Much Ado About Nothing

Much Ado About Nothing arguably features Shakespeare’s best and most dynamic romantic couple: Benedick and Beatrice. Act 3 scene 1 in this play is a climactic point in this pairings relationship, because Beatrice admits her true feelings and love for Benedick despite her prior apprehensions and bitterness toward him before. This scene is important to the action of the play because it solidifies Benedick and Beatrice’s relationship in confirming Beatrice’s adoration for Benedick and shows character development for both Beatrice and Hero. It is important to acknowledge Hero’s personhood in this scene.

While Hero is easily underestimated and overlooked as a quiet ingenue – and for some valid reasons – this scene proves she is more astute and intelligent than many would acknowledge. Hero plays a key role in getting her cousin to realize her feelings for Benedick and does so in a clear and organized scheme – she aptly and deservingly compares herself to Cupid (3.1.22). She realizes precisely how to manipulate Beatrice, and that is by attacking her pride – something many men have been afraid to do before; for example, while the presumably male messenger said he “will hold friends with [Beatrice], lady” because he is afraid of her wit and snark (1.2.85), Hero is unafraid to say Beatrice’s heart is unnaturally “proud” (3.1.49) and “disdain and scorn ride sparkling in her eyes… her wit values itself so highly… she cannot love… she is so self-endeared” (3.1.51-56).

It is almost ironic that Hero is branded weak and completely underdeveloped when she is brave enough to be honest with Beatrice, which is something random men, her betrothed, and even her father never do. One may argue Hero did not say this directly to Beatrice’s face which proves Hero to be weak and possibly petty, but this argument is weak and belittling to both Beatrice and Hero’s character. Hero and Beatrice share a special, close bond, which is evidenced by Beatrice’s explosive reaction to Hero’s public shaming (4.1) and by the amount of time the two spent together; Beatrice said she had “twelvemonth been her bedfellow,” meaning she had spent the night with her cousin for a year (4.1.149). Hero knows Beatrice more than anyone else in the play and is aware of how feisty Beatrice can be and how Beatrice will often have a clever comeback to all attacks. Beatrice easily could’ve shown herself and sassed her cousin for gossiping and making such harsh remarks about her, which could lead one to question – why doesn’t she?

Why doesn’t Beatrice defend herself against the vile defamations against her being made by the cousin she holds dearest? Her speech at the end of the scene proves why: Beatrice knows and trusts Hero’s accusations to be correct. Before this scene, Beatrice is consistently disagreeable. She’s consistently making ridiculous or mean remarks, from creating a silly story about being St. Peter sending her to heaven to explosive arguments with Benedick. Arguably, before this scene, Beatrice is never serious. All her emotions are hidden behind snark, even when subtext and interpretations can tell the audience she is really hurting; an example of this is in the first scene, where Beatrice claims to “know [Benedick] of old,” leading the audience to believe they had a former relationship (1.1.138-139).

While this is only a brief moment, it’s revealing of Beatrice’s general character, demeanor, and personality – note that Beatrice gets the last word in this argument – and hints at her lingering feelings and sadness because of Benedick. This brief line is arguably the most vulnerable moment we see from Beatrice until Act 3, scene 1; in other scenes, she is either making jokes or being angry at Benedick. The final soliloquy in Act 3, scene 1 allows the audience, for the first time, to really delve into Beatrice’s mind, emotions, and thought process. It is clear that Beatrice is a character with intimacy issues who is afraid to be vulnerable, which we see the bitterness of her interactions with Benedick and her disdain for marriage. However, in this scene, not only is Beatrice being honest with herself and coming to an important realization, she is being vulnerable and honest with the audience. The audience sees how these words really affected her.

Beatrice compares what Hero and Ursula said about her to “fire,” (3.1.107) which evokes violent and intense visual imagery as well as the physicality of Beatrice’s ears burning due to their harsh, fiery words. Beatrice allows herself to be insecure and proves she is concerned how others feel about her. She admits “no glory lives behind the back of such,” (3.1.110) meaning being prideful and scornful will only lead others to gossip about her and will lead to no praise. Like everyone else in this world, Beatrice wants others to think well of her instead of speaking badly about her when she isn’t around, even if she appears to be confident and composed before this scene.

She vows to be kind instead from this point onward (3.1.113), especially to Benedick, which a stark contrast to her apparent hatred for him before and from her general demeanor. Without this scene, Beatrice’s romantic feelings for Benedick would have felt significantly less natural and more out of character. Beatrice is a stubborn woman who seemingly despised Benedick, and though it may be obvious to the audience she secretly has feelings for him and is hiding behind a tough exterior to disguise her real feelings, it is impossible to know if she ever would have admitted it to herself without the assistance of her cousin’s staged gossip, though given her prior interactions with Benedick, like the first scene in the play, it seems unlikely she would’ve responded to his declarations of love favorably.

Because of this firm push from Hero, Beatrice is forced to deal with the reality of her emotions, instead of hiding behind rationality and fear of being hurt by Benedick again. In this scene, the audience is allowed to see Beatrice overcome her natural fears and desires to be protected, which in its essence is a beautiful and tremendous thing. Even in a mostly light hearted, lovable, and romantic comedy, Shakespeare captures real emotion that is relatable to general experiences in this singular scene. Anyone who has ever had conflicted feelings over someone who has been hurt in the past can relate to Beatrice’s inner struggles here; anyone who has ever been guarded can understand her inner turmoil; anyone who has ever been blind to their own love and emotions due to stubbornness or other outside circumstances can empathize with Beatrice’s abrupt but forced realization. Thanks to this scene, Beatrice is able to “[tame] her wild heart” and fall in love with the person she is most similar to (3.1.112).

Explore representations of love in Much Ado About Nothing In Much Ado About Nothing, Shakespeare uses literary structures such as doubles and opposites in order to emphasise the plays main themes and ideas. McEachern claims “It is undoubtedly the most socially and psychologically realistic of his comedies, in it’s portrait of the foibles generosities of communal life. ” (McEachern, 2006, 1) One main theme I want to explore is love and how Shakespeare represents this in Much Ado About Nothing. The two main genres in Shakespeare’s dramas are tragedy and comedy.

