Act 2 Scene 1

Misunderstanding and Deception

Line 88 - "Speak low if you speak love." Don Pedro is pretending to be Claudio to Hero, in order to make Hero fall for Claudio.

Line 102/103 - "You are Signor Antonio." "At a word I am not."

Lines 120 -139 -"What's he?" "I am sure you know him well enough." "Not I, believe me." Benedick believes that Beatrice thinks it isn't him, whereas she does know but just plays along. She insults him throughout the conversation. 

Line 145 -156 - "Are you not Signor Benedick?" "You know me well. I am he." Don John lies to Claudio, whilst pretending that he thinks Claudio is Benedick. He makes Claudio believe that Don Pedro aims to keep Hero for himself, "I heard him swear his affection."

Patriarchy

Examples within the scene:

The conversation between Leonato and Beatrice at the start of the scene. 

"You may light on a husband that hath no beard." "What should I do with him? [...] I am not for him. Therefore I will even take sixpence in earnest of the bearward and lead his apes into hell." Leonato is trying to force Beatrice to find a husband as it was expected of a woman to have a husband in the patriarchal society. "Well, niece, I hope to see you one day fitted with a husband."

The Unpleasentness

Reynard The Fox (1500/1600s) - Stories of the fox encountering beasts, monsters, tales of debauchery/lacking in moral. Bestial (origin of the word bestiality)

Leading monkeys into hell - to lead is to have sex. Damnation of women to have sex with monkeys/apes. Could be read as these miserable women having to sleep with 'apes' as in disgusting men.  (Carving in St Augustine's Abbey, Canterbury and Victorian Valentines Day card). Act 2 Scene 1. Lines 35-41. Beatrice "and lead his apes into hell." "So I deliver up my apes and away to Saint Peter fore the heavens."

Misunderstanding and Deception (Critics)

"The theater (sic) audience's assumption of its own priveleged position as eavesdropper is undercut by the frequency with which the play's characters are deceived by theur assumptions that eavesdropping offers unproblematic access to the truth."

"The theater audience is denied direct access to the pivotal moments in Don Pedro and Claudio's courtship of Hero - Don Pedro's wooing of her at the masked ball and the scene of Margaret and Borachio at Hero's window - and instead must cope with multiple and contradictory narratives."

Nova Myhill (1999)

Nothing

There are three main ways of interpreting the word within MAAN.

As in nothing, a lack of substance/anything.

As in noting, paying attention of, taking note.

As in nothing, a musical reference/note. Known as a prick, with connotations of genitalia.