Shanks for Bloggin!
The last two Acts (4 and 5) were very interesting. They made for a very mysterious end to the book and then it had a happy ending. The plan that the Friar concocted with Leonato and Hero reminds me of the plan the the Friar made with Juliet. In both situations it was to help the case of their marriage.
In what ways are the plans from Romeo and Juliet and Much Ado About Nothing similar? Different?
Well, first off I would like to say that it is just super that this is our last and final blog, and I also would like to congratulate anyone reading this blog for making it through Mr. Shank’s class alive. Ok, now I will actually start to write about what changes the characters have gone through in these last two acts of the book.
Well, so far in this play we’ve seen Petruchio go through some changes, such as how he had acted before he had met Kate and after he had met Kate. In this final portion of the book we see however that he is much more cunning and ingenious than we have thought from what we have seen of him so far. Well, what I mean by this is that we did realize that by him acting out that he must have had a greater scheme to accomplish, but now in these last two acts we see that he was actually misbehaving to get Kate to learn how to listen to him. Then at the very end we can see that Petruchio’s plan to calm down Kate had actually worked and had taught her how to not be such a “w”itch. So my question for you is as follows. Do you think that Petuchio’s plan would have worked as fast as it did, and that Kate would cave that fast? Or, do you think that Shakespeare was just tired and wanted to finish the flippin’ play? You tell me.
Although, in these last two chapters we also see some other characters become more cunning. I shall be describing how Lucentio has changed since we have seen him from the beginning of the play. Well, at first Lucentio had started his little charade out of pure love at first sight and the reader would imagine it as being very “sweet”. However as we see in these last two acts, he becomes desperate when he is willing to find a fake dad to support the marriage between him and Bianca, and then it becomes less “sweet” and more desperate and pathetic. It’s not only Lucentio that is more cunning though, he has also brought Biondello and of course Tranio into his little circle of lies. Then the peak of their punishment for lieing was when the real Vincentio finds them and flips crap. So my question for you is as follows. Do you think there is any girl (or guy) out there that would make you willing to go to all of the same lengths that Lucentio had just to get her to be yours? Please elaborate.
Of course what kind of idiot would I be to forget the character that has gone through the most changes since the last portion we read; Kate. When we had first met Kate she had been a bitter “w”itch that was destined to be alone forever, but due to her father and his big pockets a man had actually wanted to marry her despite all of her flaws. Then we also see these two progress through the play from a mutual dislike from first meeting, to a one sided attempt at love, to finally a mutual agreement of listening to one another. This truly shows how characters can change throughout the course of a work of literature and how other characters play a big part in certain character’s development. So my question for you is as follows. What do you think of Kate now? Do you think she would now be a worthy person to marry after she has been married to Petruchio for this short amount of time? It would just be super if you told me.
Well, since I have already taken the liberty do describe one sister’s changes throughout the play I might as well describe the other sister’s development through the course of the play. Well at first we had seen Bianca as this naive girl who had everything she wanted, money, a hooked up family, and of course, guys galore (jk). Then we see that she starts to get angrier as her sister still has yet to find someone suitable and then decides to fall for Lucentio after Kate has been married to Petruchio. This is interesting because out of all of the guys that she could have she chooses the guy who was creepy enough to pretend to be a tutor just to get inside of her house to meet her. Then as we see that at the very end of the story that when the men make bets on who will come first, and astonishingly Kate wins. So my belief is that Bianca was only needed to help extentuate the changes that Kate went through throughout the story. So my question for you is as follows. Do you think that Bianca will turn into what Kate once was because Kate had turned into what Bianca once was? Or, do you think that maybe Bianca may turn out to be a real “w”itch? You can tell me now that my blog is over.
So I would first off like to thank everyone in advance for commenting on my blog, as I always do, then I would like to restate my previous fact that it’s great that we all survived Mr. Shank’s class this year. Now all we have to look forward to is Mrs. Cipher next year. woohoo (unexitedly).