Tragedy always ends in death and comedy always ends in a marriage. Although Much Ado inevitably ends in marriage, it differs from some of Shakespeare’s other romantic comedies as his other comedies usually portray love in a much more unrealistic way. “Much Ado About Nothing is best known for the ‘merry war’ between one of it’s two couples, and an oxymoron could also describe this comedy’s identity as a whole. Shakespeare offers a play of light and dark, of romantic union wrested from fear and malice and of social harmony soothing the savagery of psychic violence” (McEachern, 2006, 1)

In Act 1 Scene 1, Don Pedro, prince of Arragon arrives with his bastard brother Don John, and his two friends Claudio and Benedick. It is in this Act that Beatrice and Benedick first meet and the war of wits begin. Leonato states “There is a kind of merry war betwixt Signior Benedick and her [Beatrice]; they never meet but there is a skirmish of wit between them. ” (Much Ado, Act 1 Scene 1, 520) Although their words seem quite hateful to one another, at the same time it may also come across as flirtatious.

Before Beatrice even meets Benedick, she expresses her distaste for him, however, she talks about him in such great depth it is almost more like an obsession than hatred. Benedick teases Beatrice by saying “I am loved of all ladies, only you excepted: and I would I could find it in my heart that I had not a hard heart; for, truly, I love none. ” (Act 1 scene 1, 521) to which Beatrice replies “A dear happiness to women: they would else have been troubled with a pernicious suitor.

I thank God and my cold blood, I am of your humour for that: I had rather hear my dog bark at a crow than a man swear he loves me” (Act 1 Scene 1, 521) By using the characters of Beatrice and Benedick, Shakespeare mocks the conventional type of love, romantic love, which is expressed by Hero and Claudio. This is also an example of how Shakespeare uses doubles in his play, as he uses the two couples to express two types of love. One being more realistic, that of Beatrice and Benedick, and the other being the more unrealistic, over the top romantic love expressed by Hero and Claudio.

Even though the plot is largely based on Hero and Claudio’s relationship, the witty banter and seemingly unromantic relationship between Beatrice and Benedick seems much more interesting to the reader and we are more interested in how their relationship will develop. It is this relationship that seems much more believable compared to Claudio and Hero’s fairytale love at first sight. It is through contrasting these two different types of love and through the different use of language that Shakespeare can mock the conventional romantic love. Claudio uses a totally different style of language to Benedick when they both speak of love.

Benedick is highly cynical and negative about love where as Claudio is more pretentious and elaborate when he speaks about Hero, for example when he says “Can the world buy such a Jewel? ” (Act 1 scene 1, 522). This language is completely different to the way that benedick speaks to Beatrice as the first thing he says to her is “My dear Lady disdain! Are you yet living? ” (Act 1 scene 1, 521) Benedick also speaks of his frustration of Claudio’s eloquent language when speaking of love as he states “He was wont speak plain and to the purpose, like an honest man and a soldier…his words are a very fantastical banquet, just so many strange dishes. (Act 1 Scene 3, 529) This however is quite hypocritical of him as in Act 4 Scene 1, Benedick confesses his love for Beatrice and states “I do love nothing in the world so well as you: is that not strange? ” (Act 4, Scene 1, 541) to which Beatrice responds “I love you with so much of my heart, that none is left to protest” (Act 4, scene 1, 541) This shows how dramatically their relationship has changed as the witty banter and insults have turned into confessions of love for one another.

It is often difficult to understand and accept the love between Hero and Claudio as it is so unrealistic. They fall in love with each other before they even truly get to know one-another, which therefore makes their love and marriage seem quite false and shallow. The fact that Claudio does not question Don John when he professes that Hero has been unfaithful, yet instead believes his word to be true, questions whether the love he has for Hero is sincere.

Surely Claudio would confront his future wife before coming to any sort of conclusion, however, even her own father believes this to be true and states “why she, oh she is fallen/ into a pit of ink, that the wide sea/ hath drops too few to wash her clean again,/ and salt too little, which may season give/ to her foul tainted flash” (Act 4 Scene 1, 540) Another aspect of the play that makes Hero and Claudio’s love very unrealistic is hero’s willingness to forgive Claudio after his bold accusations of her infidelity.

If his love for her was as strong and powerful as he made out, he would be more trusting of Hero in the first place. However, she seems to disregard this and does not question his behaviour, but instead is willing to carry on with the marriage. Bibliography McEachern, Claire. Much Ado About Nothing. 2006. the Arden Shakespeare Shakespeare, W. The Complete Works of William Shakespeare. 1996. Wordsworth Editions Limited

Ramona has a very creative imagination but hilariously brings her to many mishaps in school and even at home. She is nine years old and very Jolly who takes things seriously that makes her brain works to create many ideas to solve a certain problem. She has this big sister named Beatrice who is shucked with a nickname Buzzes. According to Ramona, when she was very little and is starting to learn how to speak, she accidentally called Beatrice Buzzes because that’s what little children do.

They mispronounce words and sometimes get stuck in it. Buzzes and Ramona most of the mime has quarrels and arguments at home. Ramona said that her sister hates her very much because Buzzes calls her a pest. However, Ramona showed great respect for the elders even if they don’t listen to what she wants to express and is misunderstood that performs many acts of silliness. Ramona continued her imaginative adventure until a problem in the family gone very far to the extent that their parent’s quarrel over small things.

What I like most about this movie is that it simply shows what happens at home in reality. Our relationship with our parent’s and siblings brings us many memories and lessons in life such as understanding one’s emotions, giving comfort, being patient, being kind, and being respectful. In the family, when one doesn’t understand another, there’ll be quarrelling and arguments which will lead to another problem. This is what I don’t want to happen in my own family.

