Much Ado About Nothing Quotes Flashcards
Beatrice: “In our last conflict, four of his five wits went halting off”
Act 1, scene 1
About Benedict
Idea of war
She always wins
Leonato: “You must not, sir, mistake my niece: there is a kind of merry war betwixt Signor Benedick and her: they never meet but there’s a skirmish of wit between them.”
Act 1, scene 1
Battle of wit - bandiage.
Language of war throughout play - ‘merry war’.
Foreboding to their love.
Beatrice: “He hath every month a new sworn brother.”
Act 1, scene 1
About Benedict
He is fickle
He has problems keeping friends
Beatrice: “he wears his faith but as the fashion of his hat”
Act 1, scene 1
About Benedict
His faith changes a lot, like his hat, he can take it off very easily
He peacocks
Messenger: “I see, lady, the gentleman is not in your books.”
Beatrice: “No, and if he were, I would burn my study.”
Act 1, scene 1
She doesn’t want anything to do with him
‘Burn’ is quite over the top
Beatrice: “he will hang upon him like a disease: […] God help the noble Claudio, if he hath caught the Benedict.”
Act 1, scene 1
About Benedict
He is like the plague
He is clingy
Benedick: “but it is certain I am loved of all ladies, only you excepted: and I would I could find in my heart that I had not a hard heart, for truly I love none.”
Act 1, scene 1
He is arrogant
Womaniser
He doesn’t love any of the women who falls for him
Beatrice: “I had rather hear my dog bark at a crow than a man swear he loves me.”
Act 1, scene 1
It would be so horrible to hear
Beatrice: “Scratching could not make worse, and ‘twere such a face as yours were.”
Act 1, scene 1
Insult
He is so ugly
Benedick: “her cousin […] exceeds her as much in beauty as the first of May doth the last of December.”
Act 1, scene 1
About Hero and Beatrice
Hero is cold and dead, Beatrice is sweet and beautiful
Claudio: “If my passion change not shortly”
Act 1, scene 1
He realises his passion could change
Claudio: “Hath Leonato any son, my lord?”
Act 1, scene 1
About Leonato
Making sure he still has some money
Don John: “I had rather be a canker in a hedge, than a rose in his grace, and it better fits my blood to be disdained of all”
Act 1, scene 3
Don Pedro
Rather be isolated, then to be associated with his brother
‘Better fits my blood to be disdained of all’ - he is a bastard, mocking himself
Hero: “So you walk softly, and look sweetly, and say nothing, I am yours for the walk, and especially when I walk away.”
Act 2, scene 1
To Don Pedro (Claudio)
She wants him to dance well and be quiet
Similar to Beatrice, there is another Hero underneath
Hero: “When I like your favour, for God defend the lute should be like the case.”
Act 2, scene 1
To Don Pedro (Claudio)
She wants to be cheeky
He has an ugly mask
Beatrice: “Why he is the prince’s jester, a very dull fool”
Act 2, scene 1
About Benedick
She’s being rude
Beatrice: “Nay, if they lead to any ill, I will leave them at the next turning.”
Act 2, scene 1
Beatrice will go her own way
She is strong
She is independent
Benedick: “for the prince hath got your Hero.”
Act 2, scene 1
To Claudio, about Hero
He is teasing Claudio
Benedick: “she speaks poniards, and every words stabs”
Act 2, scene 1
About Beatrice
Don Pedro: “fair Hero is won”
Act 2, scene 1
She is an object
Beatrice: “Speak, count, ‘tis your cue.”
Act 2, scene 1
To Claudio
Reference to the play
Beatrice: “your grace is too costly to wear every day”
Act 2, scene 1
It would be expensive to be Don Pedro’s wife
Leonato: “she hath often dreamed of unhappiness, and waked herself with laughing”
Act 2, scene 1
She jokes about her nightmares
Don Pedro: “She were an excellent wife for Benedick.”
Act 2, scene 1
Don Pedro just turned down by Beatrice but is already setting her up with someone else - (structure)
Shows he is kind
