Pages 84–85 continued
How does Benedick change in these scenes? How does Benedick change in these scenes?
(high) (high)
Benedick keeps changing throughout these scenes. Firstly he thinks he’s being more honest and Benedick keeps changing throughout these scenes. Firstly he thinks he’s being more honest and truthful by saying he loves Beatrice, but then he admits he doesn’t really love her. Finally, he gives truthful by saying he loves Beatrice, but then he admits he doesn’t really love her. Finally, he gives in to social pressure by agreeing he must love her if he’s written a sonnet saying so and agrees to in to social pressure by agreeing he must love her if he’s written a sonnet saying so and agrees to marry her. It’s quite confusing and I think the changes are more about how he deals with the marry her. It’s quite confusing and I think the changes are more about how he deals with the social world rather than great changes in his character – maybe he realises that being married social world rather than great changes in his character – maybe he realises that being married would be a good thing and Beatrice is his best option. I’m not convinced he really does love her. would be a good thing and Beatrice is his best option. I’m not convinced he really does love her. His declaration of love suggests he was not expecting to fall in love and can’t quite understand it: His declaration of love suggests he was not expecting to fall in love and can’t quite understand it: ‘I do love nothing in the world so well as you. Is not that strange?’ This seems really honest and ‘I do love nothing in the world so well as you. Is not that strange?’ This seems really honest and we want to believe in his love because it would make the story better, and it’s what happens in we want to believe in his love because it would make the story better, and it’s what happens in stories like this.
stories like this.
His first major change comes when he agrees to show his love for Beatrice by challenging Claudio. His first major change comes when he agrees to show his love for Beatrice by challenging Claudio. He doesn’t want to do this and it marks his movement from his friends to his partnership with He doesn’t want to do this and it marks his movement from his friends to his partnership with Beatrice. It’s such a major thing to do, it makes his love seem more real and convincing.
Beatrice. It’s such a major thing to do, it makes his love seem more real and convincing. In Act 5 scene 4 Benedick is keen to tell Leonato that he and Beatrice love each other and is In Act 5 scene 4 Benedick is keen to tell Leonato that he and Beatrice love each other and is confused by Leonato’s reply: ‘Your answer, sir, is enigmatical’ but
confused by Leonato’s reply: ‘Your answer, sir, is enigmatical’ but obviously thinks about it obviously thinks about it asas he directly asks Beatrice to declare her love for him when he sees her. This is an example of his he directly asks Beatrice to declare her love for him when he sees her. This is an example of his change because it shows how he is starting to think for himself again (like he did at the beginning change because it shows how he is starting to think for himself again (like he did at the beginning of the play).
of the play).
However, he abandons this clear thinking when he lets himself be persuaded that his sonnet must However, he abandons this clear thinking when he lets himself be persuaded that his sonnet must show that he really does love Beatrice: ‘Here’s our own hands against our hearts’. He forgets that show that he really does love Beatrice: ‘Here’s our own hands against our hearts’. He forgets that he wrote the sonnet when he thought Beatrice really loved him and vice versa. He really has he wrote the sonnet when he thought Beatrice really loved him and vice versa. He really has changed from the beginning of the play, when he claimed he would never marry and now wants changed from the beginning of the play, when he claimed he would never marry and now wants to, although he doesn’t love Beatrice and she doesn’t love him. It looks as if he has decided
to, although he doesn’t love Beatrice and she doesn’t love him. It looks as if he has decided
everyone else is getting married and it’s going to be the easiest thing to do. He even has to dance everyone else is getting married and it’s going to be the easiest thing to do. He even has to dance to ‘lighten our own hearts’ before getting married – hardly an indication that he is really in love. to ‘lighten our own hearts’ before getting married – hardly an indication that he is really in love. This is level 6 because:
This is level 6 because:
• It shows a clear understanding of the character and the ways he changes. • It shows a clear understanding of the character and the ways he changes. • It uses references clearly, choosing them to support and illustrate the answer. • It uses references clearly, choosing them to support and illustrate the answer. • It addresses a really complex set of ideas with confidence and insight.
• It addresses a really complex set of ideas with confidence and insight. To raise the level the student needs to:
To raise the level the student needs to:
• Include more analysis of the language, especially the effects of specific words and phrases. • Include more analysis of the language, especially the effects of specific words and phrases. • Refine the use of quotations to ensure they are selected to illustrate an idea precisely. • Refine the use of quotations to ensure they are selected to illustrate an idea precisely.
LEVEL 6
33 33
Shakespeare practice tasks:
Shakespeare practice tasks:
Much Ado About Nothing
Much Ado About Nothing
ENGLISH WORKBOOK 3–7 ANSWERS
ENGLISH WORKBOOK 3–7 ANSWERS
Pages 86–87
Pages 86–87
How is the theme of love explored in these scenes? How is the theme of love explored in these scenes?