Just like Ramona, I want to help my family solve some problems in my own little ways. I want to be productive and not be a problem to them. So, if there’s a problem at home, I am really doing my very best to help. I really love Roman’s adventures and this inspires me to be sensitive in other people’s feelings. The movie also taught me to love my own family no matter what they are and who they are, because the family is the first group of people you can run to in times of trouble/ problem.

They are truly God’s gift that no other treasures I can compare. Finally, despite of the problems we encounter everyday, we must be like Ramona: Brave and full of Joy. We have to face our problems lightly in order for us to concentrate in seeking possible solutions to it. We have to bear in mind that no problems we can’t endure if we only let God help us as what a famous quote says: A family that prays together, stays together.

Freedom for women in the patriarchal society, in which the play is set, appears controlled and constrained in ‘Much Ado About Nothing (MAAN)’. Shakespeare employs the rebellious spirit of Beatrice in his comedy to subvert the social orthodoxy of the Elizabethan era. Hero falls victim to the suppressive nature of the dominating male characters; however Beatrice, our shrew, provides humour with her quick wit and wordplay, and a breath of fresh air for a modern feminist audience. The dramatic genre of comedy is often subversive and ‘MAAN’ definitely does not fail to live up to this expectation.

With her opening line, our female protagonist subverts conventional stereotypes as she interrupts a conversation between two male speakers, questioning the return of “Signior Mountanto”. Instantly this informs us of her subversive lack of etiquette in conversation, as women would not typically speak out for themselves, especially not against a man. Her wordplay and double entendre here invokes humour firstly because the name relates to an up thrust in duelling, thus describing Benedick as a show-off, and secondly because it has sexual connotations.

Beatrice’s outward smutty nature can be marked in juxtaposition to Hero’s lack of independence and confidence (a woman who occupies the role of a tragic heroine, rather than a comic one, barely utters a word throughout the play, and succumbs totally to the homosocial ruling class of Messina). Behind her witty exterior, and her constant determination not to be seen as weak, Beatrice can be seen as inquisitive about Benedick’s time away, showing she cares for him; this would conform to Renaissance standards for it was anticipated that all women would fall into the arms of a man.

Being a standard feature of romantic comedy, the female protagonist typically begins by hating the man she loves, mirroring the structural pattern of beginning in discord and ending in accord. Furthermore, Beatrice, the stock character of the shrew, is exposed as a woman whose opinion of marriage definitely subverts the status quo. Asserting that she will not marry “till God make men of some other metal than earth”, her unconventionality of not wanting a husband can be seen explicitly.

An Elizabethan audience could deem this to be impractical and absurd; however a contemporary feminist critic may praise her for her independence. Most noteworthy perhaps, is when she says she will “cry “Heigh-ho for a husband! ”” illustrating that the fact she is without a lover bothers her more than we may have assumed previously. Consequently, she initiates an impetuous proposal from Don Pedro which is fascinating as we are left unsure as to whether it was merely a jest or actually sincere – this confusion and chaos being predictable of a comedy.

In my opinion the proposal was sincere as Don Pedro is left unhappy at the end of the joyous comedy: “Prince, thou art sad; get thee a wife”. Although, staying true to her word, Beatrice turns down the offer, on the basis that his “Grace is too costly to wear every day. ” But there is dramatic irony in this; it is evident that she does not want a husband, so the audience is fully aware that the plot will alter in due time, ending in a married Beatrice. Again, this is conventional of a romantic comedy, where the female heroine will ultimately revise her original opinion of the man.

Additionally, Beatrice’s discontent with the lack of respect and regard she receives as a woman manifests itself in her wish that she was a man. Beatrice is clearly aware of her inability to act against Claudio (purely because of her gender), after he shuns Hero at the altar. Beatrice declares “O God, that I were a man! I would eat his heart in the market place! ” The metaphor used here creates an image of a savage and ruthless Beatrice (implying she would kill Claudio, rip his heart out and then eat it); traits which definitely are not associated with the conservative women of the Elizabethan era.

However, some may deem her subversion of the gender roles here as positively defiant. Although verbally expressing her anguish, Beatrice “too, in this patriarchal society, must be dependent on a man to make right prevail”, as Penny Gay says, and this disheartens the audience. Thus, Beatrice turns to a man to carry out her wish for her: “Come, bid me do anything for thee. ” Also note Benedick’s reaction to this request; he succumbs to Beatrice’s influence, and in consequence reverses the established gender roles in Renaissance society.

The consistent sexual innuendo Beatrice insinuates in her speech is undeniably subversive. Bawdy language, not generally used by young, conventional women, presents Beatrice as characteristically more masculine than feminine: “With a good leg and a good foot, uncle”. There is a sexual pun on the word “foot”, perhaps linking to the unmannerly French ‘foutre’, as to suggest an adept lover during copulation – women having openly sexual desires during Elizabethan times was very distasteful, making the comment even more significant.

It is also vital to note Leonato’s response to such language stating to “be so shrewd of thy tongue” “wilt never get thee a husband”, as if almost presuming Beatrice aspires to be wedded and oppressed. Moreover, deception and mistaken identity, features typical of comedy, allow Beatrice to subvert the status quo even further when she has the upper hand on Benedick, at the masked ball. The humour present is in the dramatic irony that Benedick is unaware that she knows who he is; he feels he is at an advantage by being able to hear what Beatrice ‘thinks about him’.

Yet, it is Beatrice who is truly at an advantage, for she can in fact balance the power between the sexes, by ‘indirectly’ insulting Benedick, the “very dull fool”. Not only is the use of disguise a catalyst for humour, but Beatrice’s, debatably, greater intelligence challenges the conventional view that men are superior to women in every aspect. However, the structure of ‘MAAN’ enables the reader to recognise the chronological downfall of Beatrice’s wild spirit and liberation.

The ending, with its characteristic comic resolution of marriage, also sees Beatrice being silenced by Benedick, significantly on the day of their wedding. The literal kiss, used to cease her independence, is preceded by the imperative “Peace! I will stop your mouth. ” The fact that the feisty Beatrice is letting herself be silenced, which is marked in stark contrast to the “rare parrot-teacher” we met at the beginning of the play, demonstrates the restrictive nature of marriage for women.