LAST BLOG EVERRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Congratulations class, we did it.
ct Four: Scene 1
Everyone is gathered at the church for Claudio and Hero’s wedding. Claudio tells Friar that he is not going to marry Hero. Don Pedro also joins in on Claudio’s side, saying that he saw Hero hug another man the night before. Hero faints, and Don John, Don Pedro and Claudio all leave. Beatrice tries to help her, but Leonato, believing the men, says that Hero should die for what she did. The Friar then tells everyone to stop, saying that he thinks that Hero is actually innocent by the way that she had reacted.
QUESTION: What was your first reaction to hearing the idea that Hero wasn’t going to marry Claudio?
When Hero had awakened, she said that she was not with a man. Leonato said that if she was lying he would hurt her, vice versa to Claudio and Don Pedro. The Friar told Leonato to pretend that Hero was dead and that she died out of shame, so that people would honor her and feel bad, especially Claudio. Benedick said he would keep this a secret.
Soon later after everyone leaves the scene, Benedick and Beatrice confess their love for each other. Benedick tells Beatrice to make him do something to prove it. She told him to kill Claudio. At first he declined, saying he would never do that, but Beatrice then accused him of not loving her. Therefore, Benedick said he would challenge Claudio.
QUESTION: Could you believe that their plan worked!? I never thought it would…
Act Four: Scene 2
Dogberry had taken Borachio and Conrad to the Town Clerk and is interrogating them. The Sexton takes charge and orders the watchman who arrested them to step forward. He says that he had overheard the two discussing the plot against Hero’s reputation. The sexton says that they cannot deny it. He then tells the two that Claudio had accused Hero for this at the wedding and she had died out of humiliation. The men were then ordered to be taken to Leonato.
Act Five: Scene 1
Antonio is trying to comfort Leonato. Leonato says that he will make the men suffer. Claudio and Don Pedro arrive, and Leonato challenges Claudio to a fight. Antonio joins on Leonato’s side. Don Pedro refuses to fight. Antonio and Leonato leave, angry. Benedick then arrives. He challenges Claudio, but they think it is a joke. Benedick tells them that Don John has left Messina, and tells Claudio that they will meet later to fight.
Dogberry and Verges come in to the scene, and this reminds Don Pedro that Don John had left. Don Pedro goes up to the prisoners and asks them why they had been arrested. Borachio tells him the whole story. Leonato then arrives with the Sexton, who has told Leonato of what happened. Furiously Leonato accuses Borachio, Don Pedro and Claudio of killing his daughter. Claudio and Don John try to plead innocent, but they remember that they have mistaken Hero for cheating too. They say that they will tell the whole city of Hero’s innocence. Claudio further promises to marry Leonato’s niece, whom he tells Claudio is his sole heir. Leonato then asks what Margaret’s role in the scheme was. They say she was innocent, but they are going to ask Margaret anyway.
QHESTION: What do you think Margaret would have said if you asked her what had happened?
Act Five: Scene Two
Benedick had written a poem with Margaret for Beatrice. He then tells Margaret to go get Beatrice. Beatrice comes and they talk about love. Soon after Ursula comes in and tells them to come quickly because they proved that Hero was wrongly accused.
Act Five: Scene Three
A bunch of the men go to visit Hero’s gravestone. Soon Don Pedro leaves, taking Claudio with him to Leonato’s house.
Act Five: Scene Four
Leonato sends the woman into their chambers and orders them to come out masked when they are called for. Antonio said he would pretend that Hero is his daughter so Claudio will believe he is marrying Hero’s cousin. Benedick asks Leonato if he could marry Beatrice at the same wedding ceremony. Leonato says yes. Claudio and Don Pedro then come, as the women come out wearing masks. Claudio asks who he should marry, and Antonio gives him Hero. She unmasks herself for Claudio to see.
