THE CLASSICAL PERIOD (1200
BCE-455CE)
HOMERIC OR HEROIC PERIOD
(1200-800 BCE) Greek legends are
passed along orally. This is a
chaotic period of warrior-princes,
wandering sea-traders, and fierce
pirates.
CLASSICAL GREEK PERIOD (800-
200 BCE) Greek writers such as
Plato, Aristotle, Socrates, etc.(499-
400 BCE) is the golden age of
Greece. This is the sophisticated
period of the polis.
CLASSICAL ROMAN PERIOD (200
BCE- 455 CE) Greece’s culture
gives way to Roman power when
Rome conquers Greece in 146 CE.
Roman writers include Ovid, Horace
and Virgil. Philosophers: Marcus
Aurelius and Lucretius.
PATRISTIC PERIOD (70 CE- 455
CE) Early Christian writings appear.
This is the period in which Saint
Jerome first compiles the Bible. In
this period barbarians attack Rome
in 410 CE and the city finally falls to
them completely in 455 CE.
It’s an important piece of literature because it is the oldest piece of English literature, of
Anglo-Saxon poetry. It also explores topics that are still relevant nowadays, such as
THE MEDIEVAL PERIOD (455 CE- 1485 CE)
THE OLD ENGLISH PERIOD (428-1066)
“Dark Ages” (455-799 CE) when Rome falls
and the barbarians move into Europe. Franks,
Ostrogoths, Lombards, and Goths settle in
the ruins of Europe and the Angles, Saxons
and Jutes migrate to Britain displacing native
Celts into Scotland Ireland and Wales.
The Carolingian Renaissance (800-850 CE)
in central Europe the encyclopaedias and
early medieval grammar texts were
discovered. In northern Europe the Viking
sagas are settled. (Beowulf)
THE MIDDLE ENGLISH PERIOD (1066-1450
CE) In 1066, Norman French armies invaded
and conquered England under William I. This
marks the end of the Anglo Saxon hierarchy
and the emergence of the Twelfth Century
Renaissance (1100-1200 CE).
High medieval period: is marked by the
middle English writings of Chaucer, the
Wakefield Master and William Langland.
BEOWULF
THE RENAISSANCE AND REFORMATION
(1485-1660 CE)
EARLY TUDOR PERIOD (1485-1558) The
War of Roses ends in England with Henry
Tudor claiming the throne. Martin Luther’s
split with Rome marks the emergence of
Protestantism, followed by Henry VIII’s
Anglican schism, which creates the first
Protestant church in England.
Edward the VI, Mary the first and Elizabeth
the first.
The philosophy is humanism. The pursuit of
knowledge. Exploration of human emotions.
Interest in anatomy. A lot of importance in
scientific observation (Galileo Galilei and da
Vinci)
Exploration of a new world. New continents
were discovered.
ELIZABETH PERIOD (1558- 1603) DRAMA.
Queen Elizabeth saves England from both
Spanish invasion and internal squabbles at
home. Her reign is marked by early works of
Shakespeare, Marlowe, Kydd and Sidney.
JACOBEAN PERIOD (1603- 1625)
Shakespeare’s late work, Aemilia Lanyer,
Ben Jonson and John Donne.
CAROLINE AGE (1625- 1649) John Milton,
George Herbert, Robert Herrick, the “Sons of
Ben” and others write during the reign of
Charles I and his Cavaliers.
COMMONWEALTH PERIOD OR PURITAN
INTERREGNUM (1649-1660) Under
Cromwell’s Puritan dictatorship, John Milton
Continues to write, but we also find writers
like Andrew Marvel and Sir Thomas Browne.
heroism, loyalty. It is a fascinating piece to analyze to understand the evolution of literature
and how it has evolved. The poem has been, and still is, studied extensively, and its
influence can be seen in modern literature, film, and popular culture.

Setting: The poem takes place in Southern Scandinavia, 5th or 6th century, primarily in what
is known today as Denmark and Sweden. Written in Old English.

It was likely composed in the 8th or 9th century, but the only surviving manuscript dates from
the 11th century. It is an epic poem, written in Old English, that tells the story of a hero
named Beowulf who battles monsters and dragons to protect his people. The poem is
divided into three parts, each focusing on a different battle that Beowulf fights. It contains
many elements of Anglo-Saxon culture, including references to pagan gods and the warrior
code of the comitatus. It received the name of Beowulf in 1805. Manuscript is now in the
British Museum Written by monks. Even though it is not a religious piece, it has biblical
allusions. (first one when we meet Grendel that he's the son of Cain) (god is mentioned too)
There is a “christian flavor”.

