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Benedick, Claudio, and Don Pedro talk with wit to attract attention

and approval in noble households- this is because they were expected

to make their clever performances seem effortless.

Claudio and Don Pedro are constantly trying to remain in Don Pedros

good favour. We can see this when Claudia asks Don Pedro to woo Hero

for him. He might do this, not because he is too shy but to stay in

Don Pedros good books.

Claudio displays social grace when we see him abandon Hero at the

wedding. Don Johns plan fails, Claudio is still Don Pedros favourite,

and it is Hero who has to suffer until her good reputation is

restored.

Deception

=========

A lot of Much Ado is based around the idea of deliberate deception.

There is deceit involved when Beatrice and Benedick are tricked into

to thinking that each loves the other which results in them actually

falling love. This means that deception can be used for good aswell as

bad.

Examples of deception in the play include: When Claud io thinks he

has been deceived when he finds out about Don Pedro and Hero, Beatrice

and Benedick flirting at the masked ball pretending they do not know

who they are talking to, and when Claudio is deceived into thinking

that he has to take another girls hand in marriage.

To conclude, deceit is not entirely positive nor is it entirely

negative: it is a way to an end and a way to create a wrong idea.

The importance of Honor

=======================

The climax of the play is when Claudio rejects Hero at the wedding,

shaming her in front of her father.

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In Shakespeares time, a womans honor was based upon her virginity

and her innocent behaviour. For a woman to lose her honor by having a

sexual relation before marriage was a disaster that would damage the

whole family.

This is why Leonato, after he finds Hero has lost her honor believes

they should let her die.

A mans honor however was different as it depended on friendship. A

man would defend his honour was to fight a battle or duel. An example

of this honor in the play is when Beatrice urges Benedick to duel with

Claudio in order to avenge Heros honor.

Motifs: literary devices that help to develop the texts major themes.

Public Shaming

--------------

When Heros honor is damaged, the language Claudio and Leonato use

to shame her is very strong. E.g.) To Claudio she is a rotten

orange.

Shame is also what Don John hopes will cause Don Pedro to forget

about Claudio. This is because he believes once Claudio is said to be

engaged to Hero (a loose woman) Don Pedro will reject Claudio.

However this does not work as in the end Don John is shamed himself,

and threatened for being deceitful.

Noting

In Shakespeares time the nothing of the title would have been

pronounced noting. Many of the characters in the play take part in

observing, listening, writing, and noting.

An example of this is: when the women manipulate Beatrice into

believing that Benedick loves her, they hide themselves in the orchard

so that Beatrice can better note their conversation. The same is when

the men convince Benedick of Beatrices love for him.

Don Johns plot also involves a lot of noting. This is because in

order for Claudio to believe Hero is being unfaithfu l, he must brought

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to her window to note Hero saying farewell to Borachio.

In the end, noting unites Beatrice and Benedick, and Hero and

Claudio reveal the love sonnets noted by Beatrice and Benedick that

proves their love for one another.

Entertainment

=============

There is a lot of music and dancing at the end of the play where the

characters spend much of their time engaging in entertainment.

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The play itself is meant to be entertaining, comic, and absorbing.

This is done by court entertainment in the middle, as well as two

songs and a dance.

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Counterfeiting

==============

This is the idea of presenting a false face to the world and it

appears throughout the play.

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An example of counterfeiting is when Leonato, Claudio, and Don Pedro

pretend that Beatrice is head over heels in love with Benedick so that

that Benedick can overhear it.

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However, what Leonato and co dismisses is the idea that perhaps

Beatrice does have a love for Benedick. They talk of there love as O

God! Counterfeit? There was never counterfeit of passion came so near

the life of passion as she discovers it

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Symbols: objects, characters, figures, or colours that are used to

represent ideas and concepts.

The Taming of Wild Animals

==========================

The play is full of metaphors involving the taming of wild animals.

For example, with Beatrice and Benedick, a symbol of a tamed savage

animal represents what must happen to both of them so they will be

ready for marriage.

Another example is when Benedick is described by Claudio to be

changed from a labouring farm animal, a bull straining under a yoke,

to a wild god.

War

Images of war are constantly used to symbolize arguments and

confrontations.

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For example, Leonato says to the other characters that there is a

merry war between Beatrice and Benedick and then Beatrice recalls

how she has won the last duel with Benedick, four of his five witswent halting off.

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On a more serious note, Leonato accuses Claudio of killing Hero with

the words: Thy slander hath gone through and through her heart.

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Another example of war being used is when Benedick challenges Claudio

to a duel to the death over the loss of Heros honor.