At the wedding Benedick asks Beatrice if she loves him, and she responded with, “Why no, no more than reason” (5.4.74). Soon they then realize that everybody has been setting them up. Claudio and Hero watch this take place, and Claudio gives Benedick sonnets that he and Beatrice wrote so they could prove they loved each other. Benedick and Claudio reconcile their friendship and tell Don Pedro to find himself a wife so he is not alone. A messenger arrives at the very end and informs them that Don John has been captured and brought back to Messina.
QUESTIONL: Will Claudio and Hero ever get married, do you think.
Let me know if you need any words cleared up!
WE’RE DONE GUYS!
How did you guys like the book… it didnt turn out to be too bad….
Also yes, my fonts had gotten mixed up editing this. Sorry!
-Leah Sevco!
Act 4
Scene 1
On the way to the country house Kate and Petruchio run into some problems. We hear the story from Grumio when he goes ahead of them to make sure that the servants are prepared for their arrival. He tells them that during the journey Kate fell in some mud, Petruchio becomes furious and their horses ran away. During the meal Petruchio continues his rage by claiming that nothing is done right. First it takes to long for the food to come and then he decides that he meat is burnt at which point he throws the food on the floor. When asked why he is acting in such way he responds by saying that Kate deserves nothing but the best, when in fact all she wants is food. They then wind up going to bed without any dinner. Next, when Petruchio is alone he informs the reader of his plans. He is going to continue this behaviour throughout the night by complaining about how the bed is not to his liking. His reasoning for doing this is because he thinks that it is the best way to calm her down and teach her to listen to him.
Act 4
Scene 2
This scene takes place back in Padua where the suitors are still trying to court Bianca. She has clearly chosen Lucentio and Hortensio is highly upset by this. Tranio, makes things very convincing when he walks in on Lucentio and Bianca during their lesson by acting enraged and therefore removes himself from trying to court her, which Hortensio follows his action. This leaves Lucentio with Bianca and no competition. At this point Hortensio leaves to go to Petruchio because he wants to see how he is dealing with Kate, because he plans to marry a widow. He wants to use Petruchio’s skills to help himself in the future. Next, Biondello comes in to inform them that he found a man to play Lucentio’s father. He cleverly tricks him into doing this favor for him. He tells the man that the dukes of Mantua and Padua are fighting and therefore anyone from Mantua found in Padua was to be put to death. Biondello is “kind” enough to not turn him in if he does that favor for him.
Act 4
Scene 3
Several days have past and Kate has been deprived or food and sleep. Eventually Petruchio and bring her a meal at which point a tailor arrives, to fit them for clothing on their journey back to Baptista’s. Petruchio is not happy with anything that Kate likes and then blames the tailor for terrible craftsmanship, at which point they make him leave (yet they do inform him in private that he will still be paid). Petruchio next decides that they will leave so that they would arrive their by noon, in the clothes that they already have on. Kate tells him that noon has already past, so Petruchio freaks out telling her that they will arrive at the hour that he decides they will arrive. Again, back at Baptista’s house Tranio has made sure that the man planned to play Lucentio’s father, Vincentio, has his stories straight. Then he is brought to Baptista to state that he approves of the union of Bianca and his son. They then continue to decide all of the financial details of the wedding.
Act 4
Scene 5
This scene takes place between Biondello and Lucentio. Biondello tells Lucentio (still disguised as Cambio) that Baptista wants him to take Bianca to dinner and that they are planning a fast marriage to elope. Lucentio agrees to the plan at which point they go their separate ways to put the plan into action.
On the journey back to Baptista’s Petruchio continues to try to tame her by claiming that the moon is shining, yet it is midday. When Kate claims that is the sun, he refuses to continue until she says that is is the moon. she says that it is the moon, so that they can continue. He then changes his mind and claims that it is the sun at which point he decides that she is tamed. At this point they run into Vicentio. When they seem him Petruchio again goes back to his same ways in claiming that the man is infact a maid and that Kate should give her a hug. She obeys, which is when Petruchio says that Kate is mistaken and that he is in fact a man. The man turns out to be the real Vincentio so Petruchio informs him of his son’s plans to marry. This causes things to be a little awkward between everyone as they continue their journey to Baptista Minola’s house.
