What hints does William
Shakespeare give that Benedick and
Beatrice will become a couple in
Much Ado About Nothing, and what
purpose do those hints serve?
In this lesson you will
learn how the author
creates tension and prepares the
audience by examining the
foreshadowing of future events.
Let’s Review
• Author: William
Shakespeare
• Play
• Written in 1623
• Comedy
• Act I, Scene 1
Let’s Review
Foreshadowing
Builds anticipation
Conveys information
Red herring:
misleading
information
Follow me!
Core Lesson
1
Skim the text and note examples of
foreshadowing.
2
Reread those passages and ask, “What
is their effect on the audience?”
3
Ask, “What purpose does the author
have for using foreshadowing?”
Core Lesson
1
Skim and note examples of
foreshadowing.
CLAUDIO
CLAUDIO
In
In mine
mine eye
eye she
she is
is the
the sweetest
sweetest lady
lady that
that ever
ever II
looked
looked on.
on.
BENEDICK
BENEDICK
II can
can see
see yet
yet without
without spectacles
spectacles and
and II see
see no
no
such
such matter:
matter: there’s
there’s her
her cousin,
cousin, an
an she
she were
were
not
not possessed
possessed with
with aa fury,
fury, exceeds
exceeds her
her as
as
much
much in
in beauty
beauty as
as the
the first
first of
of May
May doth
doth the
the
last
last of
of December.
December. But
But II hope
hope you
you have
have no
no
intent
intent to
to turn
turn husband,
husband, have
have you?
you?
(I.i.163-169)
(I.i.163-169)
Which lines
surprise us ?
That’s a strange
thing for him to
say!
Core Lesson
1
Skim and note examples of
foreshadowing.
DON
DON PEDRO
PEDRO
II shall
shall see
see thee,
thee, ere
ere II die,
die, look
look pale
pale with
with love.
love.
BENEDICK
BENEDICK
With
With anger,
anger, with
with sickness,
sickness, or
or with
with hunger,
hunger, my
my
lord,
lord, not
not with
with love:
love: prove
prove that
that ever
ever II lose
lose more
more
blood
blood with
with love
love than
than II will
will get
get again
again with
with
drinking,
drinking, pick
pick out
out mine
mine eyes
eyes with
with aa balladballadmaker’s
maker’s pen
pen and
and hang
hang me
me up
up at
at the
the door
door of
of aa
brothel-house
brothel-house for
for the
the sign
sign of
of blind
blind Cupid.
Cupid.
218.
218. lose…drinking:
lose…drinking: in
in Elizabethan
Elizabethan thinking,
thinking,
sighs
sighs draw
draw blood
blood from
from the
the heart,
heart, while
while wine
wine
restores
restores it.
it.
(I.i.216-222)
(I.i.216-222)
Which ideas are
exaggerated?
Wow! Those are
some strong
words!
Core Lesson
1
Skim and note examples of
foreshadowing.
BENEDICK
BENEDICK
If
If II do,
do, hang
hang me
me in
in aa bottle
bottle like
like aa cat
cat and
and shoot
shoot
at
at me;
me; and
and he
he that
that hits
hits me,
me, let
let him
him be
be clapped
clapped
on
on the
the shoulder,
shoulder, and
and called
called Adam.
Adam.
DON
DON PEDRO
PEDRO
Well,
Well, as
as time
time shall
shall try:
try: ‘In
‘In time
time the
the savage
savage
bull
bull doth
doth bear
bear the
the yoke.’
yoke.’
227.
227. Adam:
Adam: The
The archer
archer Adam
Adam Bell
Bell was
was the
the
hero
hero of
of an
an old
old ballad.
ballad. 228.
228. yoke:
yoke: aa device
device for
for
joining
joining together
together aa pair
pair of
of draft
draft animals,
animals,
especially
especially oxen;
oxen; an
an agency
agency of
of oppression,
oppression,
servitude.
servitude.
(I.i.223-229)
(I.i.223-229)
More strong
words!
Even the wildest
of animals
becomes tame in
the end?
Core Lesson
2
What is the effect on the audience?
Statement
Effect on Audience
Beatrice is beautiful
Does he like her?
Don Pedro predicts love
Will he be proven right?
Benedick to be blinded,
hung, shot at
Really?
Don Pedro: “You will be
tamed”
Will he?
What will the
answers be?
Core Lesson
3
What purpose does the author
have for using foreshadowing?
Dramatic Tension
Audience Preparation
?
I am not
surprised
they got
married!
Core Lesson
What hints does William Shakespeare give
that Benedick and Beatrice will become a
couple in Much Ado About Nothing, and
what purpose do they serve?
William Shakespeare hints that Benedick and Beatrice
will get together through predictions made by Don Pedro
and strongly-worded promises made by Benedick
himself. These hints create dramatic tension and
prepare the audience to accept Benedick’s change of
heart later in the play.
Core Lesson
1
Skimmed the text and noted examples
of foreshadowing.
2
Reread those passages and asked,
“What is their effect on the audience?”
3
Asked, “What purpose does the author
have for using foreshadowing?”
In this lesson you have learned
how the author creates tension
and prepares the audience by
examining the foreshadowing of
future events.