Much Ado Quotes- Act 2- Scene 1

Beatrice He were an excellent man that were made just midway between him (Don John) and Benedick. Pg 38With a good leg and a good foot pg 38
Leonato Then half Signor Bendick’s tongue in Count John’s mouth, and half count John’s melancholy in signor’s benedick’s face
Then half Signor Bendick’s tongue in Count John’s mouth, and half count John’s melancholy in signor’s benedick’s face the person would be talk half as much as benedick and be half as serious as don john
melancholy sad, gloomy, unhappy, sadness, gloominess
agile Able to move quickly and easily
curst ill-tempered
too curst is more than curst beatice is saying how being too ill temepered is better than being illtempered since god does not give a curst cow short horns
he that hath a beard is more than a beard is more than a youth, and he that hath no beard is less than a man; and that is more than a youth is not for me, and that he is less than a man, I am not for him. Beatrice is saying she does not want akan with facial hair because he will be too old for her and a man without facial hair will be too young, since men either have facial hair or not beatrice is really saying she does not want a husband
cuckhold a man married to an unfaithful wife
adam the biblical father of mankind, is said to be made from “the dust of the ground”
The fault will be in the music, cousin, if you be not wooed in good time. If the Prince be too important, tell him there is measure in everything, and so dance out the answer. But cousin, make sure he woos you properly and appropriately (in the right manner). If he is too insistent (tries to hard), tell him that romance is like a dance: it has its own rhythm and timing. Look, the three stages of romance are like three different dances. pg 42 Beatrice is telling her cousin, Hero, that Claudio need to court or else she should tell him how to do it.
scottish jig hot, fast, full of whimsy and illusion
wedding dance proper and decorous
cinquepace regret having gotten married-faster and faster until you eventually topple over and die
romance is like a dance – three parts
When I like you favor, for God defend the lute should be like the case! When I like the way you look, for God forbid your face be ugly as your mask! Hero is telling The masked person (Don Pedro) that she will only like him is he is handsome. this means Hero is superficial.
My visor is Philemon’s roof; within the house is Jove. My mask is like the roof of the poor Philemon’s humble cottage; underneath the mask, I am as magnificent as the glorious god Jove. pg 44Don Pedro is comparing himself to the glorious god Jove even though he has on a ugly mask that is shabby like the roof of Philemon’s cottage.
Philemon a peasant who entertained the disguised Jove in his humble cottage
speak low if you speak of love Don Pedro tells Hero to speak softly if she likes him pg 46
Come, come, do you think I do not know you by yourexcellent wit? Can virtue hide itself? Go to, mum, you are he. Graces will appear, and there’s an end. Come on, do you think I can’t recognize you by your excellent wit? Can a good thing hide itself? Be quiet, you are Antonio. A man’s virtues will always show themselves, and that’s the end of that. Ursula uses this as a chance to insult Antonio at the masked party. pg 48Ursula is saying that she recognizes Antonio at the masked party because a person can’t really hide who they are.
Why, he is the Prince’s jester, a very dull fool, only his gift is in devising impossible slanders. None but libertines delight in him, and the commendation is not in his wit but in his villainy, for he both pleases men and angers them, and then they laugh at him and beat him. I am sure he is in the fleet. I would he had boarded me. Beatrice knows its Benedick, but he doesn’t know its her. She uses the opportunity to insult him. pg 50
And that is Claudio. I know him by his bearing.-Borachio(to CLAUDIO) Are not you Signor Benedick?-Don John Borachio recognizes Claudio by the way he walks or carries himselfthis is a perfect time to hurt Claudio (at the masked party) saying mean things knowing it is Claudio pretending to think it is Benedickpg 52
Signor, you are very near my brother in his love. He isenamored on Hero. I pray you, dissuade him from her. She is no equal for his birth. You may do the part of an honest man in it. Don John tells “Benedick”(Claudio) that Hero shouldn’t be with Claudio.pg 52
the Prince woos for himself Claudio jumps to conclusions that Don Pedro is wooing Hero for himselfpg 52
Friendship is constant in all other things Claudio is saying Friendship is enduring except when love is involved.pg 52
Save in the office and affairs of love. Claudio is saying –Therefore, all lovers should speak for themselves. Why did I let him speak for me?–he shouldn’t have let Don Pedro woo Hero on his behalfpg 52
the Prince has gotten your Hero Benedick doesn’t know Don Pedro and Claudio had a plan.pg 54
But did you think the Prince would have servedyou thus? -Benedick speaking to Claudio- do you really think the Prince would treat you that way? – B is defending Cpg 54