Act 5
Scene 1
This is the act where all the fake identities start to cause some major issues. While Bianca and Lucentio rush to the church to get married the real Vincentio arrives where he runs into the imposter Vincentio and Biondello. The imposter tries to get the real one arrested while Biondello pretends not to recognize him. At this point Baptista and Tranio come out of the house. The real Vincentio also recognizes Trainio in his son’s clothing causing him to be even more furious. The entire crowd then turns against the real Vincentio by trying to escort him to jail. When the newly weds arrive they realize that their plan is out and therefore Tranio, Biondello and the pendant flee. Then, Lucentio tells everyone about his scheme was revolved around his love for Bianca. The two fathers are upset by this and because of this they seek revenge on the men that fooled them. Watching all of these procedings are Kate and Petruchio who stand in amazement. Petruchio then asks Kate to kiss him right in the middle of the street and at first Kate refuses, but she eventually gives in after he threatens her. At this point Petruchio finally seems pleased with her.
Act 5
Scene 2
Everyone joins in at the end of the show for a banquet do to the three weddings. The talk starts with some jokes about Hortensio which then continues to become worse and worse between the widow and Kate at which point Biance intervenes and calms them down. They then leave to talk to eachother. After they leave the men make a bet saying that however’s wife is obedient and comes first when asked wins. Neither Bianca or the widow came right away, but Kate astonishes everyone and arrives right away. She shocks even more when Petruchio states that he does not like her hat, so she gets rid of it. To make things even more unbelievable she has this long monologue about women. She states that she has realized that women should obey their husbands because they go through a lot of pain to make their lives wonderful. She says that she was once like Bianca and the widow, but that something in Petruchio has made her realize her faults, and therefore she has changed. The men then realize that they have been defeated and Petruchio wins the bet. Petruchio and Kate then leave happily leaving the other two men in deep confusion
Words/expressions to know:
jades- worthless horses
‘rayed- dirty
horn- the symbol of the cuckold (the husband of a wife who is unfaithful)
jacks- menservants
jills- women sevants
miry- swampy
countenance-to show respect
swain- country bumpkin
unpinked- undecorated
soud- food
trenchers- wooden platters
bate- to beat wings
cullion- low fellow
marcantant- italian roe merchant
repute- consider
ruffs- wheel-like collars
farthingales- hooped petticoats
porringer- porridge bowl
custard-coffin- crust for a custard
quaint- elegant
affied- formally married
appendix- spouse
tarry- wait
break a jest- play a joke
untoward- stubborn
under my countenance- by exploiting my name
cosen- cheat
doublet- jacket
hose- pants
cony-catched- victimized
dotard- foolish old man
make cake is dough- I have failed
roundly- bluntly
galled- iritated
swinge me them- beat them
bauble- showy trifle
Questions:
1. Do you think that Petruchio was right in the way that he tamed Kate or did he go too far?
2. Do you believe that Petruchio’s ways of taming Kate would be affective in real life or do you see faults in it for the current time period? Explain.
3. Will Kate continue to act in her angelic state or will she turn back to her old ways?
and just for fun…
4. What was your favorite thing about this book and why?
wE aRe DoNe BlOgGiNg!!!!
~eRiN cAmPbElL =]
P.S. Mr. Shank I put a lot of work into this last post. ; ) haha
First off: LAST BLOG! FOREVER! Now that that’s out of the way, here is my actual post. This week we only read one scene, so this will probably be short.
Act V, Scene I
So the main drift of this scene was Bottom and co. performing their play about Pyramus and Thisbe and for the most part being mocked by the couples. But before that, there was an interesting quote from Theseus. As I mentioned in previous blogs, Theseus is the exact opposite of everything else that has been going on in the play: logical, down to earth, and sensible. Here is the quote:
More strange than true. I never may believe
These antique fables nor these fairy toys.
Lovers and madmen have such seething brains,
Such shaping fantasies, that apprehend
More than cool reason ever comprehends.
