William Shakespeare: Most Famous Of All English Writers Essay, Research Paper
William Shakespeare: Most Famous of All English Writers
William Shakespeare, the most famous of all English writers, has written
many works. One such work is Much Ado About Nothing, a comedy that includes
humor, love, and deceit. Several incidents in the life of the author influenced
him to write this play in the fashion that he did. These events come from his
life and the point in history in which he lived, thus producing Much Ado About
nothing.
Shakespeare’s life has very much to do with the style of his writing as
his stories are from his past experiences. Shakespeare had a life that involved
both the good and bad aspects of love. He was married for a short while,
however, the marriage was suspected to be an unhappy one because he spent much
of his later life away from his family. Shakespeare’s misfortune in love is
shown in Much Ado About Nothing when it is said, “Speak low if you speak love.”
(Shakespeare). Contrary to this, the positive side of love is apparent:
“Friendship is constant in all other things
Save in the office and affairs of love:
Therefore all hearts in love use their own tongues;
Let every eye negotiate itself
And trust no agent.” (Shakespeare)
So let it be known, Shakespeare obviously learned a great deal about love
throughout the course of his life. He learned not only the good, but also the
bad, and in this, love plays a major role in Much Ado About Nothing (Wright 10-
13).
Another element used in Much Ado About Nothing is deceit. This deceit
involves a conflict between two brothers in which one wants to keep the other
unhappy and unwed. This conflict is present as it is said, “There’s a skirmish
of wit between them.” (Shakespeare). Shakespeare, in his life, had some
deceitful things forced upon him where he was cheated out of something. He was
forced out of school at an early age of fifteen to help his father financially.
Furthermore, he was forced into marrying a women that was eight years older than
himself because she was three months pregnant. In result of his unsuccessful
marriage, it is reason enough for him involving love and deceit as one in this
play. So Shakespeare also understands deceit as he incorporated it into Much
Ado About Nothing (”Shakespeare, William”).
Contrary to love and deceit, Shakespeare uses comedy as the third and
final element of the play. Comedy is what gives Much Ado About Nothing it’s
cheerful happiness and wit that gives this play it’s recognition. Shakespeare
had many happy exper
playwright. His success started with him becoming the top writer of The
Chamberlain’s Men, which would later be renamed The King’s Men. This led to
his great career of writing which brought him fame and fortune, causing him to
live and die a happy man (Wright 10-13). The happiness and clever wit is
described like, “Merry as the day is long.” (Shakespeare). All throughout this
play, there is constantly a tone of Comedy although interrupted by scenes of
deceitful hate. This is very similar to the life of William Shakespeare, and it
clearly the reason that he writes in the style he does. All in all,
Shakespeare’s ability as a Comedic writer is very well spoken for and is the
reason that he wrote this play.
The elements used in this play as they have happened in Shakespeare’s
life are established in the relationships of the characters of the play.
Benedict and Beatrice, throughout the entire beginning of the play, display
love, deceit, and comedy. Beatrice finds all men to be repulsive, not in the
physical sense, but in the psychological sense. Benedict does not like her
attitude and does everything he can to spite her. Through all this, they both
love each other, but both are as stubborn and hard headed as each other so it is
impossible for either one to know this. At a costume party, Benedict tricks
Beatrice into thinking he is someone else by wearing a costume and disguising
his voice by talking with a different accent. Beatrice, not being aware of this,
talks badly about Benedict to whom she thinks is a stranger. Afterwards,
Benedict is furious about her statements and complains to the prince, so
everyone else conspires to get them together. They do this by letting them
individually overhear talk of each other loving one another. When they hear this,
they are both very happy and end up telling each other their true feelings
resulting in them getting married at the end of the play. The purpose of
telling the story of Benedict and Beatrice is that their dialogue and actions
resemble the tones and elements of the play, therefore they greatly contribute
to what I am proving (Shakespeare).
Finally, the elements used in Much Ado About Nothing directly coincide
with the events of Shakespeare’s life. The style that he uses comes from his
life from birth to death. In this, it is obvious that Shakespeare experienced
love in all it’s aspects, he experienced deceit in a way, but more minor than
others, and also he experienced comedy from all the happy times he had in his
life as do these experiences in the play.