Much Ado About Nothing

Reading Activities compiled by Chrystle Mayer

Shakespeare's Comedies and Their Sources: Some Biographical and Artistic Influences
Cole, Howard C. "Shakespeare's Comedies and Their Sources: Some Biographical and Artistic Influences. " Shakesperare Quarterly, Vol 34 Issue 4 (Winter, 1983.) 405-419.
I picked this article because it has to do with the inspiration for Shakespeare's plays. He followed the suit of his time and didn't come up with original ideas, but used other plays, history and literature of his time as sources for all of his works, including Much Ado. This is a good cultural lesson for this play.

The Topos of Inversion of Values in Hero's Depiction of Beatrice.
McGrady, Donald. "The Topos of 'Inversion of Values' in Hero's Depiction of Beatrice." Shakespeare Quarterly, Vol 44, Issue 4 (Winter 1993). 472-476.
I chose this artcile because it has some interesting insights to one of the main characters, Beatrice. I want the class to focus on this character and figure out for themselves why she was the way she was.

Re-Presenting Shakespeare
Partridge, Edward. "Re-Presenting Shakespeare." Shakespeare Quarterly, Vol. 25 Issue 1. (spring 1974) 201-208.
I chose this article because right off the bat it has some really helpful ideas on how to teach Shakespeare. I liked his ideas and plan on using them when I decide to teach a play. He describes some pitfalls to avoid and some ideas on how to teach.

Dogberry Hero: Shakespeare's Comic Constables in the Communal Context
Spinrad, Phoebe. "Dogberry Hero: Shakespeare's Comic Constables in the Communal Context." Sutdies in Philology, Vol 89, Issue 2 (Spring 1992).
I chose this article because Dogberry is an uncomplicated character that the students will love. In many ways he provides comic relief through the play because he is exactly what he is supposed to be: a funny character who makes us laugh

Shakespeare Timeline and Lamb's Tales from Shakespeare
"Shakespeare Timeline and Lamb's Tales from Shakespeare." Mr. William Shakespeare and the Internet. http://daphne.palomar.edu/shakespeare
I chose this site sponsored by Palomar College because it had a really good timeline for Shakespeare's life, and it included a copy of the Lamb's version of the play "Much Ado About Nothing." Lamb's version will make the play more understandable for a younger audience, and the timeline will come in handy with the start of the study of Shakespeare-- all about his life.

Shakespeare Wall, Tickling the Brain etc.
"Shakespeare Wall, Tickling the Brain, Hero vs. Claudio, Dogberry, Bill's Allusive Nature, Metaphors in Shakespeare." Folger Library.
GO TO http://www.folger.edu/education THEN http://www.folger.edu/education/getarchive.cfm FOR THE ARCHIVE THEN http://www.folger.edu/education/lesson.cfm?lessonid=23 IS THE ACTUAL CORRECTED URL.
I chose this site because it had some really good lesson plans, especially on the language, the characters, and how to introduce the play.

A Teacher's Guide to Much Ado
"A Teacher's Guide to the Signet Classic Edition of William Shakespeare's MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING." Webspeare. http://us.penguingroup.com/static/pdf/teachersguides/muchado.pdf
I chose this site because it had a good summary of the play, some study questions, and ideas for lessons that could be adapted for all different age groups

The Globe Theatre, Quotes
"The Globe Theatre, Quotes." All Shakespeare. http://www.allshakespeare.com
I chose this site because it had some really good information about the Globe theatre, and how the plays were put on there. It also had some really interesting things to say about some important quotes from Much Ado.

Study Questions for Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing
"Study Questions for Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing." The Shakespeare Classroom. http://www.jetlink.net/~massij/wssq/muchado.html
I chose this site simply because it had some excellent study questions I plan on using when I teach this play, including one on the "Nothing/Noting" word play.