The plot consists of the adventures of the hero Beowulf, who comes to the aid of King
Hrothgar of Denmark when his mead hall, where people celebrated, (Heorot) is attacked by
the Grendel, which is a supernatural monster. Beowulf defeats Grendel and later Grendel's
mother. Because of this, the protagonist earns fame and treasures. Later, Beowulf becomes
king of the Geats and a new enemy comes to the story, a dragon. When he fights with him,
he becomes mortally wounded, and he eventually dies. The poem comes to an end with his
funeral. Throughout the poem, Beowulf embodies the virtues of a heroic warrior, including
bravery, loyalty, and honor.

Which is the primary theme of all heroic poems? Primarily, heroism itself. Within
heroism, these types of poems explore what it means to be a hero, the qualities that make
up one and the actions and sacrifices heroes do. ALSO VENDETTA

What are the main conflicts of heroic tales? Which is the primary conflict in Beowulf?
The conflict is often between a hero, the protagonist, and a powerful adversary or enemy,
the antagonist, representing a struggle between good and evil. In Beowulf, the primary
conflict is that the enemies have been attacking people, fighting peace, conflict would be the
threat for the peace of the kingdom. He takes oaths of loyalty. etc (characteristic of heroic
tales)

Main characteristics that make us think of Beowulf as a heroic poem in English:

-A central hero: Beowulf is the central hero of the poem and is presented as a brave and
heroic warrior who faces monsters and dangers to protect his people.
-A noble purpose: The poem tells the story of Beowulf's struggle against three dangerous
monsters, Grendel, his mother, and a dragon, and how his actions help to protect his people
from these dangers.
-Poetic style: The poem is written in a poetic style that uses alliteration, internal rhyme, and
a repetitive structure to create a rhythmic and musical effect that helps to highlight the
heroism of the story.
-Great deeds: Beowulf performs incredible and heroic deeds such as killing Grendel with his
bare hands and fighting a dragon despite being old.
-Heroic values: The poem highlights heroic values such as loyalty, bravery, justice, and
honor, all of which are represented by Beowulf.
-Action and adventure: The poem is full of action and adventure, with epic battles and
intense fights that highlight Beowulf's heroism and his role as the protector of his people.

How does the foreground story develop? Slow: we wait for every side story because they
come in parts. They are chronologically arranged, we don't have flashbacks or flash
forwards. The foreground develops through several battles between Beowulf and the
monsters he faces, each fight with every enemy is more difficult and dangerous to win.

The ending is expected by the reader. Throughout the poem, there’s a literary device called
foreshadowing that “spoils” some of the future moments within the story. It’s foreshadowed
that he will die while fighting with the dragon. Even though it’s expected, it still makes the
reader emotional, specially when the people he was trying to protect mourn his death.
REFERENCE TO FAITH, age, since the poem starts with the funeral it makes sense that it
ends the same way. The fact that his best man died, the feeling of inevitability (Alexander)
everything in the poem seems to have foretold the end.

What is the etymology of Beowulf’s name? The etymology of Beowulf's name is

uncertain, but it’s thought to possibly mean "bee-wolf" bee as in "bear" in Old English. It
does evoke a sense of strength and power that is fitting for a hero of his stature even though
it’s not directly connected to superhuman powers. Beowulf receives help from god
(according to Alexander)

Define ‘epic’, according to Alexander and analyse its qualities.

In his introduction to Beowulf, Alexander notes different “epic” characteristics:
- An epic hero, the protagonist, that often possesses great courage, strength,
perseverance.
- Some kind of supernatural element, often gods, monsters, or supernatural,
mythological beings.
- A serious subject matter, such as heroism in this case.
- A formal use of language and a particular writing style. Also poetic devices such as
alliteration, metaphors, and kennings (compound words used in place of simple
nouns, e.g. "whale-road" for "sea").
- Historical events or legends that create a sense of continuity with the past. In this
case, a rich tradition of Germanic and Norse mythology
- A wide setting: they usually take place in more than one location, sometimes within
an entire continent.
- Should be universal, from an objective point of view. It should also be consistent and
an impartial view point.
- The importance is in the side stories rather than in the main story.

