Cole Woods’ Much Ado About Nothing Portfolio

Cole Woods’ Much Ado About Nothing Portfolio

Act 1

1. I think that the title is implying that in the story there will be something that everyone makes a huge deal about but in reality it is either insignificant or literally nothing.

2. The setting is Messina, Italy at Leonato's house

3. There is an air of happiness set in the first scene due to winning the most recent battle with the loss of only a few men

4. She asks this in reference to Benedick as a clever stab at him. This is just a continuation of their constant battle of wits

5. Claudio is interested in Hero because she is beautiful and a great girl, but he is also interested in her because with her being Leonato's only child that makes her his heir and if Claudio were to marry her he could find himself swimming in a good bit of wealth

6. I think Claudio asks for other's opinions of Hero because he values his friend's opinions and he wants to learn what others see in and value about her.

7. Benedick is a witty man with a humorous side and he also seems to have a hatred for Beatrice. This first joke shows us that his humor is a very sarcastic type

8. I think there is a deep set bitterness between Benedick and Beatrice from the way they bicker and provoke each other.

9. Antonio tells Leonato that the Prince Don Pedro is in love with his daughter Hero. Leonato is excited to share this news because it is a big deal for the Prince to be in love with his daughter. 10. This scene shows that parent-child relationships are fairly good. Even though Leonato is excited about the Prince being in love with his daughter he is still going to talk to her about it and see what she has to say, demonstrating a strong bond between them.

11. Don John is very bitter over his most recent loss in battle to his brother Don Pedro.

12. I think that Borachio is very loyal to Don John. He gets his information by sneaking around, hiding, and eavesdropping on other people's conversations. I personally would not trust someone like this as my friend.

Act 2

1. Beatrice jokes about Don John's personality and wealth. I think she is both witty and crude, because some of her comments are quick and funny but others are just plain mean towards him. 2. Beatrice thinks that men are not for her and are just rude. I think she is being too harsh. I bet that she hasn't always felt this way and that when she was younger she had a completely different view but something happened that changed her mind.

3. I think that Beatrice recognizes who he is by the way that she insults him.

4. Don John does this to trick Claudio into thinking that Don Pedro is going to woo Hero for himself. He falls easily because he is very easily persuaded to think differently and since it was Don John he must be telling the truth of his brother. I personally have never encountered a situation where this quote has been true.

5. Benedick doesn't set things right with Claudio because he is to busy ranting and steaming over what Beatrice has said to him earlier.

6. I think he enjoys the challenge of convincing both parties of their love. It shows that he doesn't mind messing with other people's lives and that he actually gets enjoyment out of doing so. I think that he sees a good match in them because he sees their bickering as a cover up for true feelings lying beneath the surface.

7. She refused his offer for them to marry because she thinks that he has too much wealth. Don Pedro's offer was genuine. I think his feelings were somewhat hurt because who would refuse to marry the Prince. She means that she has deceived him in what she has said and done.

8. His plan for slandering Hero is for him to meet Margaret on Hero's balcony and they will pretend she is Hero while Don John goes to show Claudio and the Prince. His plan will also put shame to Don Pedro for setting Claudio up with a prostitute and it will kill Claudio to find out that his perfect bride isn't so perfect. I think that he is just purely a villain

9. I think that Margaret will not know what she is getting herself into. He will find some way to make sure that Hero is not going to be at home for some reason.

10. Benedick thinks that Claudio is foolish in love because it has completely changed who he is and he has become oblivious to things around him. I think love most definitely can make people lose their senses.

11. Balthasar's song is about telling ladies to no longer be sad about men's deceitfulness.

12. Benedick is tricked because he hides behind the bushes and overhears the others talking about how much Beatrice loves him. I am not surprised that he fell for their little trick. They could have also said what it was about Benedick that she loves.

13. He decides he will love Beatrice because he has heard that she loves him and he has convinced himself that the virtues his friends discussed were true of her. His line of reasoning is that if she loves him then he will love her.

14. No they are not. He is confused by his faulty precept that she is in love with him. Through this she is probably wondering what in the world got into him that he isn't beguiling her or anything.

Act 3

1. Hero's friends trick her by "secretly" talking about Benedick's love for her along with her quick wit and tongue.

2. I think she is because in her past conversations she has criticized everything.

3. Her line of reasoning is that she knows of his love from more than just what she has heard from other people.

4. Yes because you would think someone just married would want to spend time with their new wife. This shows you that he is very valiant and wants to keep fighting with his friends.

5. Yes, he does so when he mentions that he has a toothache which back then was considered to be an ailment of lovers. Some of the signs of his love include things like he is more serious, he got a shave, wears perfume, put on makeup, and his jesting spirit is more in-check.

6. Yes because he is quicker to listen to an enemy than the one who loves him. Also, Don John knows a little too much about a man going there tonight.

7. This is a reference to earlier in the play when Beatrice talked about how she hates beards.

8. Yes, his instructions are really stupid and pointless. He tells them that if someone isn't cooperative just leave them be which will not make for an effective Watch at all.

9. They overhear Conrade and Borachio talking about what they did to trick Claudio by making him think Margaret was Hero. They arrest them because of their treachery but their attitudes were very indifferent about being arrested because they didn't see how they could be of any use to the Watch.