(low) (low)
Hero shows that love is really strong because it has made her faint when Claudio said he wouldn’t Hero shows that love is really strong because it has made her faint when Claudio said he wouldn’t marry her. Leonato really loves Hero and is really sad that she has been accused, he’s sad for her marry her. Leonato really loves Hero and is really sad that she has been accused, he’s sad for her and also worried about his name as it’s bad to be seen talking to another man. It’s strange that and also worried about his name as it’s bad to be seen talking to another man. It’s strange that Benedick chooses this time to tell Beatrice that he loves her. Maybe he wants to cheer her up? ‘I Benedick chooses this time to tell Beatrice that he loves her. Maybe he wants to cheer her up? ‘I do love nothing in the world so well as you.’ This says that he loves her.
do love nothing in the world so well as you.’ This says that he loves her.
Love can make people happy and unhappy and Beatrice uses Benedick’s claim to test his love for Love can make people happy and unhappy and Beatrice uses Benedick’s claim to test his love for her and says he has to kill Claudio. ‘Kill Claudio.’ This is because it is important to see if the love her and says he has to kill Claudio. ‘Kill Claudio.’ This is because it is important to see if the love is real. She asks him to kill Claudio. He agrees to do it to show he loves her. This shows that love is real. She asks him to kill Claudio. He agrees to do it to show he loves her. This shows that love can make you do things you don’t want to do.
can make you do things you don’t want to do.
In Act 5 scene 4 Benedick asks Leonato if he can marry Beatrice and doesn’t understand when In Act 5 scene 4 Benedick asks Leonato if he can marry Beatrice and doesn’t understand when he is told that they love each other only because they were set up. ‘The sight whereof I think he is told that they love each other only because they were set up. ‘The sight whereof I think you had from me, From Claudio and the Prince.’ Benedick doesn’t understand this answer you had from me, From Claudio and the Prince.’ Benedick doesn’t understand this answer
because he is in love so it shows love can stop you seeing the truth. This was what happened because he is in love so it shows love can stop you seeing the truth. This was what happened to Claudio. If he had really known Hero he would have known it wasn’t her at the window. to Claudio. If he had really known Hero he would have known it wasn’t her at the window.
Claudio is sorry that he accused Hero and agrees to marry her so-called cousin but it’s really Hero. Claudio is sorry that he accused Hero and agrees to marry her so-called cousin but it’s really Hero. He’s really happy when he knows he’s got Hero back. So true love works in plays and things. He’s really happy when he knows he’s got Hero back. So true love works in plays and things. Beatrice and Benedick pretend they don’t really love each other but they do really and they Beatrice and Benedick pretend they don’t really love each other but they do really and they get married and everyone is happy except Don John who has been captured. So love makes get married and everyone is happy except Don John who has been captured. So love makes people happy.
people happy.
This is level 4 because: This is level 4 because:
• It focuses on the question and tries to answer it. • It focuses on the question and tries to answer it.
• It provides quotations to support the ideas but doesn’t really explain them. • It provides quotations to support the ideas but doesn’t really explain them. • It covers both scenes but is too narrative, just telling the story.
• It covers both scenes but is too narrative, just telling the story. To raise the level the student needs to:
To raise the level the student needs to:
• Move from telling the story to analysing the play. • Move from telling the story to analysing the play.
• Make sure the quotations are fully explained, including how they make us respond. • Make sure the quotations are fully explained, including how they make us respond. • Provide more commentary and analysis of the language and its effects.
• Provide more commentary and analysis of the language and its effects.
LEVEL 4
Shakespeare practice tasks:
Shakespeare practice tasks:
Much Ado About Nothing
Much Ado About Nothing
ENGLISH WORKBOOK 3–7 ANSWERS
ENGLISH WORKBOOK 3–7 ANSWERS
Pages 86–87 continued
Pages 86–87 continued
How is the theme of love explored in these scenes? How is the theme of love explored in these scenes?
(mid) (mid)
These scenes show love is really complex and that often people who think they are in love aren’t These scenes show love is really complex and that often people who think they are in love aren’t really. For example, Hero and Claudio are meant to be romantic lovers but they don’t know each really. For example, Hero and Claudio are meant to be romantic lovers but they don’t know each other properly, so how can they love each other? Beatrice and Benedick’s relationship explores other properly, so how can they love each other? Beatrice and Benedick’s relationship explores what love really is.
what love really is.
