Much Ado About Nothing | Music and Dance

In the first excerpt, W. H. Auden argues that Balthasar's song in Act II, scene iii marks a pivotal moment of the play when Claudio's infatuation is at its climax and, at the same time, the lyrics inspire Benedick to think on Beatrice. In the second excerpt, Paul N. Siegel compares the action of the play to a dance.

Critics have long noted the presence of music in Much Ado, both in the text itself and in the form of the play. The play concludes with a dance; and Balthasar's song, "Sigh no more, ladies, sigh no more," has been commented upon often, in part because it is performed in a crucial point in the play. (Balthasar's song was, in fact, assigned a prominent, recurring role in Kenneth Branagh's film adaptation of the play.) Several important critics have written about the importance of music in Much Ado, including Bernard Shaw, W. H. Auden, and Paul N. Siegel; while...

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