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// Much Ado About Nothing // A Double Wedding

Hero and Claudio

Beatrice and Benedick

Prepared by the Renaissance Mavens



WebQuest for Senior Shakespeare Elective Final Assessment

Mrs. Margaret DeStefano, Mount Saint Joseph Academy Mrs. Katherine King, Mount Saint Joseph Academy

Email: mdestefa@msjacad.org  Email: kking@msjacad.org

June, 2003, adapted, with permission, from a //Let's Throw a Wedding:// Romeo and Juliet //WebQuest//

Created by Mr. Tim Moran

Shawnee High School

Medford, New Jersey

[]

Both Hero and Claudio and Beatrice and Benedick have experienced great difficulty on their paths to the altar of Holy Matrimony. Fittingly, therefore, their weddings should be the highlight event of the Messina social season. Leonato, the father and the uncle, respectively, of the brides turns to the Renaissance Mavens, a company of accomplished young women, who have established themselves as THE "one-stop shopping" wedding consultants of the rich and the famous. Each one of the Mavens boasts expertise in a particular area of the wedding ceremony and/or "reception," thereby guaranteeing a one-of-a-kind gala affair for each bride on her special day. They are delighted at the challenge Leonato presents in the double wedding of his daughter Hero to Count Claudio of Florence and of his niece Beatrice to Signor Benedick of Padua. When Leonato, Hero, and Beatrice first visit the Renaissance Mavens, the brides have very definite ideas about their special day. Beatrice, not surprisingly, is far from shy in communicating those ideas. After the trio departs the Mavens' office, the wedding planners go to work immediately, dividing the tasks at hand according to their areas of expertise.

[|Fashion]--Bridal "Gowns," Grooms' Attire, Upper and Lower Class Guests' Attire (The Mavens immediately take to their design boards. Fashions for the event of Messina's social season, of course, MUST be on the "cutting edge" of Renaissance design.) [|Ceremony]--Service, including Liturgical Music, Objects in the Environment and/or in the Service, and Legal/Financial Documentation (The Mavens have decided a Wedding Booklet will be a unique touch.) [|Guest List]--Relatives/Friends of Both Brides and Grooms, Friends/Political Colleagues of Governor Leonato, Servants on Leonato's Estate (The Mavens know that the "reception" will be a total disaster unless their seating arrangements are PERFECT.) [|Menu]--Both Hero and Beatrice have agreed that they want a traditional wedding feast with all the trimmings (The Mavens begin their "homework," researching the most authentic Renaissance culinary delights. In an effort to ensure the brides' complete satisfaction with the menu, the Mavens invite the brides-to-be to a "tasting" dinner to sample several of the proposed dishes and to approve the entire menu.). [|Entertainment]--Music, Dancing, Games will certainly enhance good company, good conversation, and good food (The Mavens waste no time confirming the latest, most enjoyable diversions--even if they themselves must teach the wedding guests the newest, most chique dances.).