1. Which is the main theme in Beowulf? the nature of heroism and what it means to
be a hero. The poem makes a powerful distinction about heroes, regarding bravery,
loyalty, etc. It also explores the meaning of being a hero, how to accomplish it and
the relationship that connects a hero to a society. Conflict between good and evil.
Hero defending mankind (Alexander).
Beowulf death is not a tragedy, it is a heroic moment.
2. How are the heroic ideals revealed in the story? The heroic ideals are revealed
through the protagonist himself, who embodies the virtues of a heroic warrior.
Beowulf's actions demonstrate the idea of “hero” for example when we read about
his willingness to face the monsters, his refusal to back down even when he realised
he could die, etc. The poem also upholds these values and his heroic deeds in a
highly stylised and elevated manner, emphasising the importance of heroism and the
qualities that define it.

3. Is there any connection between Beowulf’s death and the ‘end of the heroic
age’? Beowulf’s passing sets the end of an incredible heroic era. With him gone,
there is a sense of loss not only because of him, but for the thought of being
protected by a hero. In the final lines of the poem, the poet mourns the loss of
Beowulf and the passing of a heroic world. The gold and glory are buried with him -
alexander (because there wasn't any other hero but beowulf)

4. How can the reader define the tone of the poem, according to Alexander?
Alexander defines Beowulf tone as "elegiac celebration," meaning that it combines
elements of both mourning (bc of Beowulf’s death) and celebration (of his courage
and bravery) The tone is set by using different literary devices, such as imagery,
alliterations of key motifs and phrases, kennings, and formal language. “Sorrowful
lament” Alexander. The tone is serious, combat, given the elevated language. The
poem emphasises on the inevitability of death (melancholic).

5. Which are the signs of oral narrative composition in Beowulf? The signs of oral
narrative composition in Beowulf include the use of formulaic language, repetition of
key phrases, alliteration, and a focus on the heroic deeds of the main character.
Scenes are type scenes.

6. Define the narrative method of the poem: The narrative method of the poem is a
combination of epic and elegiac elements. It follows the heroic journey of the
protagonist Beowulf, but also reflects on the passing of a glorious age and the
inevitability of death. The poem is structured as a series of episodes that are
connected thematically and chronologically, as it uses flashback and
foreshadowing to build tension and convey a sense of foreboding. (that’s why there
isn’t that much suspense, but there are a lot of moments that can be predicted by the
reader) Alexander says that it is slow, due to the digressions. The actions progress
slowly.

7. Which figures of speech can we find in the poem? The figures of speech that can
be found in Beowulf include alliteration, kenning, metaphor, and hyperbole, also
antithesis (e.g. he was not unwilling / this was no easy thing for any warrior).
Alliteration is a key feature of Old English poetry and is used to create rhythm and
reinforce the meaning of words. A kenning is a compound expression used to
describe something in a figurative way, such as "whale-road" for sea or "battle-
sweat" for blood. Metaphors are used to describe characters and events in
memorable ways, such as comparing Grendel to a "shepherd of evil" or Beowulf to a
"ring-giver." Hyperbole is also used to emphasize the heroic deeds of the characters
 and the scale of the battles, such as describing Beowulf as the "strongest of men"
and his sword as able to "slice through steel." Metonymy (for example, the iron shield
wanting to say the warrior that hold the shield)

8. Comment on syntax, vocabulary and the Old English Metre: The syntax of Old
English is markedly different from modern English, with a greater reliance on
inflectional endings and word order to convey meaning. The vocabulary of Beowulf is
heavily influenced by Germanic and Scandinavian languages, and many of the words
and phrases used in the poem are no longer in use in modern English. The Old
English metre used in Beowulf is based on stress and alliteration, with each line
containing four strong beats and a pattern of two or three alliterating sounds. This
creates a distinctive rhythm that is well-suited to oral performance and adds to the
epic quality of the poem.
 THE CANTERBURY TALES

The book, which was left unfinished when the author died, depicts a pilgrimage by some 30
people, who are going on a spring day in April to the shrine of the martyr, St. Thomas
Becket. On the way they amuse themselves by telling stories. The stories are interlinked with
interludes in which the characters talk with each other, revealing much about themselves.
-Chaucer’s purpose was to write stories for each character, but he couldn’t because he died.

