Much Ado About Nothing

Higher Close Reading Revision

Much Ado About Nothing

• In his days off from making “Avengers Assemble”, director Joss Whedon teamed up with a bunch of his friends and made an adaptation of the Shakespearean comedy “Much Ado About Nothing” in his own house. It’s very low budget, shot entirely in black and white and extremely funny.

So, what’s going on here then?

• The film is all about quick-wit and people trying to fool one another into believing what they say is true even if it is filled with lies.

• It is about the course of love and how easily it can be altered by the words of others.

Now let’s go over the answers

You are marking your own so please do not doctor answers and

be as strict as possible!

Question 1

• What benefit does the writer’s use of sentence structure have in the opening line of the article?

2A

• Use of parenthesis – “perhaps the liveliest and most purely delightful movie I have seen so far this year”

• Informs us of the writer’s opinion – stating that he not only very much enjoyed it but that it has been one of the most cheerful films of 2013 in his opinion.

Question 2

• What use do the references to actors from classic Hollywood movies have in paragraph 2?

2E

• “a clear line of succession links them to, say, Katharine Hepburn and Cary Grant in “Bringing Up Baby” and Rock Hudson and Doris Day in “Lover Come Back.””

• These are stars who had a great rapport and whose relationship on screen was enjoyable to watch. They were also ones who exchanged witty retorts but still ended up falling in love. These are also actors who were extremely popular for these traits.

• Using these references informs the reader that Beatrice and Benedick are played in a very similar way and that there is almost an air of “Old Hollywood” about them in that they perform in a similar way to these old stars.

Question 3

• Read paragraph 3. In what ways does the writer consider Much Ado About Nothing to be a better example of Whedon’s film-making skills than Avengers? 3U

• He made it for less money.• It was shorter.• It gives him more opportunity to explore

relationships and bigger themes.

Question 4…oops, bonus question worth no marks, sorry!

• What does the writer consider superhero movies to be “forced…to become” (paragraph 3)? 1U

• A story which involved one moody character getting their own back on another.

Question 5

• What does the writer consider to be a strength of Whedon’s in paragraph 4?

2U

• Having characters who should be allies argue and exchange clever remarks.

• He cares more for the fictional people in his stories that the stories themselves.

Question 6

• What does the phrase “articulate rebels” tell the reader about Whedon’s favourite characters? 2A

• “articulate” means very well spoken and “rebels” means people who go against the norm or the socially acceptable.

• This means that Whedon’s characters are often witty rogues who are great at talking their way out of tricky situations that they have probably gotten themselves into.

Question 7

• How does the writer use language to create an image of either Beatrice or Benedick? Choose one and show how the writer’s word choice tells us more about them.2A

CHOOSE ONE: • BENEDICK – “gruff misogyny” – suggests that

Benedick is a tough man’s man. He does not treat women particularly well and perhaps is not very delicate when dealing with other people.

• BEATRICE – “a diva of withering disdain” – suggests that she is quite demanding and also quite cruel to other people. “Withering” suggests that she seems very unenthusiastic, even when insulting people.

Question 8

• How does the writer create a link between paragraphs 5 and 6? 2U

• “Their prickly romance…”• Links back to previous paragraph which focused

on the characters of Benedick and Beatrice and the fact that they are not very pleasant people and do not get on well with others.

• “a younger, simpler pair of lovers”• Links forward to next paragraph which is all about

how Hero and Claudio’s relationship comes together and how it fairs throughout the film.

Question 9

• “You do not have to have stayed awake in your high school English class to know how it all ends.” (Paragraph 7) Identify what tone is created by this line and explain how it is created.

3A

• Mocking tone• The writer is implying that the ending is very

predictable and is saying that even the laziest of pupils would still know what to expect.

Question 10

• What does the writer’s use of language in paragraph 7 reveal about the writer’s opinion of today’s “spoiler culture”? 4A

• “spoiler sensitivity” – suggests that people are very easily upset when the ending of films are revealed to them – shows that the writer thinks people are rather foolish to be this touchy over something like the ending of a film.

• “brainwashed” – suggests a cult or doctrine which has forced its way of thinking upon people – shows that the writer doesn’t think this attitude is natural and that people should be more open to different ways of thinking

Question 11

• How does the writer’s use of imagery capture the way in which Nathan Fillion chose to play the character of Dogberry? Paragraph 8. 2A

• “plays him like a weary cop from a police show on the brink of cancellation” – simile

• Comparing the actor’s performance to that of one who is about to lose his livelihood so is trying to overact but is just too tired.

• Just as a character about to lose his show is exhausted but has not yet given up the hope of losing his career, so too is Nathan Fillion’s portrayal of Dogberry.

Question 12

• In what ways does the writer prefer Whedon’s version of Much Ado to Kenneth Branagh’s 1993 version? 2U

FOR WHEDON:• The use of contemporary attire.• Use of American dialect.

AGAINST BRANAGH:• Too many celebrities.• Costumes were over the top.

Question 13

• “And sex.” (Paragraph 10) How does the writer use this sentence to create an interesting link between paragraphs 9 and 10?2U

• Use of “And” suggests that he is continuing his previous list of things that are important in the world the characters inhabit.

• “sex” links forward as he then goes on to explain how sexuality and innuendo are also important to the film.

Question 14

• How effective do you find the writer’s final sentence after the age rating and subsequent warning? 2E

• ““Much Ado About Nothing” is rated PG-13 (Parents strongly cautioned). It’s filthier than your English teacher let on.”

• This post-script seems as if it is just giving more information about the rating of the film but by adding an extra comment, he creates humour. The statement acts almost like a warning as it suggests that there are inappropriate moments in the film which would normally not be discussed in a classroom environment. It also link back to his last paragraph, which focused on the film’s more sexual elements.