I think we are meant to see Hero and Claudio as an example of how romantic, idealised love isn’t I think we are meant to see Hero and Claudio as an example of how romantic, idealised love isn’t really any use and is pretty meaningless. If he knew her he wouldn’t believe she would talk with really any use and is pretty meaningless. If he knew her he wouldn’t believe she would talk with another man and he’d know it wasn’t her at the window. The Friar knows this when he says that another man and he’d know it wasn’t her at the window. The Friar knows this when he says that Claudio will become more in love with her than ever when he thinks she’s dead: ‘every organ of Claudio will become more in love with her than ever when he thinks she’s dead: ‘every organ of her life / Shall come apparelled in more precious habit, / More moving delicate, and full of life, / her life / Shall come apparelled in more precious habit, / More moving delicate, and full of life, / Into the eye and prospect of his soul, / Than when she lived indeed.’
Into the eye and prospect of his soul, / Than when she lived indeed.’
The interesting relationship in these scenes, as pretty much in the whole play, is Beatrice and The interesting relationship in these scenes, as pretty much in the whole play, is Beatrice and Benedick. I really like her because she stands up to men – even when he says he loves her she Benedick. I really like her because she stands up to men – even when he says he loves her she tests this love and demands he ‘kill Claudio’. This shows that love is something people can use to tests this love and demands he ‘kill Claudio’. This shows that love is something people can use to make other people do things for them. It also shows that Benedick has to change his love for his make other people do things for them. It also shows that Benedick has to change his love for his male friends into his love for Beatrice. He has to change his allegiance if he really loves her and male friends into his love for Beatrice. He has to change his allegiance if he really loves her and stop being the man who claimed he’d never marry.
stop being the man who claimed he’d never marry.
There is also Beatrice’s love for Hero. She knows she is innocent, calling her ‘sweet’ and ‘wronged’ There is also Beatrice’s love for Hero. She knows she is innocent, calling her ‘sweet’ and ‘wronged’ because she knows this might as well be the end of Hero’s life if people think she has talked with because she knows this might as well be the end of Hero’s life if people think she has talked with a man at a window. This friendship is probably the truest love in the play.
a man at a window. This friendship is probably the truest love in the play.
In Act 5 scene 4 Benedick is really in love with love and tells Leonato that he wants to marry In Act 5 scene 4 Benedick is really in love with love and tells Leonato that he wants to marry Beatrice. He doesn’t really understand when Leonato laughs and tells him he was tricked into this Beatrice. He doesn’t really understand when Leonato laughs and tells him he was tricked into this love: ‘The sight whereof I think you had from me’. Benedick would once have understood him love: ‘The sight whereof I think you had from me’. Benedick would once have understood him immediately but is so wrapped up in the idea of loving Beatrice he finds this answer ‘enigmatical’ immediately but is so wrapped up in the idea of loving Beatrice he finds this answer ‘enigmatical’ and carries on with what he wants. However, he does ask Beatrice again if she loves him.
and carries on with what he wants. However, he does ask Beatrice again if she loves him. When Beatrice says she loves him ‘no more than reason’, it at first seems like she doesn’t love When Beatrice says she loves him ‘no more than reason’, it at first seems like she doesn’t love
him. But you have to remember that she really loves arguments and ‘reason’ and so this might be him. But you have to remember that she really loves arguments and ‘reason’ and so this might be one of her ways of saying she does actually love him. However, they choose to take it as she only one of her ways of saying she does actually love him. However, they choose to take it as she only loves him as a friend. This shows that love has many different forms, such as friendship, cousins, loves him as a friend. This shows that love has many different forms, such as friendship, cousins, romantic, etc.
romantic, etc.
When Beatrice and Benedick convince themselves that they must love each other because of the When Beatrice and Benedick convince themselves that they must love each other because of the
sonnets they’ve written: ‘Here’s our own hands against our hearts’, it shows that the draw of sonnets they’ve written: ‘Here’s our own hands against our hearts’, it shows that the draw of being in love is stronger than the knowledge they’re not really in love. Or it could be that they’ve being in love is stronger than the knowledge they’re not really in love. Or it could be that they’ve decided being with each other is better than being alone. It shows that love is really complex and decided being with each other is better than being alone. It shows that love is really complex and there are lots of different types of it.
there are lots of different types of it.
LEVEL 6
35 35
Shakespeare practice tasks:
Shakespeare practice tasks:
Much Ado About Nothing
Much Ado About Nothing
ENGLISH WORKBOOK 3–7 ANSWERS
ENGLISH WORKBOOK 3–7 ANSWERS
Pages 86–87 continued
Pages 86–87 continued
This is level 6 because:This is level 6 because:
• It has a clear focus on the question and provides reference to it throughout the answer. • It has a clear focus on the question and provides reference to it throughout the answer.