Shakespeares Mediterranean Women in Much Ado About Nothing

Shakespeare’s Mediterranean Women in Much Ado About Nothing and All’s Well That Ends Well Preeshl, Artemis. (2018, June-July). Shakespeare’s Mediterranean Women in Much Ado About Nothing & All’s Well That Ends Well 2018 NEH Summer Institute for Higher Education Instructors "Thresholds of Change: Modernity and Transformation in the Mediterranean, 1400 -1700, ” Hill Museum and Manuscript Library at Saint John’s University, Collegeville, Minnesota

Abstract This module examines Mediterranean images and primary readings to better portray Mediterranean women in All’s Well That Ends Well and Much Ado About Nothing. The Early Modern female painters Sofonisba Anguissola and Lavinia Fontana are featured in these two classes. This study compares scripted characters and Early Modern images. All’s Well That Ends Well is set in France and Italy. Much Ado About Nothing is set in Aragonese Messina. The depictions of women in France and Italy in the Early Modern era will encourage accurate portrayal of Shakespeare’s women in the Mediterranean context. The module will show Mediterranean women lived during the Early Modern circumstances and reassess analysis and portrayal Mediterranean female characters in Shakespeare’s plays.

Early Modern Women in Shakespeare’s Mediterranean for Theatre Appreciation Objective: �Uncover literary sources and images to promote accurate portrayal of Shakespeare’s female Mediterranean characters in All’s Well That Ends Well and Much Ado About Nothing. The Problem: �Men performed female characters in Shakespeare’s plays during the late 16 th and early 17 th centuries. �Images of actresses playing Shakespeare’s female roles date from the late 18 th century.

Method to Promote Accurate Portrayal of Shakespeare’s Mediterranean Women � Design: 2 classes taught in Week 9 of Theatre Appreciation. � Text: Cuomo, Amy and Pauline Gagnon, Theatre Arts: An Interdisciplinary Approach. 2 nd ed. Carrollton, GA: University of West Georgia, Chapter 3, “Enactment. ” � Key words: Theatre, Mediterranean, Theatre in the Mediterranean, Early Modern Theatre, Shakespeare, Actresses � Site Tags: Identities, Teaching, Modules, Lesson Plans, Syllabi, Reference Tools, Primary Visuals, Resources, Source Collections, Themes, Tools, and Transformations.

Much Ado About Nothing: Class Meeting #1 � Objective: Accurately portray Beatrice, Ursula, Margaret, and Hero in Much Ado About Nothing based on original readings and images. � Readings: Jane Schneider. “Honor, Shame and Access to Resources in Mediterranean Societies, ” Ethnology, 10, (1) (1971), 2, 20 -22. Bashaw, Ishmael. (1797). The Turkish Refugee Being A Narrative of the Life, Sufferings, Deliverances, Conversion, of Ishmael Bashaw. London: T. Conder, Bucklersbury, T. Knott, and D. Taylor, 1 -5. �Female Shakespearean characters are often based on English characterizations instead of Mediterranean sources.

Much Ado About Nothing: Source Material � Martin Herrick noted that the false accusation of Hero in Much Ado About Nothing “found in [Flaminio] Scala’s Gelosa Isabella…may have been based on the same novella by Bandello that probably provided Shakespeare with the Hero. Claudio story” (1960: 224). � Hero had no mother, but Shakespeare added a non-speaking “Imogen”, Leanato’s wife, in a 1600 Much Ado About Nothing Quarto (Nuria Gisbert, “What’s in a Name? Innogen/Imogen in Shakespeare’s Cymbeline, ” Shakespeare’s Globe, 2018. ) � In Much Ado, Shakespeare minimized damage to Hero’s reputation to play up Beatrice and Benedick’s witty sparring.

Much Ado About Nothing: Source Material Matteo Bandello’s Timbreo and Fenicia: � Timbreo and Girondo who served King Peter of Aragon. � Timbreo fell in love with Fenicia, daughter of Lionato de’Lionati, a poor Sicilian gentleman, and his wife, Imogen. � Girondo invites Timbreo to see a servant who pretends to be Fenicia and acts in an unseemly manner in Fenicia’s window. � When Timbreo breaks his engagement, Fenicia faints. � The family holds a fake burial. � Girondo admits that he deceived Timbreo � Timbreo agrees to marry Lucilla. � Fenicia takes off her disguise of Lucilla at the wedding.

