Much Ado About Nothing Quotes

"Signor Montanto" - said by Beatrice about Benedick

'Mountanto' derives from the french verb 'monter', meaning to climb, suggesting Benedick is a social climber. 'Montanto' is also a technical term for an upwards thrust in fencing, which ignites sexual connotations, showing Beatrices wit and hints Beatrice sees Benedick in a sexual manner.

"he is a very valiant trencher-man, he hath an excellent stomach"-said by Beatrice about Benedick

'valiant trencher-man' suggests he is a hearty eater. 'excellent stomach' shows he has a good appetite but also that he has courage in a battle. This could represent the conflicting emotions Beatrice has unto Benedick. She insults him yet awknolwedges that he is admirable in battle. 

"stuffed man"- Beatrice about Benedick - Comedic insult, suggesting he lacks intelligence and creates an image of a dummy figure. 

"Merry war" - Oxymoron, shows that there insults are not personal and more friendly banter rather than aiming to hurt the other. 

'I would burn my study' - Beatrice about Benedick not being in her 'books' 

Humourous for comic, exagerrtory effect. Shows strong dislike to Benedick.

"he wears his faith but as the fashion of his hat"- Beatrice about Benedick

Insulting Benedick and his nature. She expresses his fickle, laughable manner. The similie of the hat also suggests his vanity. 

"nobody marks you"- Beatrice to Benedick  

'marks' is paying attention, showing that Beatrice thinks Benedick is boring and that his nobody cares about what he is saying. Showing her indifference towards him. 

"Lady Disdain" Benedick to Beatrice 

This is Benedicks pet name for Beatrice. the verb 'disdain' suggests that he thinks that Beatrice is snooty and too proud. 

"I am loved of all ladies, only you excepted"- Benedick to Beatrice
Shows Benedicks cocky, arrogant nature. Also hints at Benedicks sexual history and shows that he does not lack attention from woman. His generalisation of 'all' woman loving him, shows his confident, promiscious ways.

"hard heart... I love none"- Benedick about never wanting to get married                            Alliteration of hard hard, creates a harsh sound, and a definitve statement. This shows Benedick indominable mindset towards marriage, highlighting his strong distast towards marriage. 

That I neither feel how she should be loved nor know how she should be worthy is the opinion 
that fire cannot melt out of me. I will die in it at the stake." Benedick to Don Pedro              Benedick hates love, and he’s known for hating beauty. Beauty can’t move him to love, but perhaps some more meaningful trait in a girl could move him to love.

"It is my cousin's duty to make curtsy and say, 'Father, as it please you.' But yet for 
all that, cousin, let him be a handsome fellow, or else make another curtsy, and say, 'Father, as it please me." - Beatrice about Hero. Highlights the obediance expected of daughters to their fathers. Hero keeps to this well + Beatrice is saying that she is allowed a bit more freedom.

"rare parrot teacher"

splendit mimic because Beatrice repeated his words. Hints that Beatrice is influenced by what Benedick says.

`A bird of my tongue is better then a best of yours" Beatrice to Benedick                                     She claims at least her tongue is fluent, his is like a dumb beast. 

"I had rather hear my dog bark at a crow than a man swear he loves me"                                 The thought of love repulses her and she finds it so annoying. The similie to a dog barking at a crow shows the reader the extent in which she hates the idea of love and marriage.

"skirmish of wit" - Leonato about Beatrice having a strong personality and is witty. Contrasts to ideal woman of Shakespearan times. 

"truly the Lady fathers herself" Don Pedro showing that Beatrice has the confidence that matches a man, and her fiercely indendence.

"Too low for a high praise, too brown for a fair praise" - Benedick insulting Hero to Claudio and showing his disinterest in her. Suggests Benedick is post modernist and wants someone who has substance rather then just looks. 

"Can the world buy such as jewel" Claudio objectifiying Hero to a metaphor of a jewel. Showing that he sees her as a possession and is purely interested in how she looks. Perhaps he is so entranced by her beauty, he never gets to know her, leading him to be vulnerable to manipulatation of accusations of her personality. As he doesn't know her nature, he is more open to believe others opinions on her.

"That I love her, I feel" - Claudio about Hero after only just meeting her. Humorous to modern readers and shows his rash immature nature and how his emotions drive his decisions.

"That a woman conceived me, I thank her" Benedick about marriage and womans role. Shows that he has a sexist view on woman and sees their sole role as to make children and be mothes.

"Thou wilst never get theee a husband if thou be so shrewd of thy tongue" Leonato about Beatrice not getting a husband. He is suggesting that he indendent, outspoken persona hinders he ability to get a husband, which would of been of high agenda for Shakespearan women.

"I trust you will be ruled by your father" Antoniono to Hero. Shows the male authority in society and the expected obedience to all men in a womens life, from father to husband.

"walk softly, and look sweetly and say nothing" - Hero's character. This would be the ideal women in Shakespearan times. Subservent to men and purpose was to look pretty and obey. 

"She speaks ponairds and every word stabs" - Benedick about Beatrice. Showing that she doesn't mince her words and sometimes she can be crass and hurtful.