“The prologue”
Setting: Place: April in Southwark, at The Tabard inn, the road to Canterbury, London. They
are in spring season (due to the weather). Time: Late 14th century.
Why were they going there?
They are going from “The Tabard” to Canterbury to seek the holy blissful martyr (St. Thomas
Becket). They are 29 pilgrims including: a Knight (caballero) , a young Squire (escudero), a
Yeoman (like a servant), a Nun (monja), a Prioress, a Monk (monje), a Friar (fraile), a
Merchant, and Oxford Cleric (still student), a Serjeant at the Law, a Franklin (landowner), a
Haberdasher, a Dyer, a Carpenter, a Weaver, a Carpet-maker, a Cook, a Skipper
(patron/capitan), a Doctor, a worthy woman from beside Bath, the Parson (párroco), a
Plowman (orador), a Reeve (juez local), a Miller (molinero), a College Manciple, a papal
Pardoner (perdonador), a Church-Court Summoner (invocador), the Host (anfitrión) and the
author who is the owner of the Tabard. Spiritual journey

The last character introduced by the author is hhe Host (Harry Bayley) his purpose is to
settle a game: the pilgrim who tells the best story gains and the loser must obey the rules of
the winner. Is the one that brings unity, the unifying character. Ceremony master is the one
who sets the rules for the story telling. voice of authority
The first to start telling his story is the Knight. It represents that he is the first in the social
class. Nobility. The knight: stands for the knights, noble people. The first person who starts
telling a story. Military prowess, huge gentleness. First ranking hierarchy.
Rhyme pattern: 12 lines stanza and it starts again. “AABBCCDDEFGG” repetition in group
of two, heroic or rhythmical couplet, it is in many instances.

- Knight: An honourable, loyal person starts telling the story among all the tellers.
Humble, honest, gorgeous
- Friar: he knew the taverns…. He's the opposite of what we imagine, charming,
persuasive tactics, satirical explanations are not over explicit,
- The doctor: he was educated but he hadn’t studied the bible so much. Astronomy,
ancient principles of human medicine. (alternative treatments that in those days may
have been the cannon for medicine) he was very knowledgeable, he had a special
love for gold (this makes the reader think about the real intentions of the doctor). He
was interested in money.
- Lady of bath: married 5 times, woman of the world, she knows a lot about marriage,
about love. Chaucer portrays her as an empowered woman, ful of freedom. She was
cheeky.
- The parson: poor but he was rich in holy thought. Elder man, honest, wonderfully
diligent not a mercenary
- The pardoner: his clothes are described in detail, gentle, convincing, songs loudly.
He attracts people who are desperate for pardon in order to catch their money. It is
 like a warning tale (this could happen, there exist people that offer you “the key for
your happiness”). Chaucer is setting the tone for corruption at that time with this tale.
“The Pardoner’s Prologue” (way in which Chaucer criticize the Church through
literature)
Occupation of the Pardoner: He sells pardons instead of giving them.
What he does to earn his living: He sells pardons and tells stories.
Characteristic of speeches and sermons: He tells the same topic, he invents stories from the
past to be loved by people and he pretends to behave like a priest(sacerdote) by having
power.
Objects shown to people: the bulls, the bottles full of bones, the shoulder bones, etc.
Virtues: His honesty to the congregation.
Vices: Avarice, he is alcoholic, he loves women and also money.

“The Pardoner’s Tale”: There are three young men who loved to amuse themselves by
singing, reveling, and drinking. The tale relates how they set out to destroy Death after one
of their friends had died. An old man tells them that Death can be found under a particular
oak tree in a grove, but when they arrive at the tree, they discover only a pile of gold florins.
Two of the men plot to kill the third so as to have more of the treasure for themselves.
However, after they kill their friend, they drink some wine that he had poisoned earlier, and
they die too.
The Pardoner concludes his tale by speaking in florid rhetoric against the vices of gluttony,
gambling, and blasphemy—adding at the end that he will be more than happy to secure
divine forgiveness for his listeners, for a price.

In the Parson’s Tale, which is the last story to be told, a priest wants people to confess
and to go to heaven. He writes his sermon in prose because his idea is to teach them not to
entertain them. Also he wants to teach them a moral lesson about the 7 deadly sins.
Chaucer chooses the parson to finish the tale in order to provide a proper ending.

