Relationships In Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing

Love in Much Ado about Nothing William Shakespeare presents love very differently in his play, Much Ado about Nothing. There is paternal, philia, innocent and romantic relationships; all that are key in the plot of the story. In 1 Corinthians 13:4-5, love is described to be and not to be many things; however, two descriptions really connected to Much Ado about Nothing. Leonato’s paternal love for Hero proves itself to not be lovable because of the biblical definition of the emotion; in fact, one of the only true loves, in my opinion, that Hero experiences is her philia with her cousin Beatrice.

Cousins Who Are As Different As Day and Night Throughout Shakespeare’s Much Ado about Nothing play we explore the similarities and differences in cousins Beatrice and Hero. Beatrice speaks her mind and makes her own decisions in every aspect of her life. That is what contracts the two, Hero is portrayed as property and her beauty is her asset. Beatrice comes off as very bold, coldhearted and independent. However, both of the characters represent both traditional aspects of feminism in the sixteenth century.

In Shakespeare 's Much Ado About Nothing, there are example of both loveless marriages, like Claudio and Hero 's, and marriages based on true love, like Benedick and Beatrice. The relationship based around fake love has encountered many problems and barely held on, not setting a bright example for the future. Shakespeare shows that for a marriage to work, true love must be the main basis or else the smallest issues will destroy the weak

The play “Much Ado About Nothing” by William Shakespeare is a comedy that tells the tale of two pairs of lovers: Hero and Claudio, and Beatrice and Benedict. Though the main plot of the story revolves around Hero and Claudio, Benedict and Beatrice’s romantic relationship is an important subplot to the story. In “Much Ado About Nothing”, Shakespeare uses irony, hyperbole, and use of language to illustrate Benedict and Beatrice as a nontraditional spin on the ideal couple through the strength and security of their love, as can be shown in dialogue not traditionally associated with love. The love story of Beatrice and Benedict, though the irony of how it was founded makes it non-traditional, has real feelings behind it, making them an ideal

(I, I, Pg.4). Benedick tries to say that Beatrice is the only lady that he doesn’t love. He tries to hide the way he feels. At the party Benedick and Beatrice seem to find their way to each other, and Benedick doesn’t know that Beatrice knows that it is him, and she starts to talk about him, “ Beat. Why, he is the prince’s jester: a very dull fool; only his gift is in devising impossible slanders: none but libertines delight in him; and the commendation is not in his wit, but in his villany; for he both pleases men and angers them, and then they laugh at him and beat him.

John Ruskin once said, “It is better to lose your pride with someone you love than to lose that someone you love with your useless pride.” Similarly, in Much Ado About Nothing, Shakespeare also suggests that the biggest barrier between romantic love is pride. He asserts, this by telling the readers that love is a far more authentic feeling than pride, and that love can only grow if an individual is able to set aside their pride and allow themselves to be both vulnerable and receptive to authentic feelings. The first thing that is emphasized in the play, Much Ado About Nothing is the vulnerability and dangers of love. It’s shown that falling in love is a constant danger, and that no one gets out of the ordeal unharmed.

Are Benedick and Beatrice the Ideal Couple? Beatrice and Benedick are the ideal couple, I will be explain them in four different quotes why they are. Also, by their attitude towards love and their romance is more satisfying than Claudio and Hero’s. How they get tricked into confessing their love to each other by the help of their friends and family.

While they are conversing, Beatrice plainly states that she wants Benedick to “kill Claudio...a villain, that hath slandered, scorned, dishonoured [her] kinswoman (Shakespeare 74-75).” Beatrice makes very bold actions, and she is not afraid of doing so. This shows how Beatrice and Hero are foils of each other because Hero takes actions that are safe and pleasing to others, while Beatrice does what she wants and doesn’t care about what others think of her actions. Another example of this occurs during the Masquerade Ball. Beatrice talks with Don Pedro and is quoted to have said, “My cousin tells him in his ear that he is in her heart (Shakespeare 27).”

Her determination to tame her pride for Benedick is shown when she says “Taming my wild heart to thy loving hand. If thou dost love, my kindness shall incite thee to bind our loves up in a holy band. For others say thou dost deserve, and I believe it better than reporting” (3.1.117-122) The “tame my wild heart” depicts that if Benedick truly loves her, she will return that love by easing or casting away her pride and sharp-tongue for Benedick. In favor of Benedick, Beatrice will be kind to Benedick to the extent that her kindness will be shown through the act of marrying.

It is truly fascinating to see how two plays that could have been written in the same century (although the chances are low) by different playwrights differ or have similar traits. It is well known that drama has seemed to grow wherever men have gained the piquing interest to know- the facts, the reasons, and the cause. However, as does men change and evolve, so does drama. So what is the next “new” way to capture an audience and express the feelings locked in every writer 's’ heart?

Claudio, Hero and Don Pedro all realize how perfect Beatrice and Benedick are together and so they set up a plan to deceive the two of them into falling in love. Don Pedro comes up with the plan to be having Benedick eavesdropping on Don Pedro, Leonato and Claudio chatting about how much Beatrice is secretly in love with Benedick. Just as they expected , their plan goes off without a hitch. After the group is done talking and they all leave, Benedick comes out of hiding and start talking about what he just heard and realizes that he is in love with Beatrice. “I will be horribly in love wit her.”

In William Shakespeare’s Much Ado about Nothing many characters are compared and contrast as many are paired up. Two characters in particular who could be contrasted and compared are Hero and Beatrice. Hero and Beatrice are cousins and a very different from one another. However, as the play progresses and the characters begin to develop, some similarities between the two begin to show up. Leonato is Hero’s father while Beatrice has no parents. As a result of her not having any parents she has more freedom. Beatrice is best described as cynical and sharp while Hero is very quiet, respectful and gentle. The ways the two react and don’t react to things creates a very huge difference between them and it reveals a lot about who they are. Shakespeare constant use of dramatic irony and contrasting plots show just how easy it is for Hero and Beatrice to be compared on contrasted.

Hero express that you must manipulate someone's love life no matter the consequences when she explains, “some cupids kill with arrows, some with traps” (3.2.112). You must use trickery, to reveal their true feelings for the other person. In Much Ado About Nothing trickery and deception are central themes in the play. At least, every character in this play have been a victim of trickery or deception. This comes to show that manipulation can reveal the true feelings and thoughts about one another.

Extracurricular Reading II Much Ado About Nothing analyzes how traditional gender roles shape behavior and actions in society. Many of the characters in the play, such as Benedick and Beatrice, actively attempt to defy the expectations placed upon them by virtue of their sex, while others nearly perfectly match the stereotypes- Hero and Claudio being prime examples. Benedick and Beatrice represent defiance of the norm- Beatrice repeatedly claims that she will avoid marriage at all costs, and Benedick doesn’t seem any more likely to place himself in a position to be cuckolded.

Play Analysis – Essay 1 “Much Ado About Nothing “ Submitted by Noor Ul Ain Shaikh (BSMS 2A) What seems to be a comedy play for an audience who enjoys a theatre with good humor and romance, “Much Ado About Nothing” contains much more than just entertainment. If we dig in deep, William Shakespeare’s play has much more than a tragic story with happy ending; even that is debatable. The theme of this play revolves around deception, plotting against your own, personal gains and rejection.