The timing of the kiss, right at the end of the play, gives a lasting feeling that Beatrice will stay submissive to her husband after the play ends. As Jacob Lund argues “the marriage of Beatrice and Benedick seems at first to offer a different view of what constitutes social order in the world of the play” with their repartee and Beatrice’s confidence, seen clearly when she remains contentious just before becoming a wife, stating she will “take thee for pity”.

In spite of this critic’s view, I think the uniform structure of comedy, concluding with the restoration of order, means that it is only natural that Beatrice should be suppressed before long. It is clear that Shakespeare has created a realistic ending; perhaps it was too idealistic to assume Beatrice would claim superiority in the relationship? Inconsistent to Beatrice’s early assertions that she would “rather hear my dog bark at a crow than a man swear he loves me”, she suddenly appears ditsy and romantic on discovering Benedick’s love for her.

Conforming to the stock character of an adoring, courtly lover she exclaims “Benedick, love on; I will requite thee” in her passionate soliloquy written in strictly formal Elizabethan iambic pentameter verse; the form giving this gulling scene a much more serious tone than the previous. The explicit parallel between the two scenes, both beset with comic deception, marks a contrast between the soliloquies of Beatrice, and her male counterpart, Benedick.

In comparison to Benedick, Beatrice’s fall from disdain has less of a dramatic impact, accentuating her sincerity and glee, whereas Benedick has to give himself reasons to requite her love, and consider how others will react. This undoubtedly presents Beatrice as the feebler and more vulnerable of the sexes. There is now even more of an inevitability surrounding her imminent submission to a controlling husband, as she tames “my wild heart to thy loving hand” just as she was expected to do.

A feminist critic would argue that the play’s heroine has just sold out to tradition by adhering to a life of matrimony. This scene is hyperbolic in the 1993 Kenneth Branagh film version, and Josie Rourke’s production of the Shakespearean comedy. This adds great comic effect as Beatrice cries out her love in an over exaggerated and quixotic fashion; arguably too extravagant? The view that some of the comic heroines in ‘MAAN’ may fall into the typical portrayal of women as passive and compliant, has some credibility.

However, the unconventional wit and defiance of Beatrice outweighs the previous statement, and provides exactly what a comedy is made for: humour. It is arguable that the play ends badly from a feminist critic’s point of view as social order and the expected position of the sexes is restored (just as is anticipated, due to the comic structure). Nevertheless, mocking, transgressing and subverting the status quo will always be at the very heart of comedy, and ‘MAAN’ corresponds totally to this notion, especially in its depiction of the unforgettable character, Beatrice.

It is fascinating that a dramatic narrative can create such a strong representation of a person through words alone, determining their social class, their gender, their relationships and even their intelligence. ““Much Ado About Nothing”” by the respected dramatist William Shakespeare explores the shallowness, the naivety and the innocence of human beings through the characters of Hero and Claudio, the two protagonists who dominate our generation today.

However through the seemingly minor characters of Don John and Don Pedro, a contrasting analysis may be made of how someone’s actions can affect others and through comparing the relationship of Claudio and Hero with that of Beatrice and Benedick we understand how differences in experience, maturity and conformity can seriously affect a relationship.

Count Claudio, the leading male in ““Much Ado About Nothing”” is an impulsive, handsome, young man, who initially gives us the impression that he will make the ideal husband. However we soon learn that in that traditional, militaristic ideology of feudal aristocracy, male comradeship is much more important than really loving a female. Claudio is insecure and wanting as a lover, forcing us to question whether underneath his flawless brilliance there really is the heroic soldier that we hear about in the opening scene.

Leonato describes him as an honourable soldier: “I find here that Don Pedro hath bestowed much honour on a young Florentine called Claudio” and we understand that this boy is some sort of patriotic symbol to the Messinian community, but we as an audience never see him fight or even show the bravery for which he is renown and for this reason we are compelled to believe that he really is just another naive adolescent in love with an idealistic idea of militarism.

Shakespeare deliberately emphasises Claudio’s badge of youth, particularly when his brotherhood are brought to tears by Claudio fighting the war “in the figure of the lamb, the feats of a lion” and he is referred to as a “boy” six times and as “young” on four occasions by his seniors. However despite his youth, Claudio succeeds on Messinian terms and thus secures for himself glorification based on reports of his bravery and heroism.

So it is no surprise that included in Claudio’s noble vision for himself is a trophy wife worthy enough to enhance his image and it is through this vision that we are introduced to the beautiful and romantic Hero who suits all of Claudio’s love ideals. In the first scene Claudio admits that “she is the sweetest lady that e’er I looked on”, which immediately makes us question whether his love is merely based upon an adolescent idea of attraction, as this young man has spotted a woman of beauty and suddenly is announcing his deep love for her and his willingness to cement this ‘love’ in marriage.

Elizabethan audiences would see nothing strange in his enquiring after Hero’s inheritance before he takes the blushing Hero’s hand in marriage, but from a modern perspective we find this gauche, although comparison with the high profile relationships of celebrities today who profit economically from advantageous marriages are proof that money based relationships still very much drive notions of love.

Claudio is the typical Elizabethan romantic, beguiled into notions of chivalry by society’s stereotypical view of males as creatures honourable and confident and easily enticed into romantic love through the perceived honour of being loved by a beautiful woman, so we can conclude that it is nothing less than the converse of courtly idealisation which characterises Claudio’s attachment to Hero. However it is not just notions of courtly honour which undermine this relationship.

Our precious Claudio also fails because his personality is underpinned by a shyness which ultimately leaves him unable to express his feelings, clearly evident when Don John slyly dupes Claudio into believing that Don Pedro is in love with Hero and the reticent Claudio says nothing but chooses to suffer in silence. This shyness makes him appear to be an innocent, sweet lover but the truth is very different. When we witness Claudio’s mistrust after he has believed the rumour spread by Don John, “I come hither to tell you, as circumstances shortened, the lady is disloyal”, we see Claudio as the inadequate, adolescent he really is.

