Dr. Uttara Debi, Asst. Professor in English, IDOL, Gauhati University

Structure Act.1 Sc.i Leonato,Beatrice, Hero, Messenger

[Who and what are they talking about?]

[What are the ideas of women here? According to the characters? Don Pedro,

Benedick, Claudio]

Sc.ii Antonio, Leonato: [what passes between them? How important is the information

that Antonio gives to Leonato? How reliable is it? How is its reliability going to be

proved ?]

Sc.iii Don John [what kind of a character is he?]

Borachio’s information

Dr. Uttara Debi, Asst. Professor in English, IDOL, Gauhati University

Structure, contd.- I Act 2, Sc.i [when does this scene take place? Did Shakespeare

make us anticipate this scene? What has Beatrice observed of Don John? Who dances with Hero? Who talks to Beatrice? Who is with Margaret? Who is Claudio mistaken for? What is he told, and by whom? Who finds out Claudio’s problem? And, how? Does Benedick believe what he has found out? Who says, and why, these lines:

“I will go on the slightest errand now to the Antipodes that you can devise to send me on. I will fetch you a toothpicker now from the furthest inch of Asia, bring you the length of Prester John’s foot, fetch you a hair off the Great Cham’s beard, do you any embassage to the pigmies, rather than hold three words’ conference with this harpy.” ? ]

Dr. Uttara Debi, Asst. Professor in English, IDOL, Gauhati University

Structure, contd. - 2

Points to Consider

Do the mutual feelings of Beatrice and Benedick have any effect upon the plot/story?

How do these feelings undergo change?

Dr. Uttara Debi, Asst. Professor in English, IDOL, Gauhati University

Beatrice and Benedick

We see them together for the first time in Act II, Sc.i

Benedick is unknown to Beatrice here – why ?

When do we see them together again?

Act II, Sc.iii: “They say the lady is fair”. Who has said so? Why ?