Much Ado About Nothing - The Importance Of Noting Essay -- essays rese

Discuss The Importance Of Noting In Much Ado About NothingNoting, or observing, is central to many an(prenominal) of the ideas in Much Ado About Nothing. The word nothing was pronounced as noting in Elizabethan times, and it seems reasonable to presume that the pun was intended by Shakespeare to signal the importance of observation, spying and eavesdropping in the play. As a spell device, these occurrences propel the action and create humour and tension. The perils of noting in decently are portrayed and this leads by nature to the investigation of another major theme, the discrepancy between appearance and reality. Shakespeare uses the problems of illusion, deception and subjectivity of perception to examine the Elizabethan patriarchy, and he shows how adhering to convention stick out cook the views of societys leaders.Plot development and comedy in Much Ado rely heavily on the use of noting. The play appears to have a simple plot the romantic parallel, Claudio and Hero, are denied marital joy by the evil Don John while the sub-plot, Beatrices and Benedicks resisted simply growing love, provides us with some humour until order and happiness are re-established in Messina. However, Shakespeare cleverly employs the many forms of noting (observation, misunderstanding, misreporting) to move the dramatic action forward. The main plot and the sub-plots are laced together with this device and, to emphasise the importance of noting, the audience is denied viewing the vital episode where Claudio and Don Pedro witness what they think is Heros debauchery we observe the watch eavesdropping on Borachio recounting the event to Conrade. This eavesdropping reminds us of the orchard scenes where Beatrice and Benedick are tricked into loving each other. They both come scalelike to a position of self-knowledge and this enables the merry war of Beatrice and Benedick to move a step further to its conclusion. The orchard scenes, along with the scenes involving The Watch, a re a major extraction of humour in the play. Eavesdropping leads to Beatrices and Benedicks most hilarious lines and Dogberrys continued misunderstandings and malapropisms help soften the tone of the play as they conform to the more sinister sections. Dogberrys insistence on others noting that Conrade called him an ass is especially funnyOh that I had been writ down an ass (4. 2. 70-71).The audience enjoys the irony tha... ...ty. This can also be said for Beatrice (she is an orphan and does not have Heros parental pressure). They both eschew the courtly style and behaviour pass judgment of Hero and Claudio and are able to think and act in a freer fashion. Friar Francis, being a cleric, definitely stands outside of society, and the others to note correctly, The Watch, belong to a totally different class. It seems that Shakespeare is suggesting that only those that are not controlled by patriarchal rules and rituals are capable of an undistorted view of life. The inability of the M essina aristocracy to note correctly points to this reading.Much Ado About Nothing ends with order restored. The masks come off, perhaps to be replaced by the more subtle ones worn every day. It seems unlikely that Claudios ability to note correctly will improve but, in Beatrice and Benedick, Shakespeare gives the audience encouragement that self-knowledge and reality will grow in Messina. The importance given to this couples superior perception clearly demonstrates that noting is central to this play. The plot relies on it for momentum and humour, and Shakespeare uses it to attack the illusions surrounding patriarchal society.