His mistrust in the faithfulness of Hero and his behaviour the following day when he embarrassingly and cruelly rejects her in front of the entire community on their wedding day, because he thinks she is not pure and has betrayed him, in turn degrades his perfect social image making him callous and shallow. It is completely unacceptable for Claudio to humiliate Hero in this way and if Claudio had sincerely loved her he would have at least spoken to her privately or treated her in a more respectful manner which again highlights the flaws in this relationship built as it is upon youthful innocence rather than intellect and conversation.

Although in the early 1600’s the idea of being “pure” was interpreted as having your virginity until your wedding night and an unchaste bride was considered a worthless thing, it was still far more natural for the aristocratic warrior to defend his own honour than to invest any real trust and commitment into the keeping of a woman’s. Interestingly, when Claudio finds out Hero is supposedly ‘dead’ from false accusations, he desires her even more and quickly accepts marriage with her ‘cousin. Claudio’s willingness to acquiesce to Leonato’s demand to marry this cousin seems crass and shallow and negates the undying love he once stated he had for Hero. When Claudio discovers that Hero is not actually “dead” they reunite and Hero herself certainly seems to have no compunction in reuniting herself with the man who publicly humiliated and abandoned her on the basis of malicious gossip and a contrived conception, which forces us to examine her motives. So who is Hero, this woman who has so completely captivated Claudio?

Hero is the daughter of Leonato, the Governor of Messina and his push for her marriage to Claudio is a calculated attempt to improve his social profile. Hero is a woman who barely speaks in public but amongst her female company she displays a keen and flexible wit. When faced with men her reserved and restrained nature signifies both her innocence and the superior market value she holds. Her youth, her wealth and her social position all contribute to her aloofness. In typical Elizabethan society women were marginalised and tightly circumscribed into the categories of wife and breeder (to be protected) or the whore (to be discarded).

Initially Hero seems to possess the qualities required for the successful advancement of a soldier’s career, being self possessed and silent. However as with Claudio, Hero’s youth and innocence is her downfall. She is shy, differential and rendered totally defenceless against Claudio’s public humiliation and false accusations of her fidelity at the altar on her wedding day and it is here that we see Hero’s shyness as a real weakness, as she stands there speechless, unable and unwilling to prove her innocence and we feel frustration at her passivity and wish she had more of the spunky Beatrice’s poise and confidence.

Claudio’s accusation of disloyalty is made more heartfelt because of Hero’s prior prophetic comments on love “some Cupid kills with arrows, others with traps. ” We know how important chastity is to Hero when on the night before her wedding she confesses to Margaret “my heart is exceedingly heavy” as the prospect of losing her virginity confronts her. The idea of impurity before marriage was inconceivable for any respectable woman in the Elizabethan era and Hero’s innocence is poignantly captured as we see her view her wedding night with both fear and trepidation.

Hero embodies the enormous pressure placed on the women of Messina to conform to the male ideal. In Elizabethan times, a woman like Hero submitted herself to her man and rarely retained a voice for herself, but Hero’s willingness to marry Claudio after he has disgraced her is problematic. Her fidelity to an unworthy man who vindicates himself in terms of the male code of honour is disappointing as she condemns herself to a life shared with an untrusting lover.

She herself says “And as surely as I live, I am a maid,” and true to her role as a conventional, romantic heroine, she is exemplary in her patience and forgiveness. The relationship that Hero has with Claudio is your typical ‘Twilight’ romance and markedly different to the one Beatrice shares with Benedick and it is through comparing these two young couples that we gain a deeper understanding of the battle that individuals have within the bounds of society to be themselves.

Claudio and Hero’s relationship provides the spine of the play and presents the ideal of beauty, love, reconciliation and sexual attraction prevalent during Elizabethan times, a relationship that is no different to the typical high school relationships of today. Hero and Claudio seem to be at ease with indirect ways of communicating through their friends, just as today’s relationships communicate through means of cyberspace. Facebook, email and text messaging are all chosen over face to face confrontation.

However Beatrice and Benedick’s relationship is founded on very different terms. From their first appearance the audience is aware of an excess of feeling between these two that testifies to anything but indifference. These lovers, who have previously fallen out of love, are now determined to confront each other at every possible opportunity as they publicly deny their love for one another and we realise that the distrust that defaces this relationship must somehow be cancelled out if they are to ever accept their love for one another.

Both vow they will never marry, but once deceived into admitting the truth about their love for each other, they quickly come together in a truce, determined to love each other for who they are, as individuals, proving that if the magnetic fields of attraction and repulsion are somehow reversed love will surely be the eventual result.

A popular misconception about language is the idea that words have innate qualities, but when Beatrice and Benedick eventually declare their love for one another they find themselves stumbling round to find the right words, whilst their words came trippingly when they were hurling insults back and forth between each other as a way of covering up their true feelings of affection. The merry war which exists between Beatrice and Benedick is a rivalry which is not exactly hostile because it is filled with wit and romance.

In contrast with the ‘bashful sincerity and comely love” which exists between Claudio and Hero, based on first impressions, wealth and ignorance, Beatrice and Benedick’s love is affectionate and colourful, yet difficult to interpret amongst their playful poetry, covered as it is with a seemingly strong distaste for each other. However when their commitment towards each other is tested through Beatrice’s two seemingly simple words, ‘Kill Claudio’, we see Benedick reluctantly agree to throw away his antagonistic values of war and male camaraderie for love and chivalric respect for a female.

By comparison, Hero and Claudio’s love is distant and removed and although playful lacks the humour and suspense that Beatrice and Benedick share. However as Beatrice and Benedick discover, no relationship can be defined through words, suggesting that true love has its own uniqueness in the context of lovers. Shakespeare shows us through these contrasting relationships that ‘love’ can be expressed in many differing ways and that the consequences of love can even mean death.