Much Ado About Nothing: Female Characters � Hero is the daughter of Leonato, Sicily’s well-to-do governor of Messina. She tricks Beatrice into thinking that Benedict loves her. At her wedding, Claudio, Hero’s fiance, falsely accuses Hero of cheating on him. She faints and is presumed dead. Leonato convinces Claudio to marry an unknown woman of Leonato’s choice. Hero unmasks and marries him. � Beatrice – Beatrice is Hero’s close friend. She is mirthful, outspoken, and disdainful of men. When Hero is disparaged, Beatrice convinces Benedict to fight to defend Hero’s honor. Beatrice falls in love with and marries Benedict.

Much Ado About Nothing: Female Characters � Ursula is Hero’s lady in waiting. When Hero tricks Beatrice into believing that Benedict loves her, Ursula acts as Hero’s foil as they lay the trap for Beatrice. Ursula is steadfast, loyal, and obedient. � Margaret, Hero’s bawdy and sassy maid, is tricked into setting up the disparagement of Hero by dressing up in Hero’s clothes and appearing in Hero’s window. Don John, the illegitimate brother of Don Pedro, is taking revenge by hiring Boracchio, his henchman, to court Margaret, dressed as Hero, as Claudio watches. Margaret inadvertently disrupts Hero’s marriage.

Much Ado About Nothing: 18 th century images Mrs. Abingdon as Beatrice Charles Sherwin, 1785 Beatrice listening to Hero & Ursula (Mrs. Siddons, Mrs. Jordan, and Mrs. Murray) John Jones, 1797 Images courtesy of the Folger Shakespeare Library LUNA Digital Image Collection

Much Ado About Nothing: Early Modern Images � Beatrice: Martha and Mary Magdalene (c. 1598): Caravaggio Judith with Holofernes’ Head (1600): Lavinia Fontana � Hero Isabella De Medici: Agnolo Bronzino (1572) Marriage of the Virgin (1514 -1515): Domenico Beccafumi � Ursula The Chess Game (1555): Sofonisba Anguissola Descent from the Cross (1525 -1528): Domenico Beccafumi � Margaret Vertumnus & Pomona (1520 -21): Jacopo Pontormo Christ’s Descent to Hell (1530 -35): Domenico Beccafumi

Much Ado About Nothing: Early Modern Images Beatrice in Sicily Martha and Mary Magdalene Caravaggio (c. 1598) Judith with Holofernes’ Head Lavinia Fontana (1600) Images courtesy of Wikimedia. Commons. com

Much Ado About Nothing: Early Modern Images Hero in Sicily Isabella De Medici (1542 -1576) Agnolo Bronzino (1572) Marriage of the Virgin (1514 -15) Domenico Beccafumi Images courtesy of Wikimedia. Commons. com

Much Ado About Nothing: Early Modern Images Ursula in Sicily The Chess Game (1555) Sofonisba Anguissola Descent from the Cross (1525 -28) Domenico Beccafumi Images courtesy of Wikimedia. Commons. com

Much Ado About Nothing: Early Modern Images Margaret in Sicily Vertumnus & Pomona (1520 -21) Christ’s Descent to Hell (1530 -35) Jacopo Pontormo Domenico Beccafumi Images courtesy of Wikimedia. Commons. com

All’s Well That Ends Well: Class Meeting 2 � Objective: Understand how to play Helena, the Countess of Rousillion, the Florentine Widow, Diana, and Mariana based on original readings and images. � Readings: Mantel, Hilary. 11 May 2012. “Anne Boleyn: witch, bitch, temptress, feminist. ” The Guardian. A Faithful Account of the Religions and Manners of the Mahometans, 1731, Chapter 9, Account of the Author’s turning Mahometan, through the barbarous Cruelties and Tortures which he suffered. p 26. � Importance: Female Shakespearean characters are often based on English characterizations instead of Mediterranean sources.

All’s Well That Ends Well: Source Material � Shakespeare’s All’s Well That Ends Well was based on “Gileta of Narbonne” story. Boccaccio’s Decameron (Book 3, Story 9) William Painter’s (1566) translation in Palace of Pleasure. � The action in All’s Well That Ends Well occurs: Roussillon Paris Florence Marseille.

All’s Well That Ends Well: Gileta of Narbonne Count Roussillon retained Gileta’s father as his doctor. Both the doctor and Count Roussillon passed away, Bertram went to Paris and Helena stayed with the Countess. When the French King became ill, Helen cured the King in Paris. The French King allowed Helen to choose a husband gave Bertram to Helen in marriage. Bertram rejected Helen and left for the Florentine-Sienese war. Helen followed Bertram to Florence where she offers a dowry to the Widow and her daughter in exchange for procurement of the ring and an appointment to sleep with Bertram. Helen, the Widow, and her daughter confront Bertram in the French Court and the French King upholds Helen’s right. Her promise fulfilled, Bertram kisses Helen forgives him.

