Much Ado About Nothing
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| - | A '''love-hate relationship''' is a [[interpersonal relationship|personal relationship]] between [[human]]s or organizations, or figuratively between a [[human]] and an [[inanimate|inanimate object]] , like a [[computer]], a field of study, a body of ideas, or a profession, involving simultaneous or alternating [[emotion]]s of [[love]] and [[enmity]]. This relationship can, but does not have to be of a [[Romantic love|romantic]] nature. | ||
| - | This can also be simplified to say the person loves the other person/object, but hates oneself for it. | + | '''''Much Ado About Nothing''''' is a [[romantic comedy]] by [[William Shakespeare]] set in [[Messina]], [[Sicily]]. The story concerns a pair of lovers named Claudio and Hero who are due to be married in a week. To pass the time before their wedding day they conspire with Don Pedro, the prince of [[Aragon]], to trick their friends, Beatrice and Benedick, into confessing their love for one another. The prince's illegitimate brother Don John, however, jealous of both Don Pedro's power and his affection for Claudio, plans to sabotage the coming wedding. |
| + | ==Adaptations== | ||
| + | There have been several notable adaptations of ''Much Ado About Nothing''. | ||
| - | The term comes from the way one may love the object or person one moment, and yet the next moment feel great rage or [[hatred]] for it. As a colloquial expression, if someone says "I have a love-hate relationship with legal studies", what the person is trying to express is a marked [[ambivalence]] about his study of the law; parts of it are attractive, while other aspects are personally repellent. | + | ===Television=== |
| + | There have been several screen adaptations of ''Much Ado About Nothing,'' and almost all of them have been made for television. In 2005 the [[BBC]] adapted the story by setting it in the modern-day studios of Wessex Tonight, a fictional regional news programme, as part of the ''[[ShakespeaRe-Told]]'' season, with [[Damian Lewis]], [[Sarah Parish]], and [[Billie Piper]]. | ||
| - | A love-hate relationship often occurs when people have completely lost the [[intimacy]] within a loving relationship, yet still retain some [[passion (emotion)|passion]] for, or perhaps some [[commitment]] to each other. | + | ===Film=== |
| + | The first cinematic version in English may have been the 1913 [[silent film]] directed by [[Phillips Smalley]]. | ||
| - | An [[addiction]] is also a kind of love-hate relationship. Another symptom of a love-hate relationship is one in which there remains a high degree of [[sexual intimacy]], but the emotional intimacy has degraded or vanished altogether. Some in these circumstances have observed that the overall emotional feeling is not wholly unlike an actual [[drug addiction]]. | + | The [[BBC Television Shakespeare#Much Ado About Nothing.5B11.5D|1984 BBC Television version]] stars [[Lee Montague]] as Leonato, [[Cherie Lunghi]] as Beatrice, [[Katharine Levy]] as Hero, [[Jon Finch]] as Don Pedro, [[Robert Lindsay (actor)|Robert Lindsay]] as Benedick, [[Robert Reynolds (actor)|Robert Reynolds]] as Claudio, [[Gordon Whiting]] as Antonio and [[Vernon Dobtcheff]] as Don John. |
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| + | The first sound version in English released to cinemas was the highly acclaimed [[Much Ado About Nothing (1993 film)|1993 film]] by [[Kenneth Branagh]]. It starred Branagh as Benedick, [[Emma Thompson]] as Beatrice, [[Denzel Washington]] as Don Pedro, [[Keanu Reeves]] as Don John, [[Richard Briers]] as Leonato, [[Michael Keaton]] as Dogberry, [[Robert Sean Leonard]] as Claudio, [[Imelda Staunton]] as Margaret, and [[Kate Beckinsale]] in her film debut as Hero. | ||
| - | The couple usually holds a weak grudge, resentment or bitterness towards one another creating a feud between emotional depression and [[happily ever after]]. The relationship is held together by the hatred each person conjures when feeling incomparable to the other's perfection. This anger is the cover up for the ''"love"'' part of the relationship because the couple dislikes social knowledge of the affair. The hate is also powered by the teasing of each person while the frustration reaches its maximum level through the restriction on releasing their [[sexual tension]] and intimacy. | + | The 2001 [[Hindi]] film ''[[Dil Chahta Hai]]'' is a loose adaptation of the play. |
| - | However the relationship may be held together entirely by insecurity; the people in the relationship may believe that (for some reason or another) they are "unable to live without" one another, and knowing no other existence but with each other, choose the certainty of staying together over the risk of leaving. The two people in such a relationship are totally incompatible, but believe that they are both with the best person for themselves that they are going to get. | + | In October 2011, [[Joss Whedon]] announced a film called ''[[Much Ado About Nothing (2012 film)|Much Ado About Nothing]]''. The cast includes [[Amy Acker]] as Beatrice, [[Alexis Denisof]] as Benedick, [[Nathan Fillion]] as Dogberry, [[Clark Gregg]] as Leonato, [[Reed Diamond]] as Don Pedro, [[Fran Kranz]] as Claudio, [[Sean Maher]] as Don John, [[Spencer Treat Clark]] as Borachio, [[Riki Lindhome]] as Conrade, [[Ashley Johnson]] as Margaret, [[Tom Lenk]] as Verges, [[Romy Rosemont]] as the Sexton, and an unknown, Jillian Morgese, as Hero. |