The lunatic, the lover, and the poet
Are of imagination all compact.
One sees more devils than vast hell can hold—
That is the madman. The lover, all as frantic,
Sees Helen’s beauty in a brow of Egypt.
The poet’s eye, in fine frenzy rolling,
Doth glance from heaven to Earth, from Earth to heaven.
And as imagination bodies forth
The forms of things unknown, the poet’s pen
Turns them to shapes and gives to airy nothing
A local habitation and a name.
Such tricks hath strong imagination,
That if it would but apprehend some joy,
It comprehends some bringer of that joy.
Or in the night, imagining some fear,
How easy is a bush supposed a bear!
(By the way, I don’t know why the quote is double spaced. Sorry! The blog hates me.)
Back to the discussion. Basically this quote is talking about how Theseus thinks that lunatics, lovers, madmen, and poets are all the same – they hallucinate, have overactive imaginations, and say crazy things. But if Theseus is in love, isn’t he calling himself crazy? Anyway, I was wondering what you all thought of this quote. Is there any truth to it, considering what has happened in the play? Also, how does this quote sum up the play in general? (Sorry if that question is a little confusing.) That’s really all I could find to write about for this post, unless you guys want to talk about all the grammatical errors made in the “play” the actors put on…
I’d also like you to think about the play as a whole. Not specific details out of the plot, but how the acts fit together. To put it simply, how is the play structured? (Which act is the climax, etc. And do NOT just say that there are five acts with scenes.) Also, how does the overall structure of the play contribute to its being put into the “comedy” category? (That question might be confusing too.)
Recap:
And that concludes my final blog.
Erin B 
THIS IS OUR LAST POST OF THE YEAR!!!!!!!!!!!! Ok so in the last two scenes of the play, a lot happened to the plot and the characters. First of all, the scheme of Hero appearing as a whore comes into full play when Claudio announces it at the ‘to be’ wedding. A little while after, he finds out it is not true and much to his dismay, finds out that Hero has already died. Now the audience know this is not true, for it is yet another scheme the family is conjuring. In the end, everything comes to a comedic end, for there is laughter, dancing, proposals, confessions, and poking fun at one another. Overall, this play was much more enjoyable than Romeo and Juliet, if I do say so myself! Ok so for the LAST POST…
1. Did it surprise you that Leonato went along with the the trickery some of the characters were thinking about doing? Why or why not?
2. On a scale of one to ten, how romantic would you consider Benedick’s proposal to Beatrice? Explain your reasoning.
3. Compare and contrast Romeo and Juliet to this play. List at least five things for each category.
4. Why do you think Hero didn’t try to plead her case of being innocent more at the wedding?
5. If you had to put this play into a category, would you consider it to be a comedy? Why or why not? If not, come up with another appropriate category to place it in and explain its significance.
~Megan Douglas (did i mention this was our LAST POST?)
I am going to connect this part of the book to the Lord of the Flies. In the Lord of the Flies, somehow Jack gets all of the boys to obey him, even though Ralph was the better and more mature one of the two. This connects to The Lord of the Flies because Kate learns to listen to Petruchio, and it seems as though he was tricking her into doing this, but he succeeds in taming Kate. Petruchio has done the unthinkable and blows all of his guy friends away. But Kate’s obeying is seen in a bright light rather than a dark light like in the Lord of the Flies. Do you agree with this connection? Is there a better connection that I could have made? I thought that this play was a very good/ cute play.
- Abbey
P.S. How many of you found that your predictions of Kate were wrong?
P.S.S. How many of you are ready for SUMMER?!?!
LAST POST EVER!!!!!!!!!
Alright, I’m just going to jump straight into the questions:
1. Gremio and Hortensio, who were so spirited about winning Bianca at the beginning of the play, gave up pretty quickly when it became apparent that she loved Lucentio. Normally if you truly cared about someone, you’d try and fight for them. Therefore, did they really care for and love Bianca?
