The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-11-15
STUDY OF MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING. :
by ymourEa sonl
PROF

Leonato--To be married TO her: frfar
you come TO marry her.
No one seems TO be aware of the deep
er issues OF life. Life depends upon the
superficial word, and the word turns to
dust and ashes. For all this ado goes for
nothing. A witty world Is seen destroy
ing itself. III sometimes tragic to ITSELF
1t is always comic TO an observer COM
edy makes quick use of such peryersions.
IN an environment of superficial moth
This social temper invites the comedy
OF situations. The play proceeds through
series Of deceits and disclosures. Bene-
Claudio decelves Benediek and reveals his
deception Hero deceives Beatrice and
nnmasks her secret. Claudio and Hero
N their turn are frfcked by Don John
into enforcement and trapped by The
priest into marriage. Then Don John il
caught BY Doghefry. who is so stupid
that ne deceiyes himself The whole play
I built thus upon deception and false
MOOD, one character. and one alone
moves in the play without decisions.
to the reality OF "a thousand ducats."
ne alone makes ado about something
4, th s,s ssry 81 church cennives at fraud, and
one is not disposed 10 resent this fart
remcmbering that arttace Is the life al
comedy Tragedy deals with realities.
comedy only with Appearances
The eonstables being the onlv r,.r..,,..
"a the play who do not practice disrutse
Intentionally, but strive 10 render honeet
ssecoant q their Office. furnish the third
,nhumor-the comedy Of character. And
they are comic in three rcspects-ln thar
appearances, their conduct and their Ian
naase. clustering pogberry. pufYed out
or nesh.' needs only to be ree.s * ~
aughed q, He and his mates know well
Mnnt belongs to watch--to offend no
ara s arunkards e be left alone TN they
out or their company. to let child crv
e. nisht TIL y wakens its nurse Dog
s uefry SHOWS s, tee what belongs 10 a jus
every question But their chief humor IL
one OF speech, They practice the whoia
art OF malapropism- comedy 81 Lam lam
them that Comparisons are odoro,,s
through some stupid biunder doubtless
me watch succeeded In '''eomprehending
properly "opinioned'' and ..cordemned ~
everlasting redemption" 1t Is notev,or
thy that In Shakespeare the comedy az
cnarac,er u conducted generally by tho
common people. The time seemed TO have
Little suspect" for such as Dogberrv.
Today the tables are turned. the noble IL
more more often the clown and poRberry the
play Dogberry has his recosnpense SIN.
pid as he Is. he Is the only wise man
among the company OF Wits I.eonato. this
able to discover what Dorberrv brourSt
70 light. This. too, becomes part ~
the comic import OF the play.
pea'rice ana benedck display In the
nrst part OF the play humor that Il
more satirical than natural. and syringe
from intellect rather than feeling n ~
humor touched with bitterness. ana Il
appropriately termed In the play .'shrcw~
ism Benedick says Of Heatrice: she
speaks poinards. and every word ptabr \
IN the war of words Beatrice IL eoncr-
ally the victor. her superior wit furnish.
ing indeed the ground of Benedick's ad-
miration. They both rail- against each
other and are obstinate hercttcs'' In re-
spect q love and marriage. Said BeMtrsce
had rather hear my dog bark al 4
crow than man swear he loves me n
And Benedick insists that he may some
time pale from anger, sickness or hum
ger, but never from love. III do. hang
The secret ~ their growing inyr ~ ~
course. that AZ starting they have pre-
cisely the same attitude toward life what
could he more natursi than for two mis-
ogatntsts to agree 10 Disagree In nnitv