All’s Well That Ends Well: Female Characters �Helen loves Bertram. Since her father, the late Count of Roussillon’s physician, died, Helen lived with the Countess and Bertram. Helen entreats the Countess to let her try to heal the King of France. The King rewards Helen with her choice of husbands. Helen chooses Bertram, who marries her, but he refuses to live with her unless she can get his ring and become pregnant with his child. Helen follows Bertram to Florentine-Sienese wars and Helen replaces Bertram’s love interest in bed to get his ring and child. Bertram admits his fault and embraces her as his wife.

All’s Well That Ends Well: Female Characters �The Countess of Roussillon The Countess, Bertram’s mother, acts as Helen’s mother. She jokes with her clown Lavatch and counsels Helen. The Countess writes many letters to Bertram to implore him to return from the war and honor his marriage to Helen. �Diana is the chaste and poor virgin whom Bertram loves and tries to seduce. When Helen asks for help, Diana agrees to make an appointment to set up Bertram to sleep with Helen in a “bed trick. ” Diana appears in court to defend her honor and support Helen’s claim to Bertram.

All’s Well That Ends Well: Female Characters �The Widow is mother to Diana who jealously guards her daughter’s virginity. She runs a hostel for pilgrims. When she meets Helen at the military parade in Florence, the Widow agrees to help Helen in exchange for a dowry for her daughter. The Widow accompanies Helen and Diana to court to reinforce Helen’s claim on Bertram. �Mariana is a poor maid who lost her virginity. She warns Diana to remain a virgin until she is married. Mariana is well-acquainted with Parolles, a dishonorable servant who has followed Bertram to Italy.

All's Well That Ends Well: 18 th Century Images Mrs. Warren as Helena Mather Brown [c. 1756? ] King John ; King Henry VI Joseph Kenny Meadows [1843? ] Images courtesy of the Folger Shakespeare Library LUNA Digital Image Collection

All’s Well That Ends Well: Seventeenth and Eighteenth Century Images � Seventeenth and Eighteenth Century images Mrs. Warren as Helena: �Mather Brown [c. 1786? ] King John; King Henry VI: �Meadows, Joseph Kenny [1843? ] Images courtesy of the Folger Shakespeare Library LUNA Digital Image Collection

All's Well That Ends Well: Early Modern Images Helena in Roussillon Bourgeoise, Perpignan (1572) Self-Portrait Sofonisba Anguissola (1554) Images courtesy of Wikimedia. Commons. com

All's Well That Ends Well: Early Modern Images Countess of Roussillon Eleonora di Toledo & son (1522 Isabel von Valois (1545 -1568) 1562) Sofonisba Anguissola (1565) Agnolo Bronzino (1545) Images courtesy of Wikimedia. Commons. com

All's Well That Ends Well: Early Modern Images Countess of Roussillon Self-Portrait (1580) Lavinia Fontana (1552 -1614) S. Francesco di Paola Blesses the Son of Luisa di Savoie (1590) Lavinia Fontana Images courtesy of Wikimedia. Commons. com

All's Well That Ends Well: Early Modern Images Widow in Firenze St. Benedict Oratory in Siena Domenico Beccafumi (15181520) Episode in Hospital Life Jacopo Pontormo (1514) Images courtesy of Wikimedia. Commons. com

All's Well That Ends Well: Early Modern Images Diana in Firenze Minerva (1613) Lavinia Fontana Venus Welcomes Tributes of Love (1525 -28) Lavinia Fontana Images courtesy of Wikimedia. Commons. com

All's Well That Ends Well: Early Modern Images Mariana in Firenze The Last Supper of San Salvi Jacopo Pontormo [1519 -1520? ] Isabella Ruini as Venus (1592) Lavinia Fontana Images courtesy of Wikimedia. Commons. com

All’s Well That Ends Well: Early Modern Images � Helena Bourgeoise, Perpignan (1572) Self-Portrait (1554): Sofonisba Anguissola � Countess of Roussillon Eleonora di Toledo and her Son Francesco: Agnolo Bronzino (1545) Isabel von Valois: Sofonisba Anguissola (1565) Self-Portrait (1580) Lavinia Fontana S. Francesco di Paola Blesses Luisa di Savoie’s Son (1590) Lavinia Fontana

All’s Well That Ends Well: Early Modern Images � Widow St. Benedict Oratory in Siena (1518 -1520): Domenico Beccafumi Episode in Hospital Life (1514): Jacopo Pontormo � Diana Minerva (1613): Lavinia Fontana Venus Welcomes Tributes of Love (1525 -28) Lavinia Fontana � Mariana The Last Supper of San Salvi[1519 -1520? ]: Jacopo Pontormo Isabella Ruini as Venus (1592): Lavinia Fontana

References Matteo Bandello. The Novels of Matteo Bandello: Bishop of Agen. Timbreo and Fenicia, I (22), London: Villon Society. [1890]. Google Books, (2018). Mather Brown. [Mrs. Warren as Helena in All’s well that ends well] You must know I am supposed dead [graphic]. [1786? ]. Folger Shakespeare Library LUNA Digital Image Collection, 2018. Amy Cuomo and Pauline Gagnon, Theatre Arts: An Interdisciplinary Approach. 2 nd ed. Carrollton, GA: University of West Georgia, Chapter 3, “Enactment. ” Nuria Gisbert, “What’s in a Name? Innogen/Imogen in Shakespeare’s Cymbeline, ” Shakespeare’s Globe, 2018.

