ACT III
THE NOTE-ING IS NOTED
Show that the action taking the Story on consists in the "note-ing" already planned being enacted and being noted as true. How does this work with Beatrice in Scene i?
In Scene ii the unfavorable influence makes its preparation to carry on the plot disastrously by the same method. How is this made clear?
In Scene iii the "note-ing" is as effective for evil as that in scene i, is for good. But a counter influence is brought to bear upon it which consists in "noteing" the falsity of the first "noteing." Show how this is arranged and promises to solve all difficulty. But the marriage is shown next to be in active preparation, and then the promise of intervention in time to frustrate Hero's disgrace is in scene v itself frustrated by the bestowal of all Dogberry's "tediousness" upon Leonato and by his own impatience. Show the place in the action of the hurrying on of scene iv, and the tediousness of scene v, and of both on the humor of the Play.
QUERIES FOR DISCUSSION
Are the Prince and Claudio justified in the action they propose?
Is the element of chance, which both destroys the falseness of the evidence by means of Borachio's talk, and prevents it from being known by Dogberry's, especially fitting? Why?