“Much Ado About Nothing” is a romantic comedy (Hamilton, p. 49) written between 1598 and 1599 (The British Library) by William Shakespeare. The main plot of the play is concerned with the relationship between the young lovers Claudio and Hero, and the sub-plots, in descending order of significance are a) the relationship between Hero’s cousin Beatrice and Claudio’s friend Benedick; b) Don John’s plot against Claudio and c) the constables Dogberry and Verges, their arrest of Borachio and their discovery of Don John’s deception. (Hamilton, p. 49) However, the first subplot of the play tends to overshadow the main plot (Bryant, p. 126), with Benedick and Beatrice being more vivid, memorable and relatable characters than their staid counterparts Claudio and Hero. (Jay, p. 28) Beatrice, in particular, is interesting in her subversion of traditional Renaissance femininity, and her role as a heroine of the play despite this unconventionality. Comedy, as a genre, is less serious and formulaic than that of tragedy. (Hamilton, p. 49) It is not expected to discuss the human condition or delve deeply into social issues. (Neilson, p. 377) “From the nature of this kind of drama, we do not expect in it the depth of penetration into human motive or the call upon our profounder sympathies that we find in Tragedy; and the conventional happy ending of Comedy makes difficult the degree of truth to life that one expects in serious plays.” (Neilson, p. 377) However, Shakespeare’s comedies are not completely shallow. Many of them, such as “The Merchant of Venice” comment on social issues of the time, in the case of “The Merchant of Venice”, anti-Semitism (Shankman, p. 65) (Cohen, p. 25), albeit in less detail than Shakespeare’s tragedies or historica... ... middle of paper ... ...at marriage is the ideal state of women, and negates most of the challenges the character of Beatrice and her “inappropriate” behaviour pose to the established patriarchal system of Renaissance England. While Beatrice as an unconventional heroine is the most commonly analysed female character in “Much Ado About Nothing”, it is important to note that she is only one of the five female characters present in the play, among Innogen, Hero, Margaret and Ursula, and thus her behaviour in the play does not exist alone, but is compared and contrasted with the behaviour of the other female characters in the play. Most modern editions of the play tend to leave out the character of Innogen, who while listed in the Dramatis Personae of the play, is only present in two scenes (Act 1 Scene 1 and Act 2 Scene 1) and has no lines whatsoever. This silence is especially notable, as
Much Ado About Nothing is a tale of two very different relationships. The relationship between Beatrice, the niece of the Governor of Messina and Benedick, a close friend of the Nobleman Don Pedro and that of a young soldier called Claudio and The Governor’s young and beautiful daughter Hero.
A large portion of Shakespeare’s “Much Ado About Nothing” greatly focuses on the relationship between Benedick and Beatrice: two characters who provide comedic relief and romance. Even from the beginning of the play, their bantering rapport shows a deep connection, a fact known by everyone in the play but them. Their relationship between each other is what strengthens each other’s character, and the more the story progresses, the more we see the changes of each character. Both are very round characters, since they both go through a huge transition. This is most evidently seen in Benedick, who shows a huge change due to his new found romance, because his love for Beatrice not only changes his
Much Ado about Nothing by William Shakespeare, is a comical story of misunderstandings and funny feuds, but also contains heartfelt love stories, one in which contains an horrible miscalculation that leads to heartbreak and "death." That story is one of Hero, the governors daughter, who falls in love with Count Claudio, a lord from Florence. Claudio undoubtably feels the same and they quickly become engaged to be married the next week. All is well until the evil Don John devises a plan to ruin their upcoming marriage and pulls a stunt to trick Claudio into believing that Hero has been disloyal. At their wedding ceremony the following day, Claudio publicly shames Hero by revealing that she has lost her honor to another man, turning everyone against her. Hero, of course, is innocent, but only a few believe this. This scenario is, of course, horrible to witness as a reader and viewer who knows the truth, and drags on for far too long. Hero's situation is one where no matter how much she protests and demands that she has been wrongfully accused, she is not listened to. Once it has been suggested, by the simple power of words, not even physical proof that can be shown to anyone questioning it, that Hero has lost her virginity, all hope is lost for Hero. Her pleas won't be heard, no one will believe her word over a mans, and she has lost everything in one moment, a blink of eye and the weddings off and she is shamed by everyone she knows.
In conclusion, gender role in Elizabethan era is very complex with respect to women’s role. Men are the masters of the home and society; they preside over every aspect of life. They are however, expected to take care of their family and also be actively involved in politics, war, and they inherit their father’s properties. Women role varied a according to their social status. All women were raised to be subservient to men. Unlike upper class women, lower class women were denied any kind of education. And all women are expected to get married and bear children. The qualities Shakespeare gave Beatrice are very significant because it contrasts traditional Elizabethan theater. Gender role has evolved over time, especially women’s role and it will continue to evolve as long as there are women like Beatrice around.
Much Ado About Nothing is one of William Shakespeare’s best comedies and love stories. What is not to like about a play that is hilarious, romantic, and has a happy ending? In this play the foremost and most intriguing character is Benedick, a man who is a devout bachelor and who does not believe he will ever find the perfect woman; --because perfect is exactly what he must have. This may seem to be a harsh and pessimistic outlook on life, but the way Shakespeare brings this character to life portrays Benedick as a funny and caring man who really is not that certain about what he wants for the future. Benedick’s counterpart in the play is Beatrice who is an independent woman with a quick tongue. Benedick and Beatrice despise and cannot stand each other because it is seemingly impossible for them to have a conversation without arguing and angering each other. The two of them provide some of the more amusing scenes of the play with their word play and mocking of each other. In reality though, they have much in common that they have yet to realize. Both of them despise marriage, are witty, and are each their own persons. These however are not the reasons why they come together. They are brought together by their respective companions who conspire to tell each of them that the one loves the other as the two misdirected lovers listen in. In his speech directly after this, Benedick is swayed to a life that he previously would have avoided at all costs. In hearing of Beatrice’s supposed affection he immediately changes his entire outlook on perpetual bachelorhood and pronounces a love that is not real or his own, but comes secondhand from trickery.
