Scene 1
- The wedding scene - they are all at the alt
- Claudio accuses Hero of being unfaithful to him, he is backed up by the prince.
- Hero faints and her father encourages that death should take her as she has shamed herself.
- Friar comes up with a plan to pretend that Hero is dead and then when all the slander has died come back but as a different person.
- Benedick then comforts Beatrice and then reveals his love for her, she does not discourage him nor encourage him.
- She tells Benedick to prove his love for her, he must kill Claudio.
- After a while Benedick agrees.
- Why did Hero not stand up to Claudio's accusations? And why did Margret knowing it was her they saw stand up and say it was her?
- Why does Leonato beg for her daughter's death?
- Why does he not believe her protests?
- Why is it the friar who comes up with the idea to save her and not her father?
- Is their significance in the fact that it is the friar who wants to help and deceive when he is meant to be a godly man? Is their significance in the fact that it is the friar who comes up with the solution like in Romeo and Juliet and they both revolve around death?
This is act 4 scene 1 and most major tragedy's happen in this seen in Shakespeare's plays.
I think the reason why Leonato prays for the death of his daughter is because she has brought shame to the family and the slander of this will follow her all her life and therefore no one will ever want to marry her.
Scene 2
- In this scene Dogberry, Verges have brought Borachio and Conrade to be judged before Sexton (new character)
- Borachio and Conrade confess to their crime and Sexton reveals the news of Hero's death and that Don John has fled.
- Dogberry then reminds them that he is wealthy and basically 'bigs himself up' and makes a comedic speech about being called an 'ass'
- Why does Dogberry continue to be comedic in such a funny scene? What is the purpose of this?
An interesting point about the Friar. What do you mean about the stereotypes and authority and how do they affect your reading of the play?
ReplyDeleteBy Stereotypes and authority I mean the levels of society in the Elizabethan period, women were just starting to become voices and not just pretty faces. In many of Shakespeare’s plays there are hidden meanings and references to the time period some more obvious than others such as Henry viii or Richard iii. The males had the most authority that is why in the scenes beforehand were Beatrice is encouraging her cousin to stand up to her father is so important and obviously in this scene it becomes clear that Hero has been brought up knowing it is the man’s view that rules in the house and it is for that reason that Hero did not speak up when Claudio made these allegations against her, this I think shows the level of authority in the play. By the way of stereotypes all the most important characters and personalities are in this scene, we have Claudio and his flippant nature, Beatrice who is seen as very head strong and persuasive, Benedick the love struck hero, Hero who is I think meant to represent how women in Shakespeare’s mind actually are, Leonato the landowner who is melodramatic and begs for the simplest and quickest way to protect him and his home. I believe Shakespeare is using these characters to symbolise the people in his lifetime and how he viewed certain members of society.
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