Some British Literature Notes
Some British Literature Notes
Huts - windows located above the music galley, could be used by characters playing lookouts or sentries, the oven used so that more than one action could take place at one time
Elizabethan Theater Limitations----no women actors
o young boys (ages 10-12) played all “juvenile” female parts and men played “mature” female parts with no artificial lighting
o all plays performed in daytime weather could disrupt performance or ruin an image few sets and props used
o audiences had to visualize everything no intermission
o except musical interludes
Shakespeare
born in Warwickshire at Stratford-on-Avon
baptized on April 26, 1564
married in 1582
2 daughters: Susanna, Judith
1 son: Hamnet
first publication: book of erotic poems: Venus and Adonis
provided English language with more familiar quotes than any other writer
one of the greatest storytellers of all time
his characters were not types or allegorical abstractions, but living men and women with mingled qualities, and inconsistencies in life
his writing philosophy was firmly based on Christian ethics: endureth of all things, the brotherhood of man, implying tolerance and readiness to pardon
1610: retired to Stratford, a relatively rich man
died: April 23, 1616, in his home in Stratford
buried in the Holy Trinity Church in Stratford
Much Ado About Nothing
In Act I, Scene I we learn that Beatrice and Benedick have strong feelings for one another
o Despise by outward appearances
Don Pedro agrees to woo Hero in Claudio’s name
Don John tries to make Claudio jealous by telling him that Don Pedro wants Hero for himself
Early in the play, Beatrice and Benedick are constantly picking on each other
Don John plans to deceive Claudio by making him think a hero is not a virgin
Dogberry discovers the deception and unsuccessfully tries to tell Leonato
Benedick sides with Hero
Benedick at Beatrice’s urging agrees to try and kill Claudio to restore Hero’s honor
Despite him not believing in Hero originally Hero and Claudio do get married in the end
Quotes
Act I, Scene I
"How much better it is to weep at joy than to joy at weeping!"
Leonato
"It is better to have something joyous to cry about than to have sadness to cry about" - Act I, Scene I
"I see, lady, the gentleman is not in your books."
Messenger
I can see you do not like Benedick
Act I, Scene III
"Why are you thus out of measure sad?"
Conrad
Why are you so obviously sad?
Act I, Scene III
"I had rather be a canker in a hedy than a rose in his grace…"
Don John
I rather be anywhere but in my brother’s company
Act II, Scene I
"…Thou wilt never get thee a husband if thou be so shrewd of thy tongue..."
Leonato
"you will never get married if you remain so frank and outspoken"
Act II, Scene I
"I was born to speak all mirth and no matter"
Beatrice
spoken to Don John about his marriage offer, I would not be a fitting wife to you
Act II, Scene II
"I a man loves the meat in his youth that he cannot endure in his age"
Benedick
people’s tastes change
Act II, Scene V
"Our watch has indeep comprehended two auspicious persons"
Dogberry
our watch has apprehended two suspicious people
Act IV, Scene I
"She knows the heat of a luxurious bed"
Claudio
Hero is no longer a virgin
Act IV, Scene I
"There is some strange misprision in the Princes"
Friar
spoken after Hero was humiliated, that the prince nor Claudio would not accuse Hero without cause of suspicion, something is wrong
Act IV, Scene I
Elizabethan Theater Limitations----no women actors
o young boys (ages 10-12) played all “juvenile” female parts and men played “mature” female parts with no artificial lighting
o all plays performed in daytime weather could disrupt performance or ruin an image few sets and props used
o audiences had to visualize everything no intermission
o except musical interludes
Shakespeare
born in Warwickshire at Stratford-on-Avon
baptized on April 26, 1564
married in 1582
2 daughters: Susanna, Judith
1 son: Hamnet
first publication: book of erotic poems: Venus and Adonis
provided English language with more familiar quotes than any other writer
one of the greatest storytellers of all time
his characters were not types or allegorical abstractions, but living men and women with mingled qualities, and inconsistencies in life
his writing philosophy was firmly based on Christian ethics: endureth of all things, the brotherhood of man, implying tolerance and readiness to pardon
1610: retired to Stratford, a relatively rich man
died: April 23, 1616, in his home in Stratford
buried in the Holy Trinity Church in Stratford
Much Ado About Nothing
In Act I, Scene I we learn that Beatrice and Benedick have strong feelings for one another
o Despise by outward appearances
Don Pedro agrees to woo Hero in Claudio’s name
Don John tries to make Claudio jealous by telling him that Don Pedro wants Hero for himself
Early in the play, Beatrice and Benedick are constantly picking on each other
Don John plans to deceive Claudio by making him think a hero is not a virgin
Dogberry discovers the deception and unsuccessfully tries to tell Leonato
Benedick sides with Hero
Benedick at Beatrice’s urging agrees to try and kill Claudio to restore Hero’s honor
Despite him not believing in Hero originally Hero and Claudio do get married in the end
Quotes
Act I, Scene I
"How much better it is to weep at joy than to joy at weeping!"
Leonato
"It is better to have something joyous to cry about than to have sadness to cry about" - Act I, Scene I
"I see, lady, the gentleman is not in your books."
Messenger
I can see you do not like Benedick
Act I, Scene III
"Why are you thus out of measure sad?"
Conrad
Why are you so obviously sad?
Act I, Scene III
"I had rather be a canker in a hedy than a rose in his grace…"
Don John
I rather be anywhere but in my brother’s company
Act II, Scene I
"…Thou wilt never get thee a husband if thou be so shrewd of thy tongue..."
Leonato
"you will never get married if you remain so frank and outspoken"
Act II, Scene I
"I was born to speak all mirth and no matter"
Beatrice
spoken to Don John about his marriage offer, I would not be a fitting wife to you
Act II, Scene II
"I a man loves the meat in his youth that he cannot endure in his age"
Benedick
people’s tastes change
Act II, Scene V
"Our watch has indeep comprehended two auspicious persons"
Dogberry
our watch has apprehended two suspicious people
Act IV, Scene I
"She knows the heat of a luxurious bed"
Claudio
Hero is no longer a virgin
Act IV, Scene I
"There is some strange misprision in the Princes"
Friar
spoken after Hero was humiliated, that the prince nor Claudio would not accuse Hero without cause of suspicion, something is wrong
Act IV, Scene I