say he will be ‘horribly in love’ with Beatrice?
10. Why does Beatrice say she is ‘taming her wild heart’ to be with Benedick?
11. Why does Claudio shame Hero at their wedding as ‘rotten’?
12. Why does Leonato call Hero ‘foul tainted flesh’?
13. Why does Beatrice ask Benedick to ‘kill Claudio’?
14. Why does Beatrice challenge Benedick’s masculinity as ‘melted’?
15. Why does Beatrice threaten to eat Claudio’s flesh: ‘I’d eat his heart in the marketplace’?
16. Why does Claudio call his mistake ‘poison’?

Task 3: Character Comparison

1. Whereas Hero is _____________________________________________________________, Beatrice is ________________________________________________________________________.

2. Whereas Benedick is _____________________________________________________________, Claudio is ________________________________________________________________________.

3. Whereas Don Pedro is _____________________________________________________________, Don Pedro is _______________________________________________________________________.

4. Whereas Leonato is _______________________________________________________________, Claudio is _________________________________________________________________________.

Task 4: What might the Elizabethan audience reaction have been to each character's choice?

1. Beatrice chooses to reject conventional marriage initially.

2. Claudio chooses to shame Hero publically.

3. Leonato also chooses to shame Hero at her wedding.

4. Beatrice asks Benedick to kill Claudio.

5. Benedick agrees to challenge Claudio.

5. Don John chooses to run from Messina after the shaming.

6. Hero chooses to forgive Claudio.

Task 5: The Theme of Love

Don Pedro disguises himself to win Hero for Claudio.

Beatrice and Beatrice both scorn love but then fall in love.

Don Pedro tricks Beatrice and Benedick to fall in love with each other.

Claudio marries Hero for money and beauty but shames her when he thinks she has betrayed him.

What is Shakespeare suggesting about love?

Shakespeare suggests that love is based on _____________________________.

Shakespeare suggests that love can _____________________________________.

Shakespeare suggests that love is ________________________________________________.

Clues: how is love linked to fear? happiness? deception?

Task 6: The Theme of Honour

Claudio feels humiliated by Hero’s supposed betrayal of him and so publicly shames her at their wedding.

Don Pedro feels ashamed that he linked Hero to Claudio when he hears of her betrayal so also disgraces her.

Leonato feels dishonoured by Hero’s supposed infidelity and so publicly disowns her at her wedding.

Beatrice feels that Claudio’s humiliation of Hero was dishonourable.

Don John manipulates the characters’ honour code and uses it against them.

What is Shakespeare suggesting about the honour code?

Shakespeare shows that the honour code is _____________________________.

Shakespeare suggests that the honour code can _____________________________________.

Clues: how is honour linked to reputation? shame? fear? selfishness? cruelty?

Task 7: The Theme of Deception

Don John tries to deceive Claudio into thinking Don Pedro wants Hero for himself.

Don Pedro plans to deceive Beatrice and Benedick into falling in love.

Don Pedro, Leonato and Claudio trick Benedick into thinking Beatrice is secretly in love with him.

Hero and Ursula trick Beatrice into thinking Benedick is secretly in love with him.

Don John deceives Don Pedro and Claudio into thinking Hero has betrayed Claudio.

What is Shakespeare suggesting about deception?

1. Shakespeare shows that deception is ________________________________________________.

2. Shakespeare shows that deception can _______________________________________________.

Clues: how is deception linked to Messina society? to happiness? to revenge? to cruelty?

Task 8: The Theme of Gender

Much Ado about Nothing is partly about conventional expectations of women.

A. What do different characters’ choices show about love and marriage?

1. Hero …

2. Beatrice ...

3. Claudio ...

4. Leonato …

5. Benedick …

B. What is Shakespeare suggesting about conventional expectations of women?

1. Shakespeare challenges ____________________________________________________________.

2. Shakespeare exposes ______________________________________________________________.

Clues: how do gender expectations restrict Hero and Beatrice? How do they create fear or anxiety in the men?