To ensure a calm, stress-free day for the brides and themselves on Hero's and Beatrice's special day, the Mavens have divided themselves into five groups, [|Fashion], [|Ceremony], [|Guest List], [|Menu], and [|Entertainment], each of which will utilize the latest twenty-first century technology information in the Resources provided below to present a pre-wedding preview for their lovely clients (Should any of the below Resources prove insufficient and/or lacking in any way, please apprise the Mavens' CEO [AKA Mrs. DeStefano OR Mrs. King] immediately.). Fashion - Your group must design the clothes for this grand fete for the brides, the grooms, and the wedding guests. In order to produce authentic Renaissance clothing, you MUST research the resources provided below. Remember--both the upper and the lower classes are attending this gala affair; therefore, your sketches MUST reflect BOTH social strata. You do NOT need to be professional fashion designers to accomplish this task; you do, however, need to be meticulous researchers. Utilizing a professional artist's sketch pad will enable you to create a "portfolio" of your designs, which, upon their completion, you will present to Hero and Beatrice (AKA the rest of the class) for their approval. As a group, you will also present to the brides a five-sentence paragraph, explicating the rationale behind each of your designs. Ceremony -- Your group must prepare the entire service, including sacred music, objects in the environment and/or used during the rite, and any/all legal/financial arrangements necessary to seal these unions until "death do them part." The service itself MUST be presented as a wedding booklet with an appropriate Renaissance cover design (You need not be an artist to create your booklet cover; you MUST, however, be a meticulous researcher.). Your booklet must also contain renditions (photos, graphics, drawings) of any significant objects, which you will find in your research. Your booklet MUST also be accompanied by facsimiles of any/all legal/financial documentation relevant to this Renaissance ceremony. Upon completion of your research, you will present Hero and Beatrice with your completed booklet and documentation for their approval. You will also walk Hero and Beatrice through a "rehearsal" of their ceremony with the aid of many of Leonato's estate laborers (AKA other class members). As a group, you will prepare a five-sentence paragraph, explicating each of the choices you have made for Messina's marriage of the year. Guest List --Your group has the thankless task of making the "reception" a booming success. Since the guests comprise a cross-section of Renaissance society, you need to seat the correct people at the correct table with the correct person on either side of him/her to promote conviviality and joy. Which guests will get along well with one another? Who will have similar interests/concerns about which to converse? From the resources listed below, you will glean a wealth of information about daily life in the Renaissance, after which you will present Hero and Beatrice with a seating plan of ten (10) tables with ten (10) guests at each table for their approval. As a group, you will prepare a list of possible topics of conversation for each table, followed by a five-sentence paragraph, explicating your choice of those topics for each table. Menu --You have clothed and seated your guests; now, you MUST feed them. They expect nothing but the best from the hospitality of Governor Leonato. Remember--Hero and Beatrice have decided on an elegant traditional Renaissance feast. Your task is to consult your resources below to create the perfect menu for these two very special brides. After you have decided on the dishes you will serve 100 guests, you will design a beautifully artistic Renaissance menu and prepare three (3) dishes from the menu for Hero's and Beatrice's approval at their "tasting dinner." You need NOT be an artist to design the menu; you may utilize any graphic, photo, drawing, or combination thereof to present your menu. Please be circumspect in choosing the dishes you will prepare for the two brides (AKA the other class members), ensuring you have enough food for all your guests. After all, the Renaissance Mavens are renowned for their liberality; you would never want to run out of food. How embarrassing for the host, the brides, and you!!! As a group, along with your stunningly appetizing, artistic menu, you will prepare a "cookbook" with all of your chosen recipes, accompanied by a five-sentence paragraph, explicating your reasons for choosing each dish. Entertainment --Your guests are now "rarin' to go" after the lavish, sumptuous Renaissance feast they have enjoyed. What brilliant diversions will you devise for their entertainment and amusement--music, dancing, games? After consulting the resources below, your group will apprise the brides-to-be of three (3) of the latest secular musical compositions of the time, which you intend to have played at the gala. Since they have been so busy preparing for their weddings, Hero and Beatrice have not had the time