The play “Much Ado About Nothing” by William Shakespeare takes place in the city of Messina. It is a comedy play that mainly focuses on the love lives of two couples: a young lord from Florence named Claudio, who falls for a young woman named Hero, and a gentleman from Padua named Benedick who falls for Hero’s cousin, Beatrice. Each of the two romances is strikingly different, the first being a typical romance for the Shakespearean time period, while the second relationship is one that would be more commonly seen in today’s time. This play explores the dynamics which can make up these different types of relationships, from wit, to expectations of love and courtship.
The word “ideal” is defined by the dictionary as, “a conception of something
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Benedick tries to create the impression that he is tough and although he wishes it, he is simply incapable of loving someone when he tells Beatrice, “I would I could find in my heart that I had not a cold heart, for truly I love none.” (1.1.124-125) Beatrice mirrors his toughness facade by responding to him, “I had rather hear my dog bark at a crow than a man swear he loves me.” (1.1.129-130) It seems that they only tell each other this as if to make it clear to each other that they will never love one another. This is what makes it all the more satisfying when they are so easily deceived into falling in love with each other. For example, Benedick, upon hearing that Beatrice loves him, doubts it a bit at first, but thinks better of those he is eavesdropping on and says, “I should think this a gull but that the white-bearded fellow speaks it. Knavery cannot, sure, hide himself in such reverence.” (2.3.126-128) Beatrice is proven to be just as gullible as her lover. Upon overhearing that Benedick is in love with her, she says, “Can this be true?... Benedick love on; I will requite thee, taming my wild heart to thy loving hand.” (3.2.113;117-118) She also falls easily in love upon hearing only rumors which further proves how strong her hidden feelings for Benedick were. It is aesthetically pleasing to the reader to see that the bickering duo of characters who put up such a tough guard, can have it so easily knocked down by their undisclosed love for the person they claimed to hate the most. The fact that they were made so easy to be deceived only confirms the suspicions of the reader of the feelings Beatrice and Benedick were so obviously trying to hide from everyone, and especially hide from each other. This is a great deal more satisfying than Hero and Claudio’s relationship. Hero and Claudio’s romance was the typical Shakespearean romance which conformed to the social norms of
Beatrice and Benedick’s love is more complicated from the start. In Act 1, Beatrice says to the messenger, “it is so indeed. He is less than a stuffed man, but for the stuffing well, we are all mortal”(1.1.57). Beatrice points out he's nothing but a stuffed dummy as what he stuffed with well, nobody's perfect. In Act 1, Benedick comes back when he exclaims “I would my horse had the speed of her tongue and so good a container”(1.1.140).
“Romeo and Juliet”, a tragedy written by William Shakespeare, is held in Verona, Italy. The play portrays the reality of a trascurring feud between two households, Montagues and Capulets, which resulted in tragic consequences for the main characters, Romeo and Juliet. The events contrast hate with love, forcing the young star-crossed lovers to grow up quickly and die tragically in despair. The theme of hate is shown through the transcurring feud of both households; the reason behind all six deaths in the play and the prohibition of the love of two star cross 'd lovers. Shakespeare does not reveal why the families hate each other, but one of the many possible reasons could be that the feud is so longstanding that the families themselves don 't know why it started.
The audience may understand the concept of love and romance flowing within the characters because it was to portrayed that way but the critics would argue the fact that some of the characters like Beatrice and Benedick were made to fall in love with each other through deception. As simple as the characters were, the situations arousing in the play became more complexed as scenes passed by. What led to the trouble and chaos in the play also led to the solution in the end, when Claudio and Don Pedro were deceived into thinking by Don John that Hero was unfaithful. That very same idea also solved the problem in the end when Leonato, Hero’s father, deceived Claudio by making him believe that she is dead and that it is his duty to clear Hero’s name by reading out on her tomb and marrying the said niece who looks just like Hero. Again the plotting against own is present where the said niece turns out to be Hero and she comes back to life again.
Benedick couldn’t hesitate to execute that offer Beatrice made considering how much he loves her, he would do anything in the world for her. This demonstrates how strong love can be either in romance or in family. Benedick tried to challenge Claudio, but the fight never happened. Finally, after all this hate and love between these two lovebirds, Beatrice and Benedick, they get married. Benedick asks Beatrice to marry him, then she quotes “ I would not deny you; but, by this good day I yield upon great persuasion, and partly to save your life, for I was told you were in a consumption”.
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).”