UPPER CLASS (The Knight and his son, The Squire)

UPPER MIDDLE CLASS (Serjeant, Lady of Bath, Franklin)
MIDDLE CLASS ( Yeoman, Merchant, Haberdasher, Dyer, Carpenter, Oxford cleric, Cook,
Weaver, Carpet-maker, Doctor, Plowman )
THE CHURCH (2 Nuns, 3 Priests: Monk, Friar)
LOW CLASS (Parson)
 OTHELLO
Othello is the story of a noble military general who has enjoyed many successes on the
battlefield, but because of mistakes of judgment and his outsider status in his society,
sabotages his most intimate relationship and himself. The play begins on the grand scale of
a military romance unfolding on the Mediterranean Sea. However, the action of the drama
shrinks to the claustrophobic ending in the cramped bedroom where Othello kills himself
after smothering his innocent wife. The play moves from vast exteriors that provide a
backdrop for Othello’s heroism to interior spaces that offer—both literally and figuratively—
no room to breathe. The play’s constricting trajectory suggests that negative emotions like
jealousy put an emotional chokehold on a person, strangling their ability to think clearly and
thus preventing them from acting reasonably. It also contrasts the arenas in which Othello is
confident and powerful, such as the exterior world of battle, with the domestic spaces in
which he is less secure, and able to be easily manipulated.
The incident that sets the protagonist and antagonist on a collision course occurs before the
play begins, when Othello chooses Cassio as lieutenant. In being passed over for promotion,
Iago feels cast aside and left to fill the role of “ancient” (i.e., ensign), a military position that
ranks at the very bottom of all commissioned officers. Though angry with Othello’s choice,
Iago feels equally upset that the coveted job went to Cassio, who Iago considers less
qualified than he is. He also later reveals that he believes Cassio might have slept with his
wife (in addition to suspecting Othello slept with her): “For I fear Cassio with my night-cap
too.” (II.i.) Iago feels doubly degraded: a promotion he believes was rightfully his went to
another man, and both men responsible for the slight – Othello and Cassio – may be
sleeping with his wife. At this point, the audience’s sympathies are aligned with Iago, as we
haven’t yet seen Othello, and Iago does have just cause for his grievances.
The tension of the play rises once the audience meets Othello and realizes how disastrous
Iago’s plan will be. Othello and Desdemona’s declarations of love for each other, and
Desdemona’s willingness to be disowned by her father in order to be with Othello, raise the
stakes for the couple, and shifts the audience to Othello’s side. By contrasting Othello,
Desdemona, and Cassio’s virtuous natures with Iago’s lies, the play heightens the tension
between the truth and deception. With everyone in the play subject to Iago’s scheming, the
audience becomes his silent co-conspirator as he unveils his plans in a series of asides. As
Iago easily succeeds in his plot to get Cassio drunk, incite him to fight Roderigo, and
convince Othello to fire him – all the while acting as though he loves Cassio – we see what a
skilled manipulator he is. Iago’s scheming, cynical nature is starkly contrasted with the rest
of the characters in the play, who are all undone by their own trusting, honest natures and
their inability to see through Iago’s deceptions.
The conflicting forces of good, as represented by Othello, and evil, as represented by Iago,
come into direct contact at the end of Act III, scene iii, when Othello kneels with Iago and
pledges his unswerving desire to take revenge on those who have cuckolded him. Unlike
many Shakespearean tragedies where the protagonist confronts the antagonist at the play’s
climax, Othello expresses his absolute trust in Iago by appointing him his new lieutenant.
Othello’s misplacement of trust, and blindness to Iago’s true motivations, increases the
tension further, as the audience wonders when, if ever, Othello will see the truth about his
supposed friend. As Othello becomes increasingly deranged with jealousy, and refuses to
listen to Desdemona’s protestations of her innocence, he becomes less a protagonist, and
starts to figure more as a second antagonist, acting in league with Iago. From this point on,
no matter what Desdemona does, it only proves her guilt in Othello’s eyes.
In the play’s remaining two acts, Iago’s treacherous plot unfolds with a brutal inevitability.
Othello shifts from believing Desdemona could never betray him, to demanding proof of her
infidelity so he can feel justified in killing her. When Iago suggests Othello strangle
Desdemona in the bed in which she was allegedly unfaithful, Othello says “Good, good, the
justice of it pleases!” (IV.i). Othello still loves his wife passionately, but rather than
considering her virtues as arguments against Iago’s accusations, instead sees them as
reasons to be all the more upset by her alleged infidelity: “O Iago, the pity of it, Iago!” (IV.i)
Deranged with jealousy, Othello conspires with Iago to murder Cassio and devises his plan
to kill Desdemona. Either his wife has been unfaithful and is lying to him, or his beloved,
“honest” friend Iago has been lying to him. Only after he kills Desdemona does Othello
discover he believed the wrong person. When he at last realizes his error, he kills himself,
rather than live in a world where honor and honesty have no value.
 MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING
Which are the features of a play? Plays are normally divided into major units called acts,
which are sometimes subdivided into scenes. A scene usually shows a sequence of actions
which happen in the same setting, that is, in the same place and in the same period of
time.
A play traditionally tells a story which is organized by the dramatist in a plot.
The order in which scenes and situations are arranged usually serves the purpose of crating
dramatic tension, suspense and climax in order to capture the audience’s attention.
The cast of a play can have main/major characters or minor characters according to the
importance of their role in the story. They may be well-rounded characters, and show the
complexity of human psychology, or flat characters, based on only two aspects of
personality which never change throughout the play, or stock characters, and represent
human types (ex.: beautiful and virtuous heroine)
Plays develop through direct speech in the form of dialogue or in the form of soliloquy.
Plays usually include stage directions, where the dramatist intervenes to give instructions
for the play’s production. The aim of drama is not to recreate the world of nature but offer a
different model of our world.