to learn the newest, most fashionable dances. Of course, you will need to teach them (AKA the other class members) the steps to one (1) dance so that they will be //au courant// at their "reception." In your travels to Rome, Paris, and London, you have picked up a few ideas on games that the wedding guests may enjoy. Again, poor Hero and Beatrice need a few lessons on one (1) game. Success!!! Hero and Beatrice agree with all your music, dancing, and game suggestions. Now you have a few surprises for the young brides-to-be: a beautiful reproduction of one (1) of the musical compositions to be played at the "reception"; a diagram and description of the dance the brides and you will teach the wedding guests; and a diagram, description, and set of rules for the game the brides and you will teach the wedding guests. How thoughtful of the Renaissance Mavens--exactly the little extras their clients have come to expect from the best in the wedding planning business!!! As a group, you will prepare a five-sentence paragraph explicating your choice of the three (3) musical pieces, one (1) dance taught, and one (1) game taught. Resources [|Renaissance Weddings: Fashion] Images for Renaissance Fashions Images for Renaissance Jewelry Jewelry of the Renaissance: The History of Renaissance Jewelry Renaissance Fashions--Tripod Men’s Renaissance Boots and Medieval Shoes Women’s Renaissance Boots and Medieval Shoes Tudor Shoppe || [|Life in Elizabethan England: A Compendium of Common Knowledge] [|The Wedding Ceremony from the Anglican Book of Common Prayer] [|Renaissance Weddings:] [|Renaissance Weddings: Traditions/Customs] [|Renaissance Weddings: Ceremony] [|Renaissance Weddings: Traditions] [|Renaissance Religion] Renaissance Wedding Ceremonies Renaissance Wedding Ceremonies Images for Renaissance Wedding Ceremonies Medieval and Renaissance Marriage: Theory and Customs Weddings in the Italian Renaissance Marriage in the Renaissance—1400s-1600s Renaissance Wedding Ceremonies Weddings in Renaissance Italy Love and Marriage in Renaissance Italy Courtship and Betrothal in the Italian Renaissance Rings on Their Fingers: Ring Wearing from Ancient Times to the Renaissance || [|Faire Names for English Folk: Late Sixteenth Century English Names] [|Women's Given Names] [|Men's Names] [|Mr. William Shakespeare and the Internet][| Elizabethan Insults] [|Life in Elizabethan England: A Compendium of Common Knowledge] [|Social Classes] [|The Plague and Public Health in Renaissance Europe] [|The World of the Renaissance Print Shop] Renaissance The Black Death & the Renaissance The Printing Press: The History Guide Images for Printing Press During the Renaissance Crime and Punishment in Elizabethan England The Italian Renaissance: Trade and Commerce Artists of the Italian Renaissance Renaissance Humanism Italian Literature Church and Politics in Renaissance Italy || Renaissance [|Renaissance Weddings: Feast] [|Medieval/Renaissance Food Homepage]  [|Cooking Primary Sources] [|Cook Books] [|Elizabethan Food and Dinin] [|A Boke of Gode Cookery] [|How to Cook Medieval] [|Medieval/Renaissance Food Clip-Art Collection] The Food of the Renaissance Renaissance Food Images for Italian Renaissance Dessert RecipesRenaissance Food Recipes Italian Renaissance Desserts Italian Renaissance Cookery Medieval and Renaissance Food: Sources, Recipes, and Articles || [|Life in Elizabethan England: A Compendium of Common Knowledge] [|Music] [|Elizabethan Songs] [|Early Music FAQ] [|Renaissance Dance] [|SCA Dance "Cheat Sheets"] [|Elizabethan Card Game] Music History 102: The Renaissance Renaissance Music—Instrumental Music in the Renaissance Images for Renaissance Music Renaissance Music Medieval and Renaissance Instruments Top 8 Renaissance Composers Renaissance Love Songs Delightful Music for Your Renaissance Wedding, Renaissance Faire, or Medieval Theme Event Renaissance Dance Images for Renaissance Dance The Majesty of Renaissance Dance Renaissance Dance Homepage Renaissance Dance Cheat Sheets 032 Renaissance Dance Sample Steps from the Italian Repertory Renaissance Games Images for Renaissance Games Medieval & Renaissance Games Homepage Introduction to the Different Types of Renaissance Games Renaissance Games Images for Renaissance Card Games Primero: A Renaissance Card Game Italian Renaissance Games: Gioci Images for Renaissance Board Games Images for Sixteenth Century Board Games A Brief History of Games and Pastimes ||  ||   ||
 * Fashion || Ceremony || Guest List || Menu || Entertainment ||
 * [|Men's Clothing]

Dietrich, Sister Karen, S.S.J., Ph.D., Principal. Flourtown, PA: Mount Saint Joseph Academy, 2003.

Dodge, Bernie. Creator of WebQuest. The WebQuest Page.

Moran, Tim. //Let's Throw a Wedding: A Romeo and Juliet WebQuest//. Medford, NJ: Shawnee High School, 2003. Web. 10 June 2003.

[].

Pennsylvania Holistic Writing Program.

Shakespeare, William. //Much Ado About Nothing//. Eds. Barbara A. Mowat and Paul Werstine. New Folger ed.

New York: Washington Square P, 1995. Print.

Sims, Michelle, M.S., Faculty Instructional Technologist. Flourtown, PA: Mount Saint Joseph Academy, 2003.