In William Shakespeare’s play ‘Much Ado about Nothing’, there are many instances of trickery and deception, which seem to surround the whole of the play.
Beatrice is an extremely crucial character in ‘Much Ado About Nothing’. She is one of the reasons that many plans and schemes fall into place to provide us with the outcome that the play finally reaches. Shakespeare depicts Beatrice as a very strong character who knows what she wants and how she wants to achieve it. Her characteristics of sharp wit and her ability to be acutely opinionated allow her to be a notable contrast from the other women in the play, whether this be in a positive or a negative way.
Set in the sixteenth century, Much Ado About Nothing is revolved around the thought of love and marriage. Primarily, this is prevalent in the two main characters, Beatrice and Benedick. They have once been courted which suggests more maturity than the majority of couples in Shakespeare’s various plays. In the duration of the play, the violent language between Benedick and Beatrice is most evident through their ridicule. Both characters always speak critically regardless of whether they are talking to each other or out loud about one another. This is highlighted when Beatrice exclaims, “What should I do with him—dress him in my apparel / and make him my waiting gentlewoman? He that hath a / beard is more than / a youth, and he that hath no beard is less than a/ man; and he that is more than a youth is not for me, and he that is less than a/ man, I am not for him...
Much Ado About Nothing by William Shakespeare focuses on the enormous gap between the power of men and where women stand. Women were expected to be obedient and dependent on men, innocent, and were also expected to be good wives. Shakespeare wanted women to see how the roles are changing for the better. In this play, there is difference between the traditional roles of women back then, and the ones that stand out from the rest. He depicts this through two characters. In the opening scene, where characters and their personalities, and roles are established; Hero has only one line, which is seven words. Even said that, these lines are just a comment on Beatrice. Hero is the daughter and the property of her father, Leonato. Her helplessness comes from her being overprotected by her father, and the need to obey him. Beatrice, by contrast, does not have a father, she lives on her witty personality and her intelligence. Beatrice has a dream to spend her life “where the bachelors sit, and there live we, as merry as the day is long” (2.1.40-46) When Leonato tells Hero, “Daughter, remember what I told you: if the prince do solicit you in that kind, you know your answer,” (2.1.60-63) she just stands there, silently obeying her father. Hero’s looks are her only advantage as a women, as they are what attracts Claudio. He falls in love with her at first sight in the first act, based only on her appearance.
In Shakespeare’s Much Ado about Nothing, there are the usual characters that show up in most of Shakespeare’s pieces. For instance the characters Hero and Claudio could easily be compared to Romeo and Juliet. Both Hero and Juliet are innocent, quite, and beautiful young women who fall in love instantly without conversing with the other person. Likewise, Claudio and Romeo decide to marry these women within twenty-four hours. Because of these characters’ lack of unique and interesting qualities, I am intrigued by Beatrice.
William Shakespeare 's play, Much Ado About Nothing is a love story about two young couples, their friends, and families. The story takes place in the town of Messina. Leonato is the governor and owns a beautiful estate. His daughter, Hero, his niece, Beatrice, his brother Antonio, and many others live together on the estate. When the play begins, The Prince of Aragon, Claudio, Benedick, Don Jon, and other soldiers are just arriving in Messina on their way back from a war. Claudio immediately falls in love upon the sight of the beautiful Hero. The other couple, Benedick and Beatrice, are quickly swept up in witty banter and a need of superiority over the other. Hero and Claudio are to be married within a weeks time. Together the friends come up with a plan to have Benedick and
Transformations inherently contain traces of the author’s social and cultural context. Much of the same can be applied to “Much ado about nothing”. It incorporates comical features, yet retains the sense of tragedy which is attached to almost all of Shakespeare’s plays. Brain Percival’s role as a director, was determining, understanding and distinguishing the social norms and the social structure of the society, and how the themes represented in the play can be transformed into a modern text. The Elizabethan society was typically a patriarchal society. Percival has used as well as transformed certain themes and textual features to ensure, that the film is more appealing and assessable to the critical modern audience.
In Shakespeare's romantic comedy Much Ado About Nothing, Shakespeare focuses a great deal of time to the ideas of young, lustful, and intellectual love. Claudio and Hero, Borachio and Margaret, and Benedick and Beatrice, respectively, each represent one of the basic aspects of love. Shakespeare is careful to point out that not one path is better than another. The paths are merely different, and all end happily. Shakespeare also explores the different aspects of courtship, weddings, and the different facets of love.
Scott, Mark W., ed. "Much Ado About Nothing." Shakespeare Criticism. Vol. VIII. Detroit, Michigan: Gale Research Co., 1989.
The play Othello is presented as a male-dominated society where women are only recognized as property; objects to own and to bear children. Women in the Elizabethan society and in Shakespeare society were not seen as equal to men and were expected to be loyal to their husbands, be respectful, and to not go against their husbands judgements or actions. Shakespeare presents Desdemona, Emilia , and Bianca as women in the Elizabethan time where they were judged based on their class, mortality, and intelligence. Shakespeare makes his female characters act the way they would be expected to act in an Elizabethan society. The role of these women in Othello is crucial because they show how women were treated and how unhealthy their relationships between men really were in both Elizabethan and Shakespeare's society.