2. When Vincentio came to visit his son Lucentio unanounced, Biondello, Lucentio’s servant and apparently Vincentio’s too, was very quick to renounce him to cover up the fact that he and Lucentio lied to Bianca’s father to win her hand. He even tried to convince Lucentio to lie and say his father was actually the merchant. Thankfully he didn’t, but begged amnesty for Biondello and Tranio, who also helped him. Do you think that was right, to beg forgiveness for two people who wanted you to turn down your own father?
3. During Kate’s taming, she is not allowed to eat. When she tries to get Grumio to sneak her food, he toys with her and she in turn gets mad and says that he enjoys her torment. Do you think that was true? After seeing her torment so many other people, do you think Grumio enjoyed tormenting her in return?
4. Kate seems happier now that she’s been tamed. But do you think there’s still some pent up resentment towards Petruchio still inside her? Also, after Kate’s speech at the end of the play with her telling Bianca and Hortensio’s new wife that wives should live to serve their husbands, do you think they will change their ways like how Kate did?
5. Kate and Petruchio, who seemed to hate each other, are now the most harmonious. Soft-spoken Bianca has renounced her kind ways and surprises everyone by refusing Lucentio. It was deemed that they would be happiest, but now its a little unclear. There isn’t a lot known on Hortensio and his new wife but they seem to be faring the same as Bianca and Lucentio. After the bet in the final scene, which couple do you think will live more harmoniously?
6. Final question…..what happened to the subplot with Christopher Sly??????
Well, in the last section of this play several dramatic, but important things happen. First off, we start off this section with this special wedding. Everyone is all excited, but Claudio explodes in the middle of the wedding and goes off on Hero for being some sort of whore. This was Don John’s plan the whole time. Claudio then walks out of the wedding and out on Hero, who has now passed out. When she wakes up the friar makes a plan to expose the fact that someone has slandered Hero and that she really isn’t a whore. They planned to make it look like Hero has died of shock and grief hoping that her betrayers will show remorse. Also during this time, Benedick reveals to Beatrice that he loves her and she did likewise to him. Beatrice also asks Benedick to kill Claudio for slandering her cousin Hero. At first Benedick gets angry and says no, but later on he agrees to challenge him.
Eventually Borachio admits to having started this rumor about Hero and that she really is chaste. Claudio and Don Pedro feel really bad about accusing Hero and having her die so they apoligize to everyone and agree to accept any punishment given them. Claudio is told to clear Hero’s name, write her an Epitaph and marry her cousin that is much like her. He goes to the wedding and the person he thought to be Hero’s cousin turns out to be Hero. He then marries her. Also, Beatrice and Benedick deny ever loving each other, but Hero and Claudio have love notes that they wrote to each other. Having their secret been found out, they agree to get married. This one wedding now became a double wedding.
What do you think will happen with these two couples in the future?
What do you think will become of Don John since he ran away and was caught and brought back to the family for judgement? Like what do you think the punishment will be and so on so forth?
Brittany Miller
For people in my group, you definately have to read and comment this blog.
In my previous connections, I related this play to Cinderella and Romeo and Juliet. I’m not sure what else to relate this blog to now because there’s not too many things that are similar to As You Like It.
I guess what I will connect this to is pretty much everyday life. There are many fights over the inheritance of a deceased family member. And normally an older child or family member receives the inheritance. This obviously causes a lot of conflict and bad feelings between close families. But Oliver and Orlando’s story is quite different.
It seems like Oliver takes his internal hate of his brother to an extreme. He not only shares none of the fortune, but he practically disowns his brother in the beginning. He is unwilling to accept his brother and is full of himself because he believes his age entitles him to treat his brother terribly.
Therefore, this poem can be related to everyday life. I kind of think that Shakespeare wrote it to relate it to life, but made his plays a lot more entertaining and full of drama.
My questions for you are:
What was your reaction to the ending of this play?
Do you think that Orlando and Oliver could have mended the troubles before they escalated?
(these questions aren’t hard at all………because it’s the end of the school year!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)
~Laurisa : )