First Thought: 10/27/11

Leonato repudiates his daughter's virtue because he had found out, from Claudio, that she was a dishonest woman.  Claudio had said that he had heard that she was with another man every night in her bedroom and couldn't stand to be with her anymore.  Hero denies this statement made by Claudio and said that she has never, nor will she ever, have another man in her bedroom.  She claims that she is a honest and trustworthy woman and that this statement was falsely made.  Once Leonato heard of this statement, he was furious because he felt that she had humiliated him in front of everyone.  Being dishonest and accused of cheating was one of the worst statements that could be made about someone in this period of time and still is today.  It ruins the person's reputation and their lifestyle of living.  People tend to have a different outlook on the person when they find out information like this.

This claim, whether or not is legitimate, is a return to the status quo, the so-called "normal" of the action.  If someone hears that somebody else is being unfaithful and dishonest, people tend to not believe that person anymore and have a different points of view on that person.  

Class 10/25: First Thoughts

Question: In your vernacular, paraphrase the speaker's argument in either Sonnet II or Sonnet VIII.



Sonnet VIII:

This sonnet is asking why would you love something that makes you unhappy yet enjoy things that are bad for you.  For example, he uses music as an example of something you love yet you will listen to music that will make you sad.  Shakespeare uses harmony as another example of how the sound of two strings vibrating in harmony is like a father, child and mother, happily together. Being single will prove nothing to nobody.

Masquerade

What possibilities does a masquerade afford its participants?

-It allows the participants to find new people and try to relate to these people as best as they can.  People can enjoy each others presence.  They can do what they want to do without being judged by other people that they don't know.  It hides their physical appearance so they can not be judged.

Shakespeare's Blog Posts

1) Beatrice: "I would rather hear my dog bark at a crow than hear a man swear that he loves me."

She is saying that she doesn't believe in everything that a man says.  She doesn't believe in love and that a man can truly love her.

2) Consider the title: "Much Ado about Nothing"


This means that the characters had made a whole big deal about nothing.  All of the bickering and lying was done for no apparent reasoning.