Furthermore, the relationship between Beatrice and Benedick is contrasted with Claudio and Hero’s to illustrate the themes of deception versus reality. Beatrice and Benedick claim that they have no feelings for one another whatsoever, while Hero and Claudio blatantly declare their love for one another without exchanging a single word. Benedick makes the claim that he “is loves of all ladies.. ut truly [he] loves none,” whereas Beatrice claims that she would rather “hear a dog bark at a crow than hear a man swear he loves her. ” Although Benedick purports to be uninterested in the opposite sex, through Don Pedro’s clever plan of deception, careful conversations are cleverly staged so that Benedick hears Don Pedro and Claudio talking about the “undying love” that Beatrice has for him. Similarly, when Beatrice overhears her kinswomen reading a sonnet which Benedick has written for her, she too quickly acquiesces.

This gossip, fictitious as it is, is helpful in solving the tension their friends have sensed exists between them and when both Benedick and Beatrice hear these fabricated “facts” that “t’were true”, their bottled up affection for each other is unleashed, and by the end of the play they are committed to the idea of marriage. Beatrice and Benedick are unconventional for their time. Beatrice is overpowering and slightly masculine in her ways, an unusual trait at a time when women were meant to be passive and submit to their husband’s will.

However the asexual Beatrice’s seemingly unfavourable social position gives her a freedom the other characters cannot enjoy. Likewise, Benedick, too, is free to shed his suit of honour in order to fulfil his preposterous mission to prove his love and it is precisely because Benedick is unconcerned about dismantling his social standing that he is free to love unconditionally. But what is the relevance of the brothers and how do they affect both the relationships of Beatrice and Benedick and Claudio and Hero. These brothers, Don John and Don Pedro, are pivotal to the climax of the play where we witness Hero’s humiliation and rejection.

Don John and Don Pedro’s relationship is based on jealousy and shows us the depths that rejection can lead us into and how the actions of one person, can significantly change the outcome of a relationship, particularly when that relationship is based on superficial qualities. Don Pedro is the most elusive and seemingly noble character in the social hierarchy of the play and his friends, Claudio in particular, must defer to him as their positions depend on his favour. Don Pedro has power, an attribute he is well aware of and whether or not he abuses this power is a matter of opinion.

For instance, he insists on wooing Hero for Claudio, while masked, rather than allowing Claudio to profess his love to Hero himself, and although everything turns out for the best, Don Pedro’s motives are purely in the interest of his friend, we are left wondering why Don Pedro feels the need for such an elaborate way of informing Hero of Claudio’s romantic interest. Although it is Don Pedro’s royal prerogative to do exactly as he wishes and no one can question him, despite his cloudy motives he does work to bring about happiness for everyone and it is his idea to convince Beatrice and Benedick to admit their love for each other.

It is Don Pedro who brings the two competitors together as he orchestrates the deception and plays the role of director in this comedy of wit and manners. Contrastingly, his brother, the bastard villain Don John, also orchestrates a deception, Hero’s denunciation, but here he is using power for nefarious purposes. Through the concept of static villainy, Don John is conveniently portrayed as the ‘author of all’ and thus becomes the scapegoat for a society looking to free themselves of the guilt and drama that ““Much Ado About Nothing”” personifies.

By only blaming Don John, Claudio, the Prince, and Don Pedro are exonerated and Hero’s humiliation, which destroyed her reputation without hard proof of her infidelity, is blamed on Don John’s villainous deception. So in reality the whole purpose of Don John’s character is to have somebody to blame for everyone else’s mistakes, because nearly all the characters in ““Much Ado About Nothing”” play some role in the climatic rejection of Hero at the altar.

In ““Much Ado About Nothing””, whether it be Claudio the misunderstood returned war romantic, Hero the innocent and wrongly accused wife-to-be, Beatrice and Benedick, the witty yet confused couple or Don Pedro and Don John, the conflicting brothers, Shakespeare has cleverly crafted these characters in such a way that we can relate them to our own lives and it is our identifying with these characters that allows us to fully understand their motives and reasoning.

When this play is analysed it is obvious that in ““Much Ado About Nothing””, it is difficult to think beyond the aristocratic code of honour, complicated as it is by conflicting ideas of love and that if the battle between the sexes is ever to be resolved the key lies within each of us if only we are brave enough to love as individuals.

When we look closely at the romance of Beatrice and Benedick, we see the problems that a rational lover has in putting aside his concept of honour in order to love a woman and Shakespeare cleverly contrasts this relationship with our idealistic lover Claudio, who is incapable of rejecting the restrictions that honour places on a man. In a parallel construction we see through the relationship that the boorish Claudio has with the docile Hero that for love to flourish it must reject chivalric notions of honour.

The social hierarchy of Messina, is a very class conscious one and being witty is almost a full time occupation for many of its inhabitants. Playing practical jokes and tricks upon each other is a subtle way of maintaining the strict codes of conduct and among the most successful and benevolent of the deceptions practised are the parallel practical jokes played on Beatrice and Benedick in order to trick each of them into admitting their love for one another.

In their first encounter, we see Beatrice and Benedick using their superior intellects to ridicule each other. Benedick warns her to ‘keep her ladyship’ and she lashes back with insults around his physicality suggesting that he is so ugly that ‘scratching his face could not make it worse’. Benedick uses his wit to shield himself from her barbs, hiding his true feelings and pretending to enjoy his bachelor existence when actually it is a mechanism for his safety. Benedick presents one face to the world in order to be accepted by the society that judges him and it is this society that acknowledges his wit, but underpinning Benedick’s wit is his distaste for the superficial values that Messinian society is built upon. His ironic attitude towards both himself and the world he is held captive by is apparent in his soliloquy, where he weighs up the discrepancy between how the world sees him and how he sees himself.