What is a comic plot? A comic plot consists in a sequence of difficult situations in which the
main characters find themselves in trouble. But problems are always overcome and the end
is always happy.
What is a comedy and what is its essence? Comedy is a major form of drama. A play in
which the principal characters ordinarily begin in a state of opposition to one another or to
their world-often both. By the end of the play, their opposition is replaced by harmony. The
main purpose of comedy is to amuse people and its main traits are: humour, comic plot and
flat characters.
HUMOUR is the essence of comedy; it can take many forms on the stage, from the subtly
amusing to the hilarious. This is what makes people laugh.
Kinds of humour:
Verbal humour: puns are also often used in comedy based on verbal humour. A pun is a
play on words which has the same sound but different spellings and meanings.
Alternatively, it can be an amusing use of a word or phrase which has double meaning.
Behaviour humour derives from the fact that character’s behaviour is unexpected and seems
absurd in the given context on the stage.
Situational humour: it is based on the audience’s knowledge of an essential aspect of the
situation which is unknown to some characters on the stage. (a double or mistaken identity,
an intrigue or a deception.
Which is the setting and who are the main characters?
Setting (time): The sixteenth century
Setting (place): Messina, Sicily, on and around Governor Leonato’s estate
Protagonists: Claudio, Hero, Beatrice and Benedick
Is it possible to identify the plot? The play tells the story of Claudio and Hero, who marry
despite attempts to sabotage their union, and of the unlikely romance between Benedick and
Beatrice.
Importantly, the “nothing” in the title was pronounced “noting” in Shakespeare’s time and
refers to eavesdropping and gossip as much as it does a lack of substance.
Which is the main theme? Lost of honor: she could´t get married. She was accused
unfairly and her reputation was destroyed.
Public shame: she was accused in front of a lot of people and at that time virginity was the
only precious thing a woman could have.
Deception: Claudio and Herp´s father were extremely disappointed.
Lies: the public accusation of Hero. It was a plan in order to destroy their marriage.
After reading the end of the play, do you imagine which the main conflict in the story
is? Don John creates the appearance that Hero is unfaithful to Claudio, and Claudio and
Don Pedro come to believe this lie. The real conflict that underlies all of this “ado about
nothing” may be that Claudio, Don Pedro, and Benedick share a suspicion of marriage as a
trap in which husbands are bound to be controlled and deceived, but they also deeply desire
to be married.
Focus on Benedict and Beatrice. Are they common heroes? What makes them
special? No, because they do not have special virtues, they are only special because of
their discussions (witty quarrels).
How does the play finish? Is it typical in comedies? It finished in a dance, all people
were happily dancing. It is a typical ending in comedies plays where problems are always
overcome and the end is always happy.

