For my inquiry project, I will be exploring literary criticisms of Shakespeare’s Much Ado about Nothing. I will focus on the central (and contemporary) issue of gender inequality in the play, and have already found a plethora of resources that provide excellent guidance.
I have decided to go this route because Much Ado about Nothing is what I will be teaching my grade 9 students, and I feel that issues of sexism and patriarchy will allow my students to see the universal and present day relevance of a play that was written hundreds of years ago. I also hope that through my research I will also be able to show my students, through my teaching, just how accessible Shakespearean literature can be. Furthermore, while some may argue that many Shakespearean characters are representations of weak women, I will argue that in Much Ado about Nothing, Shakespeare challenges the notion of societal produced gender roles through the characters of Hero and Beatrice.
As I have already mentioned, I have compiled a list of resources I will be using to aid my inquiry – the majority of which are scholarly journal articles. I will critically evaluate these documents and expect to conclude with the idea that Much Ado about Nothing is filled with copious examples of gender inequality, but that it is this sentiment that makes it an excellent illustration of a historical text that is very much relevant in modern-day society. I also hope to use my research towards modifying and perfecting my lessons for this play, with the end goal of having a well thought out and engaging unit plan.
*Works Cited attached in comments section*
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