"Count, take of me my daughter, and with her my fortunes"Leonato giving his blessing to Claudio. Showing he sees Hero as his possession. Fathers played a key part in marriage and often in 15th centuary marriages were arranged by the Fathers w/ little concern to daughters feelings. 

"Lady Beatrice, I will get you one"- Don Pedro to Beatrice

Saying that Beatrice can't seem to find herself a husband so he is offering to intervene.

"rotton orange"Metaphor to a orange being old and useless mimics the views on women who were not virgins in Shakespearan times and the shame inflicted on them for such a paramount attribute women must've had. 

"She knows the heat of a luxurious bed" Claudio about Hero, suggesting she sleeps around and is promiscious. 

"Truth of Heros disloyalty" and "contaminated stale" - Borachio about Hero. Highlights the impertiveness of virginity. 

"Gentle Hero" - ideal women - Don Pedro

"One Hero died defiled but I do live on" - Hero about being reborn sans shame after the scandal with Claudio. Showing her forgiving and somewhat pitible personality.

"her foul tainted flesh" - Leonato about Hero                                                                            Shows that there is no loyalty between Hero and her father deu to the fact that he believes Claudio over his own daughter. 

"I can at any unseasonable instant of the night appoint her to look out at her lady's chamber window"- Margeret to Borachio (agreeing to be apart of the plan)

This shows the loyalty between Margaret and Borachio. Margaret has fallen in love with him that she is willing to deceive her friend. Showing a toxic power of love. 

"He's of a very meloncoly desposition" - Hero commeneitng Don Johns mood - emphasising his character.

"She is too disdainful"- Hero makes Beatrice seem awaful to Ursual beause Beatrice is listening.

"covered fire" Hero speaking about Benedick and Beatrice trying to conceal their love and passion. 

"One Hero died defiled but I do live on" 

"art thee not ashamed"-Hero in response to the mention of sex.

Shows Heros naivety and purity as she won't even speak of sex  as she is embarassed by the mention of sex. 

"my heart is exceedingly heavy" - Hero on the day of her wedding

Not what one would expect on the morning of your wedding day. This is apprehension and dramatic irony as the audience knows she is going to be shunned  and shamed at the alter. 

"common stale" - Do Pedro describing Hero after she has been shamed. 

"I am a plain deceiving thief" - Don John on his character, showing his self honesty.

"If I had my mouth I would bite" - Don John about himself, perpetrating himself in an animalistic way with violent,harrowing connotations.

"Trusted with a muzzle" - dehumanizes him and shows his frreedom is restricted. 

"Everyman's Hero" - Hero sleeps around.

"art thee not ashamed"-Hero in response to the mention of sex.

Shows Heros naivety and purity as she won't even speak of sex  as she is embarassed by the mention of sex. 

"my heart is exceedingly heavy" - Hero on the day of her wedding

Not what one would expect on the morning of your wedding day. This is apprehension and dramatic irony as the audience knows she is going to be shunned  and shamed at the alter. 

"common stale" - Do Pedro describing Hero after she has been shamed. 

"I am a plain deceiving thief" - Don John on his character, showing his self honesty.

"If I had my mouth I would bite" - Don John about himself, perpetrating himself in an animalistic way with violent,harrowing connotations.

"Trusted with a muzzle" - dehumanizes him and shows his frreedom is restricted. 

"Everyman's Hero" - Hero sleeps around.

"pretty lady" - Don John mocking Hreo because of her accusation in which he knows to be false.  

"How canst thou cross this marriage" - Don Joh n is always looking for trouble and how to hurt Don Pedro.

"will it serve for any model to build mischief on?" - Don John is always looking to disrupt his brother and those around him.

"Exquisite Claudio" - Sarcasm/jealous of Claudio and sees him as a threat.

"a canker in a hedge than a rose" and "I have decreed not to sing in my cage"- Don John

"I am sick" - Beatrice about 'benedictous' - humorous.

"death is the fairest cover for her shame" - Leonato saying he would rather Hero die then live with a promisicious daughter who has slept with men before marriage. tragic.

"praising her when I am dumb" - everyone but Claudio knew she was innocent- shows how little he knew her.

"most foul, most fair" - Claudio about Hero - Oxymoron shows that he think she looks pure but is really impure. 

"I do challenge thee" -Leonato - humorous as such an old man is challenging a fit and young soldier.

"tis certain so; the prince woos for himself" - so easily deceived by Don John, distrusts his close friend over a practical stranger - shows lack of trust.

"kill claudio" 

"merry war" - description of Beatrice and Benedicks relationship - oxymoron 

"yea,or else it were pity but they should suffer salvation,body and soul" - Dogberry

This is malapropism where 'salvation' shouldn't be there. This highlights the unintelligent nature of the watch and idiocy. This is for comic effect and is ironic as they are supposed to be protecting everyone and in power.

"Adieu: be vigitant, I beseech you" - 'vigitant' meaning vigiliant. This is ironic as the watch aren't vigilant or intelligent.

"This is your charge" - Dogberry, rambles too much and is full of self importance and pompous. 

"How if the nurse be asleep and iwll not hear us?" - A long list of seemingly irrevelant questions, showing that he speaks nonsense yet dominates speech. 

"Only, have a care that your bills be not stolen" - doesn't udnerstnad the requirements of the job - he references to prior inepititude.