| - | It can be argued that, due to the fact that the subjects love each other despite issues they have, a love hate relationship actually represents a stronger bond than a simple love relationship does. Also since a constant hatred is felt, any new issues which emerge are unlikely to put the relationship in jeopardy. | + | ===Other=== |
| + | The operas ''[[Béatrice et Bénédict]]'' (1862) by [[Hector Berlioz]] and ''[[Much Ado About Nothing (opera)|Much Ado About Nothing]]'' by Sir [[Charles Villiers Stanford]] (1901) are based upon this play. | ||
| - | ==List of famous love-hate relationships in fiction== | + | Another adaptation is the 1973 New York Shakespeare Festival production by [[Joseph Papp]], shot on [[videotape]] and released on VHS and DVD, that presents more of the text than [[Kenneth Branagh]]'s version. The [[The Public Theater|Papp production]] stars [[Sam Waterston]], Kathleen Widdoes and Barnard Hughes. |
| - | *[[Aristophanes]] and [[Euripides]] -"[[Frogs]] and Poet and the women | + | |
| - | *Benedick and Beatrice - [[Shakespeare]]'s ''[[Much Ado About Nothing]]'' | + | |
| - | *[[Elizabeth Bennet]] and [[Fitzwilliam Darcy]] - ''[[Pride and Prejudice]]'' | + | |
| - | *[[Erik]] and [[Christine Daaé]] - ''[[The Phantom of the Opera]]'' | + | |
| - | *[[Hamlet]] and [[Ophelia]] - ''[[Hamlet]]'' | + | |
| - | *Henry Jekyll/Edward Hyde and Lucy - ''[[Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde]]'' | + | |
| - | *[[Tyler Durden]] and Marla Singer - ''[[Fight Club]]'' | + | |
| - | *Vladimir and Estragon in ''[[Waiting for Godot]]'' by [[Samuel Beckett]] | + | |
| - | ==Further reading== | + | In 2006 the [[American Music Theatre Project]] produced ''[[The Boys Are Coming Home]],'' a musical adaptation by Berni Stapleton and [[Leslie Arden]] that sets ''Much Ado About Nothing'' in World War II America. |
| - | *[[Psychoanalytic concepts of love and hate]] | + | |
| - | *''The Origins of Love and Hate'' (1910 - 1965) - [[Ian Dishart Suttie]] | + | |
| - | *''(Per)versions of Love and Hate'' (1998) - [[Renata Salecl]] | + | |
| - | ==See also== | ||
| - | *[[Ambivalence]] | ||
| - | *[[Codependence]] | ||
| - | *[[Love]] | ||
| - | *[[Love triangle]] | ||
| - | *[[Hate]] | ||
| - | *[[Jealousy]] | ||
| - | *[[Crime of passion]] | ||
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Much Ado About Nothing is a romantic comedy by William Shakespeare set in Messina, Sicily. The story concerns a pair of lovers named Claudio and Hero who are due to be married in a week. To pass the time before their wedding day they conspire with Don Pedro, the prince of Aragon, to trick their friends, Beatrice and Benedick, into confessing their love for one another. The prince's illegitimate brother Don John, however, jealous of both Don Pedro's power and his affection for Claudio, plans to sabotage the coming wedding.
Contents |
Adaptations
There have been several notable adaptations of Much Ado About Nothing.
Television
There have been several screen adaptations of Much Ado About Nothing, and almost all of them have been made for television. In 2005 the BBC adapted the story by setting it in the modern-day studios of Wessex Tonight, a fictional regional news programme, as part of the ShakespeaRe-Told season, with Damian Lewis, Sarah Parish, and Billie Piper.
Film
The first cinematic version in English may have been the 1913 silent film directed by Phillips Smalley.
The 1984 BBC Television version stars Lee Montague as Leonato, Cherie Lunghi as Beatrice, Katharine Levy as Hero, Jon Finch as Don Pedro, Robert Lindsay as Benedick, Robert Reynolds as Claudio, Gordon Whiting as Antonio and Vernon Dobtcheff as Don John.
The first sound version in English released to cinemas was the highly acclaimed 1993 film by Kenneth Branagh. It starred Branagh as Benedick, Emma Thompson as Beatrice, Denzel Washington as Don Pedro, Keanu Reeves as Don John, Richard Briers as Leonato, Michael Keaton as Dogberry, Robert Sean Leonard as Claudio, Imelda Staunton as Margaret, and Kate Beckinsale in her film debut as Hero.
The 2001 Hindi film Dil Chahta Hai is a loose adaptation of the play.
In October 2011, Joss Whedon announced a film called Much Ado About Nothing. The cast includes Amy Acker as Beatrice, Alexis Denisof as Benedick, Nathan Fillion as Dogberry, Clark Gregg as Leonato, Reed Diamond as Don Pedro, Fran Kranz as Claudio, Sean Maher as Don John, Spencer Treat Clark as Borachio, Riki Lindhome as Conrade, Ashley Johnson as Margaret, Tom Lenk as Verges, Romy Rosemont as the Sexton, and an unknown, Jillian Morgese, as Hero.
Other
The operas Béatrice et Bénédict (1862) by Hector Berlioz and Much Ado About Nothing by Sir Charles Villiers Stanford (1901) are based upon this play.
Another adaptation is the 1973 New York Shakespeare Festival production by Joseph Papp, shot on videotape and released on VHS and DVD, that presents more of the text than Kenneth Branagh's version. The Papp production stars Sam Waterston, Kathleen Widdoes and Barnard Hughes.
In 2006 the American Music Theatre Project produced The Boys Are Coming Home, a musical adaptation by Berni Stapleton and Leslie Arden that sets Much Ado About Nothing in World War II America.