How to Study Shakespeare
" How to Study Shakespeare." About the Human Internet. http://shakespeare.about.com/arts/shakespeare
I chose this site because Amanda Mabillard had some really good tips about how to study Shakespeare that I want to share with my students. Her speciality is Shakespeare and she had some really helpful ideas

Reading Activities compiled by Emily Inouye
|Before Reading | During Reading | After Reading |

Before Strategies

1. Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, Bankside, Southwark, London
Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre. (2005). Retrieved 17 September 2005, from the Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre Website: http://www.shakespeares-globe.org/navigation/frameset.htm
This website includes a section specifically designed for distance learning. It includes a virtual tour of the rebuilt theatre, project helps for teachers (including a brief introduction to the theater and to Shakespeare, a chronology of key dates, and other basic information), and a video conferencing option available for purchase.

2. Stratford-Upon-Avon Virtual Tours
“A Tour of the Home of Shakespeare’s Mother.” BBC.co.uk 20 October 2005. Retrieved 19 September 2005 from the BBC Website: http://www.bbc.co.uk/coventry/webcams/stories/2003/07/mary-arden-s-house.shtml
This site includes virtual tours of sites where Shakespeare and his family lived. It includes. Mary Arden’s House, the Arden farm, Nash’s House, New Place, and Croft’s House. It would be interesting to show to the students using a projector. They might discuss what influence Shakespeare’s environment had on his writing.

3. The Shakespeare Glossary
The Shakespeare Glossary. (2005). Retrieved 19 September 2005 from the About.com Website: http://shakespeare.about.com/library/blglossary.htm
An electronic glossary of Elizabethan terms including the old and unusual words students may encounter in Shakespeare. It is a good resource for students as they read difficult Shakespeare texts.

4. Shakespeare Documents
Shakespeare Documents. (2005). Retrieved 17 September 2005 from a personal webpage: http://fly.hiwaay.net/~paul/shakspere/evidence1.html
This site houses photographs of Shakespeare’s writings, including signatures and documents.

5. The Shakespeare Fellowship: Virtual Classroom
The Shakespeare Fellowship. (2005). Retrieved 17 September 2005 from the Shakespeare Fellowship Website: http://www.shakespearefellowship.org/virtualclassroom/Virtual_Classroom.html
This site is dedicated to the Shakespeare authorship debate. It would be a good resource for a group project or presentation on the debate.

6. Shakespeare Pictures
Pictures of William Shakespeare. (2005). Retrieved 17 September 2005 from a personal website: http://www.william-shakespeare.info/william-shakespeare-pictures.htm
What did Shakespeare really look like? This site has all the possibilities. Students could look at it and decide, based on their previous knowledge, which they think looks most like the bard.

7. Royal Shakespeare Company Timeline
Plays in Focus. (2005). Retrieved 17 September 2005 from the Royal Shakespeare Company Website: http://www.rsc.org.uk/picturesandexhibitions/action/showTimeline
This site houses an interactive timeline, where students can click on different links that relate to Shakespeare and learn more about each event. It is good as a source for basic information or as a resource for creating handouts.

8. Elizabethan Insults
Send a Shakespeare Insult! (2005). Retrieved 17 September 2005 from a personal website: http://emml.mtu.edu/mdh/Insult.html
This is a site where students can design their own Elizabethan insults or where you could get lists of words to create your own handout.

9. Shakespearean Insults
Gay, Greg. GGWiz. (2000). Retrieved 17 September 2005 from the GGWiz Website: http://www.iwaynet.net/~ggwiz/boggle/shakequiz.htm
This is a site where students can take a quiz on the insults Shakespeare actually uses in his writings. It could be used as a reward activity.

10. Fun with Iambic Pentameter
Hennequin, M. Wendy. Fun with Iambic Pentameter. (2000). Retrieved 17 September 2005 from a personal web site: http://www.sp.uconn.edu/~mwh95001/iambic.html
This site is a good resource for teachers. It contains basic information about the different kinds of poetic forms Shakespeare used, including iambic pentameter, blank verse, and rime royal.

