Cymbeline's Much Ado About Nothing, Noting
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View in Order to Answer Fortinbras’S Questions
SHAKESPEAREAN VARIATIONS: A CASE STUDY OF HAMLET, PRINCE OF DENMARK Steven Barrie A Thesis Submitted to the Graduate College of Bowling Green State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF ARTS August 2009 Committee: Dr. Stephannie S. Gearhart, Advisor Dr. Kimberly Coates ii ABSTRACT Dr. Stephannie S. Gearhart, Advisor In this thesis, I examine six adaptations of the narrative known primarily through William Shakespeare’s The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark to answer how so many versions of the same story can successfully exist at the same time. I use a homology proposed by Gary Bortolotti and Linda Hutcheon that explains there is a similar process behind cultural and biological adaptation. Drawing from the connection between literary adaptations and evolution developed by Bortolotti and Hutcheon, I argue there is also a connection between variation among literary adaptations of the same story and variation among species of the same organism. I determine that multiple adaptations of the same story can productively coexist during the same cultural moment if they vary enough to lessen the competition between them for an audience. iii For Pam. iv ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I would like to thank my advisor, Stephannie Gearhart, for being a patient listener when I came to her with hints of ideas for my thesis and, especially, for staying with me when I didn’t use half of them. Her guidance and advice have been absolutely essential to this project. I would also like to thank Kim Coates for her helpful feedback. She has made me much more aware of the clarity of my sentences than I ever thought possible. -
Performing Shakespeare in Contemporary Taiwan
Performing Shakespeare in Contemporary Taiwan by Ya-hui Huang A thesis submitted in partial fulfilment for the requirements of the degree of Doctor of Philosophy at the University of Central Lancashire Jan 2012 Abstract Since the 1980s, Taiwan has been subjected to heavy foreign and global influences, leading to a marked erosion of its traditional cultural forms. Indigenous traditions have had to struggle to hold their own and to strike out into new territory, adopt or adapt to Western models. For most theatres in Taiwan, Shakespeare has inevitably served as a model to be imitated and a touchstone of quality. Such Taiwanese Shakespeare performances prove to be much more than merely a combination of Shakespeare and Taiwan, constituting a new fusion which shows Taiwan as hospitable to foreign influences and unafraid to modify them for its own purposes. Nonetheless, Shakespeare performances in contemporary Taiwan are not only a demonstration of hybridity of Westernisation but also Sinification influences. Since the 1945 Kuomintang (Chinese Nationalist Party, or KMT) takeover of Taiwan, the KMT’s one-party state has established Chinese identity over a Taiwan identity by imposing cultural assimilation through such practices as the Mandarin-only policy during the Chinese Cultural Renaissance in Taiwan. Both Taiwan and Mainland China are on the margin of a “metropolitan bank of Shakespeare knowledge” (Orkin, 2005, p. 1), but it is this negotiation of identity that makes the Taiwanese interpretation of Shakespeare much different from that of a Mainlanders’ approach, while they share certain commonalities that inextricably link them. This study thus examines the interrelation between Taiwan and Mainland China operatic cultural forms and how negotiation of their different identities constitutes a singular different Taiwanese Shakespeare from Chinese Shakespeare. -
Much Ado About Nothing, by William Shakespeare
Much Ado About Nothing, by William Shakespeare In A Nutshell Much Ado About Nothing is one of William Shakespeare’s best-loved comedies. Written around 1598, the play is about a young woman wrongly accused of being unchaste who is later reconciled with her accusing lover. It is also about a second couple – two witty, bright individuals who swear they will never fall in love. Stories about young women wrongly accused, brought close to death, and then rejoined with their lovers were really popular during the Renaissance. Shakespeare used that trope (which can be traced all the way back to the Greek romances) to make this light and silly comedy. The play trips along at a steady place as characters invent and pass on totally misleading information; watching this process as it undoes characters is like playing a 16th century game of Telephone. This is a neat chance to watch Shakespeare shake a complex (sometimes unnecessarily complex) plot. Further, it’s a cool "study in progress" of Shakespeare: Beatrice and Benedick’s acidic romance is a more developed version of the hatred-turned-to-love from The Taming of the Shrew; and Don John, the inexplicably evil villain of this play, is a sort of character study for the inexplicably evil Iago of Shakespeare’s later play Othello. Visit Shmoop for much more analysis: • Much Ado About Nothing Themes • Much Ado About Nothing Quotes Visit Shmoop for full coverage of Much Ado About Nothing Shmoop: study guides and teaching resources for literature, US history, and poetry Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 3.0 This document may be modified and republished for noncommercial use only. -