The flat transgression of a schoolboy who, being overjoyed with finding a birds’ nest, shows it his companion, and he steals it. He was like a schoolboy who finds a bird’s nest and happily shows it to his friend, who then steals it from him. bird’s nest=Heroa school boys friend who steals the bird’s nest= Don PedroBenedick is calling HERO to a treasure, a fallen bird’s nest, and then says that Don Pedro is like a school boy’s friend who has stolen the bird’s nestpg 57
She speaks poniards, and every word stabs. She speaks daggers, and every word stabs. Benedick is saying Beatrice is hurtful when she speaks.pg 58
She would have made Hercules have turned spit, yea, and have cleft his club to make the fire, too. Benedick is saying Beatrice is soooo mean that she would hurt a strong guy like Hercules.pg 58
while she is here, a man may live as quiet in hell as in a sanctuary, and people sin upon purpose because they would go thither. So indeed all disquiet, horror and perturbation follows her. It’s quieter in hell, where people, sinning on purpose, are eager to be sent just to get away from her. So chaos, horror, and sorrow follow her wherever she goes. Benedick is saying insulting Beatrice by saying people are willing to go to hell, a terrible place, just to get away from her. he adds that she brings sadness, craziness, and fear wherever she goes. pg 58
I will but teach them to sing and restore them to the owner. I only want to teach the baby birds to sing; then I will return the nest to its rightful owner.(talking about Hero) Don Pedro is saying he was showing Hero to love then pass her back to Claudio so that that he can have her.pg 58
Will your grace command me any service to the world’s end? 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 Pygmies, rather than hold three words’ conference with this harpy. You have no employment for me? Benedick is will to do anything, even the most impossible tasks, so he doesn’t have to talk to Beatrice. pg 60
Indeed, my lord, he lent it me awhile, and I gave him use for it, a double heart for his single one. Marry, once before he won it of me with false dice. Therefore your Grace may well say I have lost it. Beatrice is explaining that she and Benedick have a history and they were once together. pg 60
Lady, as you are mine, I am yours. Claudio is saying that Hero belongs to him and he belongs to Hero – if you will be with me then I will be with youpg 62
Good Lord for alliance! Thus goes everyone to the world but I, and I am sunburnt. I may sit in a corner and cry, “Heigh-ho for a husband!” Thank the lord for alliances! So everyone goes off into the world except me, who stays in because I’m sunburned. I should sit in the corner and sing that song, “Heigh-Ho for a Husband!”Beatrice is appreciative that everyone is happy except for her and she will sit alone in the cornerpg 64
There’s little of the melancholy element in her, my lord. She is never sad but when she sleeps, and not ever sad then, for I have heard my daughter say she hath often dreamed of unhappiness and waked herself with laughing. There’s very little about her that’s gloomy, my lord. She’s only sad when she sleeps—and not even then. Hero told me that Beatrice has often had dreams about being unhappy, and managed to wake herself from them by laughing. (talking about Beatrice) LEONATO’s PERCEPTION!!!Leonato is saying that Beatrice is a very happy person even when she sleepspg 66
Not till Monday, my dear son, which is hence a justsevennight, and a time too brief, too, to have all things answer my mind. Leonato is saying that he needs time to plan this weddingpg 68
(to CLAUDIO) Come, you shake the head at so long abreathing, but I warrant thee, Claudio, the time shall not go dully by us. I will in the interim undertake one of Hercules’ labors, which is to bring Signor Benedick and the Lady Beatrice into a mountain of affection, th’ one with th’ other. I would fain have it a match, and I doubt not but to fashion it, if you three will but minister such assistance as I shall give you direction. Don Pedro is asking Claudio to help him with his plan to have B & B fall in loveI need you to help me, I need Beatrice and Benedick to fall in love. pg 68
And Benedick is not the unhopefulest husband that I know. Thus far can I praise him: he is of a noble strain, of approved valor, and confirmed honesty. And Benedick is not the worst husband I can think of. This much I can say about him: he is well-born, has proven his bravery in battle, and has established his good character.Don Pedro is saying that Benedick might be an adequate husband for Beatrice since he comes fro a good family, is brave, and has good characterpg 68
If we can do this, Cupid is no longer an archer; his glory shall be ours, for we are the only love gods. We don’t need cupid. If we can do this, then we will steal Cupid’s glory. We will be the supreme love gods!Don Pedro is saying that if his plan works then they (Him, Claudio, and Leonato) will be better than the love god cupidpg 68
incessantly (adv.) nonstop or continuously
immoral (adj.) unfair, or without a sense of right and wrong
tolerate (v.) to put up with or to endure
*adeptness (n.) the ability to do something well
civil (adj.) polite