Much Ado About Nothing Group

Question:

xxharrietxx
xxharrietxx
Student

In act 5, how would you tidy up the plot on stage and comment on how Shakespeare did that?

so which characters would you have on stage

Rate question:

Posted by xxharrietxx on Sunday February 4, 2007 at 11:37 AM and tagged with characters, much ado about nothing.

Answers:


  1. gbeatty Teacher
    College - Freshman

    eNotes Editor

    In act 5, how would you tidy up the plot on stage and comment on how Shakespeare did that?

    This is a very complex question indeed, because the play is full of loose ends at this point, and to eliminate points of possible onstage confusion/distraction will also eliminate those resolutions. So, I would start by asking "What is my/your goal in this tidying," "What is most important," and "How seriously are we willing to distort the play?"

    If we simply wanted things simplified, cut things. Cut some of Dogberry's lines, because as fun as they are, they distract.

    If we just want things shorter, cut some of the first scene; we get the sense of mourning soon.

    If we simply want to make the stage less cluttered, send Claudio alone to read the proclamation clearing Hero's name (in scene 3).

    If we want the focus kept on the key people in the final scene, simply have them move away as they get good news, so that the next couple/speaker is foregrounded.

    Greg

    Rate answer:

    Posted by gbeatty on Monday February 5, 2007 at 7:26 PM

  2. revolution
    revolution Teacher
    Doctorate

    If you want to make the play less complicated and cluttered, you should clear away some unnecessary speeches and talks that have no direct participation to the plot of the story, no impact to the overall flow.

    Like, clear away some of the comic reliefs or senseless conversation and thoughts and dwell straight to the point, so that it will make the entire play more palatable and easy to savour and digest.

    Rate answer:

    Posted by revolution on Friday October 9, 2009 at 7:23 PM