Much Ado About Nothing” – Lecture/Class
“REVENGE IN SHAKESPEARE’S PLAYS” “MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING” – LECTURE/CLASS WRITTEN: In the second half of 1598 or 99 -- no later because the role of Dogberry was sometimes replaced by the name of “Will Kemp”, the actor who always played the role; Kemp left the Lord Chamberlain’s Men in 1599. AGE: 34-35 Years Old (B.1564-D.1616) CHRONO: Seventh in the line of Comedies after “The Two Gentlemen of Verona”, “The Comedy of Errors”, “Taming of the Shrew”, “Love’s Labours Lost”, “A Midsummer’s Night’s Dream”, “The Merchant of Venice”. QUARTO: A Quarto edition of the play appeared in 1600. GENRE: “Tragicomic” SOURCE: “Completely and entirely unhistorical” VERSION: The play is “Shakespeare’s earliest version of the more serious story of the man who mistakenly believes his partner has been unfaithful to him”. (“Othello” for one.) SUCCESS: There are no records of early performances but there are “allusions to its success.” HIGHLIGHT: The comedy was revived in 1613 for a Court performance at Whitehall before King James, his daughter Princess Elizabeth and her new husband in May 1613. AFTER: Oddly, the play was “performed only sporadically until David Garrick’s acclaimed revival in 1748”. CRITICS: 1891 – A.B. Walkley: “a composite picture of the multifarious, seething, fermenting life, the polychromatic phantasmagoria of the Renaissance.” 1905 – George Bernard Shaw: “a hopeless story, pleasing only to lovers of the illustrated police papers BENEDICTS: Anthony Quayle, John Gielgud, Michael Redgrave, Donald Sinden BEATRICES: Peggy Ashcroft, Margaret Leighton, Judi Dench, Maggie Smith RECENT: There was “a boost in recent fortunes with the well-received 1993 film version directed by Kenneth Branagh and starring Branagh and Emma Thompson.” SETTING: Messina in northeastern Sicily at the narrow strait separating Sicily from Italy. -
Sources and Transmission of the Celtic Culture Trough the Shakespearean Repertory Celine Savatier-Lahondès
Transtextuality, (Re)sources and Transmission of the Celtic Culture Trough the Shakespearean Repertory Celine Savatier-Lahondès To cite this version: Celine Savatier-Lahondès. Transtextuality, (Re)sources and Transmission of the Celtic Culture Trough the Shakespearean Repertory. Linguistics. Université Clermont Auvergne; University of Stirling, 2019. English. NNT : 2019CLFAL012. tel-02439401 HAL Id: tel-02439401 https://tel.archives-ouvertes.fr/tel-02439401 Submitted on 14 Jan 2020 HAL is a multi-disciplinary open access L’archive ouverte pluridisciplinaire HAL, est archive for the deposit and dissemination of sci- destinée au dépôt et à la diffusion de documents entific research documents, whether they are pub- scientifiques de niveau recherche, publiés ou non, lished or not. The documents may come from émanant des établissements d’enseignement et de teaching and research institutions in France or recherche français ou étrangers, des laboratoires abroad, or from public or private research centers. publics ou privés. University of Stirling – Université Clermont Auvergne Transtextuality, (Re)sources and Transmission of the Celtic Culture Through the Shakespearean Repertory THESIS SUBMITTED IN FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY (PH.D) AND DOCTEUR DES UNIVERSITÉS (DOCTORAT) BY CÉLINE SAVATIER LAHONDÈS Co-supervised by: Professor Emeritus John Drakakis Professor Emeritus Danièle Berton-Charrière Department of Arts and Humanities IHRIM Clermont UMR 5317 University of Stirling Faculté de Lettres et Sciences -
A Teacher's Guide to Much Ado About Nothing
A TEACHER’S GUIDE TO THE SIGNET CLASSIC EDITION OF WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE’S MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING By JEANNE M. McGLINN, Ph.D., AND JAMES E. McGLINN, Ed.D. SERIES EDITORS: W. GEIGER ELLIS, ED.D., UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA, EMERITUS and ARTHEA J. S. REED, PH.D., UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA, RETIRED A Teacher’s Guide to the Signet Classic Edition of William Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing 2 INTRODUCTION Love, villainy, friendship, parent-child relationships, society and customs—Much Ado About Nothing touches on all of these. It presents a rich, ambiguous blend of life's relationships, folly, and catastrophe. Shakespeare introduces us to a group of people who have a past with each other that is immediately apparent as soon as Beatrice asks the messenger if all the soldiers are returned from the war. This is not a casual inquiry. Beatrice's question marks feelings that she does not yet comprehend. She and Benedick are attracted to each other but do not know how to deal with these feelings. The relationship of Beatrice and Benedick is counterpoised to the more traditional relationship of Hero and Claudio. Claudio, having returned from the war, now has the leisure and desire to marry Hero. He is concerned about her social (and economic) position and how others perceive her. He asks Benedick what he thinks. He also allows the Duke to intervene on his behalf, to approach the lady and her father with his suit. He is a proper if somewhat distant lover. Meanwhile Hero is cautioned by her father to obey his will when it comes to the choice of a husband. -