During Strategies

1. Much Ado About Nothing Study Questions
R. Moore. "Much Ado about Nothing: Introduction." (2002). eNotes: Much Ado About Nothing. Ed. Penny Satoris. Retrieved 26 September 2005 from the ENotes Website: http://www.enotes.com/muchado/828
This site includes a quizzes section on the right of the screen. This section includes study questions for each scene of the play. These questions range from questions that simply make sure that the students are understanding the reading to analytical questions that may help them make connections to the text.

2. Thoughts (and Criticisms) on Much Ado About Nothing
Retrieved 26 September 2005 from a personal website: http://www.cc.utah.edu/~mp2434/maancom.html
This site has thoughtful questions about the play. In addition to asking analytical questions, the author asks if Shakespeare has been careless and points out places where this may be the case. It might be good to show the students some of the problems with the play as well as extolling its virtues.

3. Elizabethan Theatre
Elizabethan Theatre. (2005). Retrieved 26 September 2005 from the BBC AS Guru Website: http://www.bbc.co.uk/education/asguru/english/08shakespeare/42theatre/index/index.shtml
The AS Guru website, sponsored by the BBC, is specifically designed for students. It is interactive and has sections on costumes, staging conventions, all-male casts, and the Globe itself. The AS Guru website also contains other lesson materials on Shakespeare and his plays.

4. Folger Shakespeare Library Lesson Plans
Lesson Plans Archive. (2005). Retrieved 26 September 2005 from the Folger Library Website: http://www.folger.edu/eduLesPlanArch.cfm?cid=#49
This site houses ready made lesson plans on the Shakespeare plays. Some of the lesson plans dedicated to Much Ado about Nothing include "‘Change slander to remorse’: Unscripted Scenes,” “Dogberry: The Most Vigitant Lawman Ever,” “Hero vs. Claudio: A Case of Slander,” and “To Love, Honor and Obey (One's Parents!)”

5. The Shakespeare Handbook
Fox, Levi. The Shakespeare Handbook. G.K. Hall and Co: Boston, 1987.
This book is full of photographs and pictures and is a great resource for information on the Bard. It has photographs of many of the different places he would have performed, information on what the theatre would be like, and information on his personal life.

6. Who’s Who and What’s What in Shakespeare
O’Connor, Evangeline M. Who’s Who and What’s What in Shakespeare. Avenel Books: New York, 1978.
This reference book has well-organized and interesting information about the names, geography, and historical references alluded to in Shakespeare. It is a good reference for creating handouts or lesson plans about the author.

7. Dictionary of Quotations from Shakespeare
Miner, Margaret and Hugh Rawson. Dictionary of Quotations from Shakespeare. Dutton: New York, 1992.
This is only one of many Shakespearian quotation books. Teachers can pick out important quotes and use them as discussion or paper topics. They could also use them either in bulletin boards and displays or have students learn them on a regular basis.

8. Video on the Elizabethan Age
Massachusetts Council for the Humanities. Hamlet, Lesson I: The Age of Elizabeth. Encyclopedia Britannica Educational Corporation: Boston, 1959.
This video discusses the customs and social situations of the Elizabethan time period. It then explores the importance of these customs in the theatre. This would be best to show in clips, specifically focusing on clips that deal with aspects of Much Ado About Nothing.

9. Video about Shakespeare
Wood, Michael and the Royal Shakespeare Company. In Search of Shakespeare. PBS Home Video: 2003.
This is a good biographical documentary about Shakespeare. While it is credible and well-made, it is also interesting. It explores the question of authorship. It would be best to show in short clips as it is rather long.

10. In Search of Shakespeare Website.
“The Shakespeare Dossier.” In Search of Shakespeare. (2003). Retrieved 26 September 2005 from the PBS Website: http://www.pbs.org/shakespeare/events/
This website is the companion to the above documentary. It includes a game that would be fun to do with the class as well as many good sources, information, and pictures related to Shakespeare. It is one of the finer websites.