The repartee between Beatrice and Benedick is sometimes blunt and crude, sometimes elaborate and self conscious. Puns, similes, metaphors, and paradoxes are all brought into play in their continual game of mutual insults and it is this aggressive verbal battle which pushes Beatrice and Benedick to the foreground of the play. Being in love is a game for fools and Benedick vows to never be ‘such a fool’. Benedick persuades himself that by staying away from Beatrice and denying himself any notions of marriage, he is a confirmed misogymist, that he is the stronger individual and has control over his life instead of living for another human being and risking becoming a hopelessly ‘in love’ lover. Benedick views women in society as somehow predatory, wanting to ‘capture’ a man and contain him in marriage, only to torture him with subsequent betrayal. However when faced with a woman such as Beatrice, who proclaims herself equally contemptuous of marriage and for the same reasons, Benedick’s role begins to fall apart, which is where Benedick faces the biggest battle in his life, as he fights to hold on to his notions of male honour. But no matter how hard he tries he cannot frame for himself a separate language of love and as a result he and Beatrice construct a loving relationship which is as much of a sparring match as their enmity, once Benedick gives up his notions of male honour.

In stark contrast to Benedick and Beatrice, Shakespeare’s ideal lovers, Claudio and Hero, ‘believe’ they are in love with each other, but we quickly see that when put to the test this love is superficial and lacks the true acknowledgement of each other’s individuality needed to sustain it. Their love for each other, although seemingly sincere, dissipates at the first obstacle and doubt sees one quick to accuse the other of adultery. For Beatrice and Benedick however, their jokes are the means whereby they can resist the kind of love-relationship exemplified by Hero and Claudio. In the end the ‘happy-ending’ which sees Hero married off to Claudio is one fraught with contradictions, for this conventional relationship, founded as it is on romantic love, which they exemplify, has been severely satirised by Shakespeare.

By presenting the relationship between Beatrice and Benedick as real and not idealistic, we see the fragility of an idealised, romantic love such as the one Claudio has with Hero and its tendency to collapse into loathing and disgust becomes all too apparent. Appropriately the play ends not with Claudio and Hero whose strict adherence to an unbending code of honour temporarily fragments their relationship, but with Beatrice and Benedick who overcome both the male code of honour and society’s expectations to love and accept each other for their individual selves. There is a relationship built on mutual trust, respect and acceptance and proof that Love must be truthful to be sustained.

When Benedict states that ‘happy are they that hear their distractions and can put them to mending’, he is stating that characters are able to recognise flaws within their own character and, more importantly, are able to fix them. One conventional aspect of Elizabethan society, that is very much evident within ‘Much Ado’ About Nothing’, is social inequality. “In Shakespeare’s play, women are portrayed as being powerless in their own lives and in everything around them. ” In Elizabethan society, men were dominant over women and made all the important decisions.

In ‘Much Ado’ About Nothing’, the men frequently make bad decisions, and is a recurring theme throughout the play. Although Shakespeare was a product of his time, and accepted social norms and values, he demonstrated an understanding of women’s subjection by men in his work. The comic genre allows Shakespeare to push the boundaries when challenging social conventions. For example, Shakespeare is able to portray Beatrice as a feisty, sharp, intelligent woman. The audience are naturally, more open-minded because they realise that the play is a comedy and they’re suppose to find it funny.

As a consequence, this gives Shakespeare more freedom to create comedy within the play. In Shakespeare’s Much Ado’ About Nothing, Claudio is flawed character, although not appearing so initially: he is shown as a distinguished soldier under the command of Don Pedro, Prince of Arragon. In the first act, Claudio is introduced to the audience via a discussion between Leonato and a messenger in the presence of Leonato’s daughter, Hero, and his niece Beatrice, whereby the audience hear of Claudio’s heroism and admirability during the war and that Don Pedro regards him highly and has, “bestowed much honor” upon him.

The messenger also suggests that Claudio has done tremendously well, as “He hath borne himself beyond the promise of his age”, suggesting Claudio is a mature character. The absence of Claudio from this scene means that the audience judge him based on what they have heard about him, as a consequence their first impression of Claudio is very positive. However, throughout the play the audience are introduced to his flaws of immaturity, haste and pride which all contradict with their first impression of him. Although the audience’s introduction to Claudio suggests maturity, this is proven to be false throughout the play.

In a discussion between Claudio and Benedick, Claudio recognises that falling in love too quickly is a mark of immaturity, concerned that “liking might too sudden seem”. However, after one silent get-together of characters, Claudio finds himself in love with Hero and immediately talks longing that, “Hero would be my wife”. Therefore, Claudio seems to do the exact opposite to the statement in the question and adopts a distraction that he has already heard, acting in a contradictory manner and emphasises his immaturity.

As well as this, Claudio is gullible, and allows he to be deceived by Don John into believing that Don Pedro has wooed Hero for himself, “my brother is amorous on Hero, and hath withdrawn her father to break with him about it. ” Through Shakespeare’s use of dramatic irony, the audience feel frustrated with Claudio, as he instantly believes this false allegation without question, “Tis certain so, the prince woos for himself”. Furthermore, Claudio lacks the courage to confront Don Pedro about the allegation, hence choosing to blindly believe Don John over Don Pedro and Benedick, without seeking the truth, “Ho now you strike like the blind man. The audience feel frustrated because they know that Don Pedro is innocent, however they can’t pass this information onto Claudio and are forced to watch the consequences unfold. Additionally, the audience feel frustrated with Claudio because it doesn’t seem likely that Don Pedro would betray Claudio due to the fact they have fought alongside each other at war and share a good relationship. However, the audience can sympathise with Claudio because his encounter with Don John at the masked ball was a setup in order to trick him.

Due to the theme of the ball, whereby everyone had to wear masks and conceal their identity, Claudio thought that by pretending to be Benedick, he could deceive Don John and Borachio. By way of contrast, the opposite happens as Claudio believes that Don John thinks he is speaking with Benedick, “Are not you Signor Benedick”, “You know me well, I am he”. As a consequence, Don John finds it much easier to deceive Claudio. When Don Pedro asks Claudio, “wherefore are you sad”, Claudio intentionally replies with very brief, indirect responses that forces Don Pedro to investigate into the matter further.

I believe by doing this, Claudio fulfils his need for attention, which in itself is a sign of immaturity. For example, Claudio replies with “Not sad, my lord”, stopping to allow Don Pedro to continue asking questions. As expected, Don Pedro replies, “How then? Sick? ” In which Claudio replies “Neither, my lord”, again, allowing room for Don Pedro to investigate. However, Beatrice who allows the conversation to carry on, interrupts this process, “The count is neither sad, nor sick, nor merry, nor well: but civil”.