Much Ado About Nothing
ASF Study Materials for by William Shakespeare Director Greta Lambert Study Materials written by: Susan Willis Set Design Robert F. Wolin ASF Dramaturg Costume Design Jeffrey Todhunter [email protected] Lighting Design Tom Rodman Contact ASF: 1.800.841.4273 Sound Design Will Burns www.asf.net 1 Welcome to Much Ado about Nothing The war may be over, but the battle of the Cupid's arrows strike far and wide, but that by William Shakespeare sexes is blazing away in Shakespeare's brilliant does not make the course of true love any easier. romantic comedy Much Ado about Nothing. In fact, love is beset and suborned in Much Characters in the ASF Tour Written about 1598, Shakespeare is at the top Ado before it can be confessed or confirmed. The Spanish-led contingent: of his comedic form, and Much Ado is one of his If Shakespeare strews the path of comedy with Don Pedro, the ruling Spanish three great romantic comedies from that period, pitfalls and problems to be overcome—and he lord along with As You Like It and Twelfth Night. does—he is true to form here. These lovers Don John, his illegitimate With a text that is 75% prose, the play and undergo some deep self-evaluation before half-brother, a malcontent its wit move very quickly, full of banter, badinage, they can celebrate their mutual affection or Benedick, a lord ifrom Padua n and buffoonery. Language well used, misused, their nuptials. Don Pedro's company and even comically abused fills its dialogue, Claudio, a young lord from and truth confronts both deception and lies in the standoff between honor and love. -
Much Ado About Nothing
By William Shakespeare Directed by George Mount All original material copyright © Seattle Shakespeare Company 2013 SEATTLE SHAKESPEARE COMPANY Dear Teachers, Welcome to our 2013–2014 Seattle Shakespeare Company season! This year’s theme is “Know Thyself,” wherein our main characters go through a process of discovering themselves — sometimes painfully, and sometimes hilariously. Our first show this fall has both. Beatrice and Benedick outwardly seem to disdain each other, but discover their true love, while Claudio and Hero outwardly seem to have a true love, but they discover how easily that love and trust can be shaken. This show is a great one for students, particularly in middle and high school. Of all of Shakespeare’s plays, this one may have the most rumors spread. If today is anything like when I was in high school, rumors still run rampant in the halls of schools, and those rumors can have both benign and disastrous consequences. Much Ado About Nothing is a great example of rumors that can be harmless or helpful, such as when friends try to set up Beatrice and Benedick through a series of deceptions, and rumors that can nearly destroy a relationship and a reputation, such as when Don John frames Hero as an adulteress. As the title suggests, there is very little cause for all of the drama in this play. It is merely the stories we tell and the rumors we pass on that cause the drama. But this play is also full of comedy. It is my hope that your students will laugh along with our characters as they find themselves, and watch and learn from them as they nearly destroy each other through a series of untruths. -
Read an Excerpt
SIXTY-MINUT[ SIIAK[SP[AR[ MUC" ADO ABOUT NOTHING by (ass foster + from MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING by WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE © Copyright 2003 published by Five Star Publications, Inc. Chandler, Arizona SlXTY MIKUTt S"AK[SP{AR~ MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTUING by Cass Foster First Edition 1990. Second Edition 1997. Third Edition 1998. Fourth Edition 2000. Fifth Edition 200 I. Sixth Edition 2003. All rights reserved. Printed in the United States ofAmerica. Library of Congress Cataloglng-in-Publication Data Shakespeare, William, 1564-16] 6. Much Ado About Nothing (abridged) by Cass Foster.-lst ed. p. em. - (Classics for all ages) (The Sixty-Minute Shakespeare) Summary: An abridged version of Shakespeare~scomedy about mistaken jdentitles~ games, eavesdropping, and unrequited love. ISBN: 1..877749-42-7 1. Courtship -- Italy .. - Messina-- Juvenile drama. 2. Children's plays; English. [1. Plays] I. Shakespeare, William. 1564~t616. lvluch Ado About Nothing. II. Title. III. Series. PR2828.A25 1997 8224 .914--dc213 97-37230 CIP AC No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in _a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means! electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording~ or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the pubHsher~ except to quote a brief passage in connection with a review written for broadcast or for the inclusion in a magazine or a newspaper. Book Design by Barbara Kordesh Paul M. Howey, Copy Editor Sixth Edition edited by Gary E. Anderson © 1990. ]997, 1998.2000,2001 and 2003 by Cass Foster Five Star Publications, Incorporated P.O. Box 6698 Chandler, AZ 85246-6698 website: www.fivestarsupport.com e-mail: [email protected] To Linda and Lowell MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTH1NG INTRODUCTiON W.I(omt to Till SIXTY . -
MACBETH and MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING
MACBETH and MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING EDUCATION PACK This teaching pack has been designed to accompany your visit to Oddsocks Productions Summer 2016 tour of Macbeth and Much Ado About Nothing It is created to assist English and Drama teachers at GCSE and A-Level, although some of the exercises may be suitable for Youth Groups and KS2/3/4 Schools workshops are available – early booking is advised please contact [email protected] for more information We welcome feedback to our resources please email [email protected] Full tour dates online at www.oddsocks.co.uk Oddsocks Productions Friar Gate Studios Ford Street Derby DE1 1EE 01332 258328 1 About Oddsocks Oddsocks Productions takes classic texts and create bold, challenging innovative and interactive theatre to be enjoyed by all. We tell good stories, in exciting ways and have been touring nationally and internationally for 26 years to theatres and non-traditional arts venues. Set up by Andy Barrow and Elli Mackenzie, Oddsocks Productions is a critically acclaimed family enterprise taking its work out to diverse communities across the UK. Touring indoor and outdoor venues in all seasons, Oddsocks have become established as one of the UK’s best-loved touring theatre companies with supporters in there thousands. MACBETH – CHARACTER LIST MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING – CHARACTER LIST MACBETH LADY MACBETH BENEDICK KING DUNCAN BEATRICE BANQUO CLAUDIO MACDUFF HERO THREE WITCHES DON PEDRO MALCOLM DON JOHN FLEANE LEONATO DONALBAIN MARGARET LADY MACDUFF BORACHIO MACDUFF’S SON CONRAD YOUNG SIWARD DOGBERRY VERGES ANTONIO 2 SYNOPSIS – MACBETH Macbeth begins with the appearance of three witches and moves swiftly to a military camp where the Scottish king Duncan is informed that Macbeth and Banquo – two army generals – have been successful in battle. -
And Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing
Fallen Angels, New Women, and Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing: Modern Stereotypes in the Elizabethan Era Stacy Pifer Dr. Emily Leverett Department of English and Writing In many of Shakespeare’s plays, gender issues make appearances in a variety of ways. Some of his plays, such as Twelfth Night and Merchant of Venice, are known for showing audiences the ways in which gender roles can be reversed in order to achieve some end, whether romantic or political in nature. Shakespeare also often addresses gender stereotypes, such as the submissive wife or daughter, the macho soldier, or the stoic king, and he frequently satirizes the proper behavior for men and women, as his characters tend to break the mold of expected societal manners. Those who analyze Shakespeare’s works can easily find and discuss these types of gender-related issues, but taking more modern literary characterizations into account can yield interesting results as well. By studying Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing through the lens of nineteenth and early twentieth century gender stereotypes, readers can see how the archetypes of the Fallen Woman and the New Woman can be applied to and seen in the characters Hero and Beatrice, respectively. “Fallen Woman” is a term used to describe certain women in the society and literature of the Victorian era. The Fallen Woman typically began on a pedestal as the morally upright and virtuous “Angel in the House,” who, according to Barbara Welter, was judged on the basis of her “piety, purity, submissiveness, and domesticity” (152). This angel of a woman was seen as the ideal, the gold standard of femininity and a proper wife. -
Bachelor Thesis
2009:022 BACHELOR THESIS William Shakespeare A Midsummer Night´s Dream & Much Ado About Nothing What has love got to do with it? Shakespeare´s characters; good, bad, over the top or just delightfully human Ylva Degerlund Luleå University of Technology Bachelor thesis English Department of Language and Culture 2009:022 - ISSN: 1402-1773 - ISRN: LTU-CUPP--09/022--SE William Shakespeare A Midsummer Night’s Dream & Much Ado About Nothing What has love got to do with it? Shakespeare’s characters; good, bad, over the top or just delightfully human. Ylva Degerlund Ylva Degerlund Abstract This essay endeavours to look at two of Shakespeare’s most popular plays; A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Much Ado About Nothing. These two comedies deals with the core of human emotions and therefore this essay will attempt to bring certain elements to the surface, such as; love, hate or darkness and what these two opposite emotions make humans capable of. Moreover it will aim to unmask the lead characters in the plays, these pretend people who sprung from Shakespeare’s mind. In addition, the human traits such as loyalty, strength and jealousy that Shakespeare have bestowed upon them will be looked at to establish whether they are of a similar form or if they divers from one another. Lastly there will be an attempt to see if these characters are the extremes that Shakespeare so often used to show humans as they are, flawed but likable, capable of great love as well as fierce hatred. - 1 - Ylva Degerlund Table of Contents Table of Contents _________________________________________________________- 2 - In my mind’s eye _________________________________________________________- 3 - Introduction_________________________________________________________________ - 3 - Background _________________________________________________________________ - 5 - 1.