Today's focus:
- Language & power (patriarchy - male, father authority).
- Misunderstanding & deception.
- Interpretation.
Camille Wells Slights - Shakespeare Comic Commonwealth 1993.
"The play is centrally concerned with the social nature of language - with the power of language and with language as an articulation of power".
References to:
Language and power
- Don John referred to as "my lord" = holds power over a select few, despite his low intellect.
- However, Don John complains about his lack of power - "I have decreed not to sing in my cage" - refrained from speaking because of his low authority, so his words mean little. He will not speak others words if he cannot have his own, low authority in comparison to half-brother Don Pedro = jealousy, trapped by his bastardy.
- "Muzzle" - refers to his speech as a dog's bark and everyone else's as a singing bird's = lesser than the other characters in the play.
Misunderstanding
- Borachio eavesdrops and thinks Don Pedro is going to woo Hero - "and there heard it agreed upon that the prince should woo Hero for himself" - misunderstanding. This could bring Don John even less power than the little he already has, as he is delivered false information.
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