Verse pattern: blank verse-language of elite ten syllables which are organised in five pairs.
The first syllable is weak the second stronger.
Why are the song and the epitaph included? The song and the epitaph were fundamental
to explain the pure innocence and to clarify the situation. By singing the song Claudio was
cleansing Hero´s name and also it is a kind of warning telling women to be careful and not to
fall in love with the first man that appears.

The play opens with Leonato, the governor of Messina, preparing to receive Don Pedro,
a prince and military commander, after his army’s recent victory. A messenger confirms
that two soldiers, Claudio and Benedick, are among the men arriving with Don Pedro.
Leonato’s niece, Beatrice, mocks Benedick as a witless soldier, but Leonato surmises that
the reason for her jabs is the “merry war” at play between her and Benedick. Soon, Don
Pedro, Benedick, and Claudio arrive to greet Leonato, who invites them to stay for a month.
During their meeting, Claudio notices—and quickly falls in love with—Leonato’s daughter.
Later, Benedick privately ridicules Claudio for falling in love and insists that he will never be
so foolish as to get married. But when Don Pedro learns of Claudio’s infatuation, he offers to
woo Hero on Claudio’s behalf at the masked ball that evening. Claudio agrees to the plan.
Little do they know, a manservant employed by Leonato’s brother, Antonio, has overheard
part of their conversation and mistakenly informs Antonio that Don Pedro plans to woo Hero
that night. Antonio conveys this to Leonato, who is thrilled by the match. Making matters
worse, Don Pedro’s bastard brother, Don John, has also learned of the plan. He devises a
ploy of his own, designed to convince Claudio, his enemy, that Don Pedro plans to woo Hero
for himself. That night at the ball, Don John and his friend, Borachio, lie to Claudio that Don
Pedro wants Hero for himself. At first, Claudio is furious and storms out. But when he
returns, Don Pedro reveals that he has convinced Hero to marry Claudio, and that Leonato
has agreed to the union. Meanwhile, Benedick and Beatrice share a dance, during which
Beatrice irks Benedick by calling him a jester. Once again, Don Pedro hatches a plan to
make the pair fall in love. Following the ball, Don John is furious that his plan to thwart
Claudio has failed. But Borachio suggests another ploy: since he is close to Margaret, one of
Hero’s servants, he could approach her in Hero’s chamber, tricking an observing Claudio
into thinking that a man is there with Hero. Don John likes the idea, promising Borachio a
thousand ducats if the plan succeeds. Meanwhile, while soliloquizing about the foolishness
of love, Benedick spots Don Pedro, Leonato, and Claudio approaching and quickly hides.
Aware that Benedick is listening, the trio stages a conversation about how Beatrice is madly
in love with Benedick but would die before admitting it to him. Stunned, Benedick remarks to
himself that he cannot allow his reputation to suffer by refusing her. He vows to love her
back. Similarly, Hero and her other servant, Ursula, send Margaret to tell Beatrice that she
heard the others whispering about her in the garden. Beatrice rushes to eavesdrop on the
women, who are discussing Benedick’s love for her, again with the caveat that Benedick will
never confess his love to Beatrice for fear that she will shame him. Privately, Beatrice
worries her reputation will suffer if she refuses Benedick and vows to return his love. That
night, a watchman overhears Borachio bragging to Conrad, Don John’s sidekick, about
having tricked Claudio. The watchman arrests Borachio and Conrad, reporting them to his
superior, Dogberry. But when Dogberry reports them to Leonato the following morning,
Leonato insists that he does not have time to interrogate the men, as his daughter is set to
marry Claudio that day. He orders Dogberry to handle the issue on his own. At the wedding,
Friar Francis, the officiating clergyman, asks Claudio if he will take Hero as his bride. But
Claudio refuses, alleging that he saw Hero with another man the previous night, an
allegation that causes Hero to faint. When she awakens, Hero insists that she has no idea
what Claudio is talking about, and Leonato swears revenge if he is lying. Convinced that
Hero is telling the truth, Friar Francis advises Leonato to pretend that Hero has died in order
to win sympathy and make Claudio feel guilty. As the wedding breaks up, Beatrice and
Benedick remain in the church and confess their love for one another.