Week 1 - Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing

Previous Knowledge and Anticipation

I was really excited to get the Shakespeare unit started, as I knew little about him and wanted to know more about one of the World's best playwrights. From doing a course at GSA I already knew a brief bit about Shakespeare, I learned a little about Iambic Pentameter and difference between verse and prose, but I was ready to learn more. We first started off by all writing two things on a post it note that we know about Shakespeare or something that relates to him. I put down about how I knew about Iambic Pentameter and simply put a couple of Shakespeares plays that I knew, like Hamlet and Macbeth. I really enjoyed this task as it enlightened me about Shakespeare and I got to view the brilliant playwright in a different way that I ever had before. 

Practical

Our first practical lesson was a brilliant one as Sally showed us different elements in Shakespeares language as well as we got to shout Shakespearian insults at each other which was a lot of fun. It would come apparent to us later on that these insults meant a lot as we would be studying Shakespeares play Much Ado About Nothing which would often show arguments between Benedick and Beatrice the two main protagonists which despise each other at the start of the comedy. We were given different sheets which showed us loads of different insults and what they mean. I never knew how much language Shakespeare created and was used in his time and how different it is to todays language yet most of his plays are very contemporary. We also we're given a sheet that had other day to day words on it that were translated into Shakespearean, I enjoyed looking through this words to see how different it was in the Elizabethan times. What also interested me was how words that were used in the Elizabethan era are still used now like minx and cousin which still carry the same meaning. From two of the handouts we were given there were common words that were used on one sheet and less common words. The uncommon words were still very descriptive. For example one word that wasn't used much but would of been great for Much Ado About Nothing was the word fancy-monger which meant a lovesick man. I could see Benedick using this against Claudio after he finds out he has fallen in love.

For the next bit we got into lines and started to shout various insults at each other across the lines, I enjoyed this exercise because it showed me how Shakespeare isn't all about posh speaking and rhetorical devices which I foolishly first thought.

Inflexions and Thou/Thee

From the lesson and my own research I found the origins of why Thou was used and how it was used. Thou used to be singular and you was plural. You was then used as a singular term this was most likely due to the fact that they copied the French language. As vous means you. You would mostly be used when a servant addresses a master and thou would mostly be used when a master would address a servant. After looking at the script I saw how this would be used in Much Ado About Nothing, in the scene where Benedick and Beatrice talk about killing Claudio, Benedick would change between Thou and you this may show how Benedick changes his thoughts on Beatrice throughout the scene, not looking at the script too in depth I should think that Benedick starts to refer to Beatrice as Thou after Beatrice has asked for him to kill Claudio as Benedick is disgusted by such a question. Beatrice always refers to Benedick as you this may show how  Beatrice looks up to Benedick or how she wants to have a more casual conversation.

Research

I have recently found out that next week we would be visiting the Globe and doing a workshop, I can't wait to go and learn about Shakespeare and the illustrious Globe Theatre so I thought I'd do some research before I went, to give myself a taster on what was to come. I think this is a good idea because it helps me get a better understanding of this great playwright and to learn about how Much Ado About Nothing would have been performed in Elizabethan times. This is an important issue as we have to respect what Shakespeare would of wanted as it is his material. I believe that once you start to respect the playwright then you respect his work and you get a greater meaning for what he wanted to accomplish writing it. I learned how The Globe was built in 1599 and how it burned down but was rebuilt some years later in 1614.

Casting

Today I found out that I would be portraying Benedick in Act 2 Scene 3 in which Benedick has 2 monologues and some odd lines while hiding away from Leonato, Don Pedro and Claudio. I'm glad I got this part because the two monologues show a lot of variety and both have very contrasting objectives and features. 

I'm looking forward to next week as I'm going to the Globe theatre, this will be shown in blog post 'Week 2 - Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing'