Characters
Sigh no more, ladies, sigh no more. Men were deceivers ever. One foot in sea and one on shore, to one thing constant never. Then sigh not so but let them go and be you blithe and bonny, converting all your sounds of woe into hey nonny nonny.
— Beatrice · Much Ado About Nothing
Behind the line May contain spoilers.
Our reading
An editorial interpretation.
The verse tells women to stop sighing, since men have always been deceivers, never constant, one foot in sea and one on shore. Instead of mourning, it advises letting them go and staying cheerful, turning sounds of woe into a carefree 'hey nonny nonny'. The lightness carries a wry, dismissive view of men's fidelity.
Context reviewed