Even though she and Hero are close, they are not much alike. While Hero is polite, quit, respectful and gentle, Beatrice is feisty, cynical, witty and sharp. Although Beatrice is outspoken and seems hard she is vulnerable. Once she hears Hero talking about how Benedick is in love with her she opens herself to the sensitivitis and weaknesses of love. Unlike Hero who is will do anything her father asks and will agree to an arranged marraige to marry anybody that her father picks, Beatrice refuses to marry because she feels that she has not found the perfect man for her?
When Beatrice asks Benedick to duel Claudio for her, he agrees and plans to duel him. Benedick and Claudio are best friends who had fought in battle together, but the love of a woman completely changes Benedick’s allegiance from his fellow soldiers to his new love. Before falling in love with Beatrice, Benedick would have done everything possible to protect his brothers in battle. Now, love has emboldened him to make a choice that he would not have previously made. Benedick’s sacrifice of a meaningful friendship proves that he is now completely devoted to his relationship with Beatrice and is willing to do whatever necessary to preserve that relationship.
Cathy Chen Mrs. Weber AP Lit 1 March 2023 Revision In the play, Much Ado About Nothing by Shakespeare, Don John is the half-brother of Don Pedro and shows his hatred toward Don Pedro. To illustrate the character the author then uses diction, figurative speech like metaphors, and anaphora to form and develop Don John’s character as a dark, mischievous person, revealing his thoughts and showing that he is also miserable because of his relationship with Don Pedro. Additionally, Shakespeare uses Don John to illustrate the idea of deception, appearance versus reality as he is deceiving the character and himself.
Moreover, Claudio's quickness on believing that Broachio, who claims to be Hero’s supposed lover, comes to show that he is unworthy of her. On their wedding he publicly shamed her by stating, “Give not this rotten orange to your friend…Behold how like a maid she blushes here” (4.1.32-34). This then causes Leonato to fake Hero’s “death” so that Claudio can grieve her memory and admit that he was wrong on publicly bashing her. Shakespeare’s
When one is in love, they can be hurt by the words, and actions of their special someone. For example, becoming a cuckold because of your special someone. This was something Benedick was always afraid of, as shown when says, “Friar, I must entreat your pains, I think… to bind me, or undo me, one of them -” (5.4 18-20) Much Ado About Nothing. This quote was said by him around the end of the play where he had already came into terms with his love for Beatrice, however this quote shows that even now he knows the
At the outset of the play, she appears content never to marry. Benedick - An aristocratic soldier who has recently been fighting under Don Pedro, and a friend of Don Pedro and Claudio. Benedick is very witty, always making jokes and puns. He carries on a “merry war” of wits with Beatrice, but at the beginning of the play he swears he will never fall in love or marry. Claudio - A young soldier who has won great acclaim fighting under Don Pedro during the recent wars.
Before Benedick and Beatrice decided to marry each other or start a relationship at all, they took a period of time to ponder their feelings and realize the best solution, something Claudio and Hero completely ignored. Once they decided to finally start a relationship, their joking nature didn 't change, displaying their friendship and love for each other as a main component that has not wavered. Even when announcing their relationship, a serious matter, Benedick joked, “But by this light, I take thee/ for pity”(5.4.92-93). It is obvious that Benedick does not actually think Beatrice is ugly, but their relationship is so strong that he can jokingly insult her. In contrast, Hero and Claudio had to remain respectful towards each other in order to not risk the marriage.
This is shown with their views on marriage. Hero is willing to marry whoever her father asks her too and when Leonato finds out that Don Pedro seeks marriage with Hero, he encourages Hero to marry and says to Hero, “Daughter, remember what I told you. If the prince does solicit you in the kind, you know your answer” (II.i.57-58). Beatrice, however rebels completely against marriage and says “If he send me no husband; for the which blessing / I am at him upon my knees every morning and evening” (23-25).
In William Shakespeare’s play, Much Ado About Nothing, he spins a tale of misunderstandings leading to terrible consequences, but truth prevails in the end. He sets the scene in the mansion of the Messinan Governor Leonato. Don Pedro has just won a huge battle and has decided to pass through Messina. As he arrives, accompanied by Claudio and Benedick, Claudio quickly falls in love with Leonato’s daughter Hero, and Beatrice engages Benedick in a battle of wit and insults. As the play unfolds, the audience learns that Don Pedro’s brother, Don John the Bastard, will try to destroy Don Pedro’s plans no matter the cost or consequence.
It was a set up marriage and she would just try to make the male proud. Relationships, in the modern day, are more egalitarian than they use to be. This allows Benedick and Beatrice to represent more of a modern time ideal couple, than Claudio and Hero. A great quote about relationships is “ Respect is as important as love in a relationships”