After Strategies

1. Ready-Made Lesson Plans
Teachit. (2005). Retrieved 1 October 2005, from the Teachit Ltd. Website: http://www.teachit.co.uk/index.asp?M=4&A=1&S=285&Z=1#S285
This is an excellent website with many ready-made worksheets, activities, lesson plans, etc. The lessons it houses are relevant, inventive, and plentiful.

2. Modern TV Dramas
BBC Drama. (2005). Retrieved 1 October 2005, from the BBC Website: http://www.bbc.co.uk/drama/shakespeare/tvdramas/tvdramas.shtml
The articles linked to this page are reviews of several recent TV shows based on Shakespeare’s plays. By viewing them, students have the chance to see aspects of the play in familiar, modern settings.

3. Lesson Plan Archive
Folger Shakespeare Library. (1999). Retrieved 1 October 2005, from Simonsays: http://www.simonsays.com/assets/series/859/CG14_859.pdf
This is another archive for lesson plans. My favorite lesson plans for this play are “Hero vs. Claudio: A Case of Slander” (in which students practice cultural analysis), and the lesson on Dogberry and language.

4. West Side Story
West Side Story, Robert Wise. Robert Wise, Jerome Robbins, Seven Arts Productions, 1961.
Explain to the students that West Side Story is based on Romeo and Juliet, but that it is set in a different time period. (You may want to show clips from both stories to show them how it works.) Allow them to come up with ideas and even plot outlines for new versions of Much Ado About Nothing.

5. Ten Things I Hate About You
Ten Things I Hate About You, Jeffrey Chernov. Gil Junger, 1999.
Just as West Side Story is based on Romeo and Juliet, Ten Things I Hate About You is based on Taming of the Shrew. As in the above exercise, allow students to come up with ideas and even plot outlines for new versions of Much Ado About Nothing.

6. Much Ado in Modern English
King, Warren. (2004). Modern English Shakespeare Translations and Resources. Retrieved 1 October 2005, from No Sweat Shakespeare Website: http://www.nosweatshakespeare.com/modern_much_ado_about_nothing_online.htm
This version of the play is written as a novel. It is written in modern, plain English. After reading several selections and comparing them with corresponding selections from the Elizabethan text, discuss the language with the students. Which do they like better? Why? What are the advantages of each?

7. Hip Hop Version
“Department of Performing Arts Infuses Much Ado With Hip Hop.” The Eagle Online 5 February 2004. Retrieved 1 October 2005. http://www.theeagleonline.com/media/paper666/news/2004/02/05/TheScene/Dept-Of.Performing.Arts.Infuses.much.Ado.With.HipHop-598327.shtml
This article talks about a group that puts iambic phrases from the play into hip-hop forms. After reading the article, students could try this activity themselves.

8. “The Poetics of Hip Hop”
Sotto, Theresa. “The Poetics of Hip Hop.” ArtsEdge. Retrieved 1 October 2005, from The John F. Kennedy Center Website: http://artsedge.kennedy-center.org/content/3656/
This article talks about different kinds of poetry and poetic devices using hip hop. It might be a good source for teaching students about iambic pentameter and other poetic devices in the play.

9. Shakespeare’s Sources
Cavazos-Kottke, Sean. (2003). “Standing on the Bookshelves of Giants.” In Search of Shakespeare. Retrieved 1 October 2005, from the MayaVision International Website: http://www.pbs.org/shakespeare/educators/technology/lessonplan2.html
This ready-made lesson plan explores the literature and materials that Shakespeare studied and used in his plays.

10. Much Ado: The Movie
Much Ado About Nothing, Renaissance Films. Kenneth Branagh, Samuel Goldwyn, Co., 1993.
This film is excellent. After they have read the play, allow the students to view this film either in its entirety or in clips. Then hold a class discussion or assign a writing log on the difference between viewing the play and reading the play. What are the strengths of each option? Does it make a difference to know that Shakespeare wrote the play intending that it be viewed?

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