Figurative Language In Much Ado About Nothing

Shakespeare’s fundamental understanding of language is, arguably, what makes the imaginative design of his various works so transcendent. With layer upon layer of meaning, his words leave an infinite amount of room for speculation and analysis. This legacy shines particularly bright within the Shakespearean comedy Much Ado About Nothing. Witty banter and passionate speeches drive the play – even the title is given dimension through Shakespeare’s choice of words! The words “nothing” and “noting” were pronounced in a similar way around the time Shakespeare wrote this play, so it is reasonable to assume that he was implying a connection between the driving force of the play (deceit) and “noting” when he chose the title. Many instances of “noting”

He says that Benedict’s note is “fashioned” to Beatrice – the word “fashion” is used many times in moments of deceit or misconception throughout the play, so its use here can be no coincidence. Claudio (as well as all the characters except Beatrice and Benedict) is aware that he is manipulating Beatrice and Benedict exactly as he and the others did before, thereby reflecting the larger imaginative design of “noting” in the play. What makes the manipulation in this passage unique, however, is that it is made clear and literal in the eyes of the audience. The connection between social manipulation, “misnoting,” and the act of falling in love is made tangible in the handwriting of Beatrice and Benedict – it is, quite literally, a tangible recreation of bizarre circumstances arising from “noting.” For that reason, it can be reasonably concluded that Shakespeare wanted to unmistakably emphasize the imaginative design of “noting” in this particular passage as it compares to the rest of the play. It is so emphasized, in fact, that it seems as though Beatrice and Benedict should also be able to see such clear and tangible

It certainly seems that this may be the case as Beatrice and Benedict immediately return to their all-too-familiar banter after becoming engaged. In the context of Shakespeare’s larger imaginative design, the situation is still most definitely a strange one, but it does not seem so baseless and unjustified as it once did. A real note written with the real hands of Beatrice and Benedict seems to, in a way, validate their relationship, even if the means through which those notes were created was not entirely valid. Not all of the situations of “noting” in Much Ado About Nothing receive this kind of validation, but that seems to be part of Shakespeare’s imaginative design: bizarre circumstances can be created from “noting,” but that does not always make such circumstances mean nothing. The ridiculousness of the situation is clear overall, but it is ultimately good-hearted as the passage ends with Benedict giving Beatrice a