| “In this, though I cannot be said to be a flattering honest man, it must not be denied but I am a plain-dealing villain” (1.3.27-30). | Whos saying it: Don JohnSaying it to: ConradTranslation: Though I am not a flattering, righteous man, at least you can say that I am honest about being a villain. What it means: I’d rather be a weed in a hedge than a rose in my brother’s garden. It suits me more to be hated by everyone than to put on a fancy show and trick people into loving me. Though I am not a flattering, righteous man, at least you can say that I am honest about being a villain. My brother trusts me now? Yeah—as much as a master trusts the dog he muzzles or the peasant he “frees” by chaining a big block around the man’s foot. If my mouth were unrestrained, I’d bite. If I were free, I’d do what I pleased. Until that happens, let me be who I am and don’t try to change me. |
| Friendship is constant in all other thingsSave in the office and affairs of love.Therefore all hearts in love use their own tongues.Let every eye negotiate for itselfAnd trust no agent, …. (2.1.146-150) | Whos saying it: ClaudioSaying it to: the audience after don john and borachio convince him don pedro was trying to wed hero for himselfWhat he is saying: (taking off his mask)Though I said my name was Benedick, I heard this news with Claudio’s ears. Of course the Prince wants Hero for himself. Friendship is enduring except when love is involved. Therefore, all lovers should speak for themselves. They should look for themselves, without asking someone else to get involved in their affairs. Beauty is a witch whose spells can turn loyalty into passion. This happens a lot, but it didn’t occur to me that it would happen to me. Goodbye then, Hero.What it means: Friendship is enduring except when love is involved. Therefore, all lovers should speak for themselves. They should look for themselves, without asking someone else to get involved in their affairs. Beauty is a witch whose spells can turn loyalty into passion. This happens a lot, but it didn’t occur to me that it would happen to me. Goodbye then, Hero. |
| “O, that I had been writ down an ass!” (4.2.88-89). | Whos saying it: DogberrySaying it to: ConradeWhat it means: How can you call me that? Don’t you suspect my office? Don’t you SUSPECT”Suspect” is a mistake for “respect.”suspect my age? Oh, if only the sexton were here to write down that I’m an ass! Gentlemen, remember that I am an ass; even though it’s not written down, don’t forget that I’m an ass. Oh, you’re a rotten bastard, you are. I’m a wise man and, what’s more, I’m an officer of the law and, what’s more, I’m a householder and, what’s more, I’m as handsome a hunk of meat as any in Messina. And I know the law, damn you, and I’m rich enough, damn you, and I used to have more, but I still have two robes and lots of lovely things.—Take him away!—Oh, if only the sexton had recorded that I’m an ass!Conrade called him an ass and Dogberry got so offended over that more than the prisoners crime |
| “For there was never yet the philosopher / That could endure the toothache patiently,” (5.1.37-38) | Whos saying it: LeonatoSaying it to: AntonioWhat it means: Please, leave me alone. I intend to be flesh and blood, not airy philosophy, for there has never yet been a philosopher who could endure a toothache patiently, even though they all write as if they had risen above human suffering and misfortune. Antonio insists that it is childish to indulge in grief and self-pity. Leonato retorts that however much even philosophers might pretend to godlike detachment from the pains and passions of life, they nonetheless howl when they’ve got a toothache. |
| “No, I was not born under a rhyming planet, nor I cannot woo in festival terms” (5.2.40-41). | Whos saying it: BenedickSaying it to: himself about beatriceWhat it means: Leander, Troilus, or an entire book’s worth of those legendary lover-boys, whose names sound so smooth and nice in a line of verse—not one of them has been driven as crazy by love as I have been. But I can’t prove it in a poem. I have tried. I can’t think of any rhyme for “lady” but “baby,” which is a childish rhyme. The only rhyme for “scorn” I can come up with is”HORN”In Shakespeare’s time, “horns” were associated with adultery.”horn”—a bit off for a love poem. Nothing rhymes with “school” but “fool,” and that’s a ridiculous jingle. These are all very unpromising line endings. No, I wasn’t destined to be a poet, and I can’t woo a lady with pretty words. |
| “Thou and I are too wise to woo peaceably” (5.2.72). | Whos saying it: BenedickSaying it to: Beatrice What it means:Beatrice: But tell me—which of my good qualities first made you suffer love for me?’Benedick: Suffer love! That’s a good way of putting it. I do suffer love, because I love you against my will.Benedick: You and I are too wise to woo each other peacefully. |
| “”For man is a giddy thing, …” (5.4.112). | Whos saying it: BenedickSaying it to: Don Pedro What it means: I’ll tell you what, Prince: a whole university full of wisecrackers couldn’t change my mood today. You think I care what I’m called? Well, I don’t. If a man is always afraid of what others think, he won’t even dare to dress nicely, because he’ll be afraid people will talk about him. In short, since I intend to get married, I won’t hear anyone say a bad thing about it. So don’t go making fun of me for what I said before. Man is a giddy, flighty thing: that’s my conclusion. And Claudio—though I’m sure I would have beaten you in our duel—since you’re likely to become my relative, I’ll let you go, unbruised, and love my cousin Hero.Now that I have decided to marry, I won’t take any taunts you may throw at me even though I taunted all of you for getting married. we humans are frivolous or impulsive. |
Much Ado About Nothing Test
July 6, 2019