After Claudio realises that Don John has deceived him at the masked ball, the audience expect Claudio to put his flaw ‘to mending’. However, Claudio fails to do this and allows himself to be deceived by Don John once again. The night before the wedding, Don John deceives both Don Pedro and Claudio into believing that Hero “is disloyal” and has slept with another man. Don Pedro questions the allegation at first “I will not think it” whereas Claudio is quick to believe it to an extent “May this be so? The fact Don Pedro is able to question the allegation shines a negative light upon Claudio who should not question Hero’s dishonesty. The audience feel frustrated with Claudio through Shakespeare’s use of dramatic irony, allowing the audience to know the truth that Hero is innocent, especially when Claudio rushes to plan his revenge, whereby he will “wed, there will I shame her. ” Women in Elizabethan times were objectified and became possessions of their husbands. They would not have attended school and their “education would have been purely of domestic nature” in preparation for marriage.

As men were seen as the superior figure that provided for him and his family, their pride and dignity meant the world to them. Therefore, to be a cuckold (a man married to an unfaithful wife) associated much shame and brought down the male’s social standing. Baring this in mind, a contemporary audience would be more sympathetic with Claudio’s rash decision as they would share a better understanding of Claudio’s fear of shame. On the other hand, a modern audience would not be as sympathetic because social norms and values, especially gender inequality, has changed.

However, the audience cannot entirely blame Claudio because he believes that he actually witnessed the supposed affair. On the other hand, the audience blame him for not confronting Hero, just like he failed to confront Don Pedro after the masked ball. Evidently, Claudio has not recognised his flaw of being deceptable to lies and failing to confront them, therefore failing to fix it. Through dramatic irony, the audience know that Hero is completely innocent. In addition to this, they also know that Claudio intends to publically humiliate her at the wedding.

The audience sympathise with Hero, especially when they see how excited she is before the wedding, “God give me joy to wear it! for my heart is exceeding heavy. ” On the day of the wedding ceremony, Leonato shows that he shares the tendency to rush into conclusions like Claudio. When Claudio publicly shames Hero, “Not to be married, not to knit my soul to an approved wanton”. Leonato at first defends Hero’s honor, “Dear my lord, if you in your own proof… made defeat of her virginity. It’s only when Don Pedro supports the claim made by Claudio that his daughter has slept with another man that Leonato suddenly believes the claims made and turns against his own daughter. Leonato even goes as far as saying that he regrets having a daughter, and “Death is the fairest cover for her shame”. Leonato understands that no other man will marry Hero because they will become a cuckold, bringing shame to himself; therefore Hero has nobody to support her, as she is unable to support herself due to the conventional norms of the Elizabethan period.

The audience are shocked by Leonato’s reaction because through dramatic irony, they know Hero is innocent. However, the audience also know that by comparing the ending of a comedy to a tragedy, that no serious consequences will be inflicted upon her. It is not until Friar Francis is introduced that Leonato seems like a failed father, because Friar Francis doubts Hero’s disloyalty and so offers a chance of redemption, with a practical plan to prove her honesty.

Leonato is unable to believe his own daughter over the Prince and Claudio whereas a stranger can, emphasising his failure as a father. It is also arguable that Leonato’s pride clouded his judgement when choosing to believe his daughter’s innocence and is the reason why he was quick to believe the allegation when Don Pedro supported it, suggesting that “maturity is the trait most lacking in all of the play’s characters”; their susceptibility to pride and deception, and their “inability to think before drawing their conclusions”, are more about immaturity than any other quality.

However, towards the end of the play Leonato loses interest in pride, replacing it with the determination to be a better father. Leonato confronts Don Pedro and Claudio with resentment, whilst trying to remain courteous, over publicly shaming his daughter whilst she was innocent. In confrontation, Leonato addresses Claudio as immature, stating that “If thou kill’st me, boy, thou shalt kill a man. ” Leonato reminds Claudio that “thou hast kill’d my child”, and expresses that if he kills Leonato, he will at least kill a man and not an innocent child.

Similarly, Leonato isn’t the only character in the play to call Claudio a ‘boy’, for example Antonio calls Claudio a ‘boy’ a few times when he demands Claudio to “come, follow me, boy; come, sir boy, come, follow me”. As well as this, Benedick later on says to Claudio, “Fare you well, boy… I will leave you now to your gossip-like humour. ” This evidence suggests that many other characters, as well as the audience see Claudio as an immature character. Although Leonato must talk with respect to the Prince, he speaks with sarcasm, “Are you so hasty now? well, all is one”. Therefore, it’s evident that Leonato has learned his lesson that his pride and loyalty to the Prince can turn him against his own family and that he shouldn’t let anyone influence his own judgment. Additionally, the view of ‘susceptibility to pride and deception’ is strengthened from the point of view of a modern audience, because to criticise the characters on the grounds of being susceptible to pride is contradictory to the social norms of the Elizabethan period.

For example, an Elizabethan man’s good name was of considerable worth to him and any action that tarnished it, would affect his social standing. However, Shakespeare highlights that ‘susceptibility to pride and deception’ and ‘the inability to think before drawing conclusions’ are major flaws found within the play and within Shakespearean society. It is through the comic genre that Shakespeare is able to portray his message that all of us, to some extent, have our own character-flaw(s) and it’s those who can fix them that benefit – like Leonato.

Furthermore, as the audience watch ‘Much Ado’ About Nothing’ and laugh at the character-flaws found within it, it makes them realise that their own character flaws can just as easily, be made fun of, as “Comedy is intimidating and encourages complacency in those who laugh”. Many people have a fear of being laughed at because it makes them feel inferior. This is known as superiority theory, whereby people laugh at something or someone to make themselves seem superior. Due to this fear of being laughed at, people are more encouraged to fix the things that are comical, such as their human flaws.