References Martin T. Herrick. Italian Comedy in the Renaissance. Urbana, IL: University of Illinois, 1960. John Jones. Beatrice listening to the conversation between Hero and Ursula [graphic] [early 19 th century? ], Folger Shakespeare Library LUNA Digital Image Collection, 2018. Joseph Kenny Meadows. King John; King Henry VI; All’s well that ends well [graphic], Folger Shakespeare Library LUNA Digital Image Collection, 2018. Charles Sherwin. Much ado about nothing, act 3, scene I, Mrs. Abingdon in the character of Beatrice [graphic]. Folger Shakespeare Library LUNA Digital Image Collection, 2018.

Bibliography Matteo Bandello. The Novels of Matteo Bandello: Bishop of Agen. Timbreo and Fenicia, I (22), London: Villon Society. [1890]. Google Books, (2018). Frances K. Barasch. “Italian Actresses in Shakespeare's World: Flaminia and Vincenza, ” Shakespeare Bulletin, 18(4), (2000) 17 -21. Bashaw, Ishmael. The Turkish Refugee Being A Narrative of the Life, Sufferings, Deliverances, Conversion. London: T. Conder, Bucklersbury, T. Knott, and D. Taylor, 1797. Giovanni Boccaccio. The Decameron. [1348 -1353]. G. H. Mc. William, Ed. , trans. , introduction. New York: Penguin, 1972.

Bibliography Palmira Brummett. (2007). “Visions of the Mediterranean: A Classification, ” Journal of Medieval and Early Modern Studies, 37 (1), pp. 10 -55. Amy Cuomo and Pauline Gagnon, Theatre Arts: An Interdisciplinary Approach. 2 nd ed. Carrollton, GA: University of West Georgia, Chapter 3, “Enactment. ” Andrew Dickson. “Shakespeare’s Italian journeys. ” Discovering Literature: Shakespeare and Renaissance Writers. The British Library, 15 Mar 2016. Web. Matthew Dimmock. New Turkes. Dramatizing Islam and the Ottomans in Early Modern England. New York: Routledge, 2016.

Bibliography Eric R. Dursteler. Renegade Women: Gender, Identity, and Boundaries in the Early Modern Mediterranean. Baltimore, MD: The John Hopkins University Press. 2011. Nuria Gisbert, “What’s in a Name? Innogen/Imogen in Shakespeare’s Cymbeline, ” Shakespeare’s Globe, 2018. Martin T. Herrick. Italian Comedy in the Renaissance. Urbana, IL: University of Illinois, 1960. William Painter. Gileta of Narbonne” In Palace of Pleasure, 1566. H. R. Keller. The Reader’s Digest of Books, 2018. https: //www. bartleby. com/library/readersdigest/1494. html.

Bibliography Kiril Petkov. Review. New Turkes: Dramatizing Islam and the Ottomans in Early Modern England by Matthew Dimmock. Sixteenth Century Journal 37(4): 1087, December 2006. DOI: 10. 2307/20478138 Kiril Petkov. Coriolano Cippico: The Deeds of Commander Pietro Mocengio. New York: Italica Press, 2014.

Shakespeare’s Female Mediterranean Characters in Much Ado About Nothing and All’s Well That Ends Well This project was completed with funding from NEH and the sponsorship of the Hill Museum and Manuscript Library during the 2018 NEH Summer Institute "Thresholds of Change: Modernity and Transformation in the Mediterranean, 1400 -1700, " June 18 -July 2018, Collegeville, MN and was assisted by Dr. Daniel K. Gullo, HMML assistant director and Joseph S. Micallef Curator of HMML’s Malta Study Center, Dr. Matthew Heintzelman, Curator of the Austrian/German Collection and Cataloger for Rare Books at HMML, Tim Ternes, director of The Saint John’s Bible, and Dr. Deborah Cibelli, Professor of Art History at Nicholls State University and NEH Scholar, and Dr. Kiril Petkov, Director of the NEH Summer Institute "Thresholds of Change: Modernity and Transformation in the Mediterranean, 1400 -1700.