Claudio and Hero's Relationship vs. Beatrice and Benedick's
The main topic of discussion is based around the relationships of
Claudio and Hero and how their relationship differs from Beatrice’s
and Benedick’s. The idea of marriage is an important factor. In
Shakespeares time marriage was seen as an obligation and your wife
would be ‘chosen’ for you. The decision making was made by the men. It
was a very patriarchal society.
Beatrice is a prime example of one of Shakespeare’s strong characters.
She refuses to marry because she has not found the perfect equal
partner and is unwilling to eschew her liberty to the will of a
controlling husband. In her frustration and rage about Hero’s
mistreatment, Beatrice rebels against the unequal status of women in
Renaissance society. “O that I were a man for his sake! Or that I had
any friend would be a man for my sake!” she passionately exclaims. “I
cannot be a man with wishing, therefore I will die a woman with
grieving”. Beatrice relates to women in a modern society because of
her attitude towards society’s norms at that time.
Benedick is the wilful lord who vows never to marry. He engages with
Beatrice in a competition to outwit and outsmart each other, but to
his observant friends he seems to feel some deeper emotions below the
surface.
Beatrice and Benedick have a more modern idea of a relationship. In
Shakespeare’s time the idea of marriage was very different from today.
Women had no freedom to marry for love, whereas today women have a lot
more freedom and power to make their own choices.
Love and marriage are the two most striking ideas in Much Ado About
Nothing. The play ends with the union between a fair young woman and a
During this time period women were not respected at all and were belittled by all med in their lives. Even though men don’t appreciate what women they still did as they were told. In particular, “Women have an astoundingly long list of responsibilities and duties – th...
In the book, Giovanni and Lusanna, by Gene Bucker, he discusses the scandalous actions of a Florentine woman taking a wealthy high status man to court over the legality of their marriage. Published in 1988, the book explains the legal action taken for and against Lusanna and Giovanni, the social affects placed on both persons throughout their trial, and the roles of both men and women during the time. From the long and complicated trial, it can be inferred that women’s places within Florentine society were limited compared to their male counterparts and that women’s affairs should remain in the home. In this paper, I will examine the legal and societal place of women in Florentine society during the Renaissance. Here, I will argue that women were the “merchandise” of humanity and their main objective was to produce sons.
“I’ll be out of here and away from all you knaves for one time anyway, as not a month will pass before you’ll see whether I’m nobody or a somebody.” The story of Bianco Alfani reflected the nature of 14th century Florentine society where, as Alfani remarked, the election to public office could make or destroy a person. In late 14th century and early 15th century Florence, decreased population and expanding commerce provided a favorable environment for ambitious individuals. The real life examples of Buonaccorso Pitti and Gregorio Dati demonstrated the positive role of ambition in Florence. Pitti, a nobleman had an extremely successful career, partaking in military campaigns, holding public office in Florence and being an ambassador to foreign courts. Gregorio Dati, the grandson of purse venders, engaged in commerce, rising in social standing which culminated with his election to public office. Holding office was a definitive sign of success and recognition in Florence. In contrast was the tale Bianco Alfani, a deemed man unworthy of office. As told by Piero Veneziano, Alfani was the chief jailor in Florence who was duped into believing he had been named captain of the town of Norcia. Alfani publicly made a fool of himself, spending all his money and creating a great fanfare over his supposed appointment. Comparing the lives of Pitti and Dati to the story of Bianco Alfani illustrates how economic and social change in 14th century Florence produced a culture centered on reputation and commerce. For men like Pitti and Dati, who flourished within the constraints of Florentine society, their reward was election to office, a public mark of acceptance and social standing. Those who were ambitious but failed to abide by the values o...
When you walk down the street you notice millions of different kinds of people. Some with a piercing, some with bunch of friends and some with a book in their hands. What is it that makes people so different from one another? Our personality and our character are not born with us, but they are influenced by our actions and the people around us. When we are young we are around our family and they teach us their tradition, which becomes the building blocks for our personality. However, where do traditions come from and what happens when someone fails to follow the traditions? Questions like these have no definite answers but different point of views. Shakespeare for example shares his point of view about traditions in his two famous plays “Romeo and Juliet” and “Much Ado about Nothing.”
The attitude that is allowed by the authors suggests that men are permitted affairs, while women require the protection of the men that might betray them. High society, at the time, was polite, charming, and secret. No one spoke ill of another publicly, though each and every member of society was allowed, and seemingly encouraged, to make their own assumptions.
During the time of Shakespeare a powerful woman ruled over England and all of its empire and yet the average woman in society was often brushed aside and disregarded. These conflicting images of woman where depicted throughout Shakespeare's plays from stichomythia we see between King Richard and his mother and the disregard we see for Ophelia in Hamlet but these contrasts are best encapsulated in his comedies Much Ado About Nothing and Measure For Measure Woman. Woman of the time where considered weak and weak willed and yet Beatrice and Isabella each brave their societies views when they are faced with the persecuted of someone they love. This love causes them to fight against their oppressors without sacrificing their beliefs and eventually be a martyr to save those that they love. In this paper I will discuss the parallels of Beatrice and Isabella and the love, loss, and battles they face and how despite their actions they still end up losing but for a purpose they believe in. These woman each have their own view and struggles yet in the end they will fall back into the societal obligations that fall upon them but not without saving their loved one.
“The test of a round character is whether it is capable of surprising in a convincing way. If it never surprises, it is flat. If it does not convince, it is a flat pretending to be round.” -E.M. Forster
In this brief monograph, we shall be hunting down and examining various creatures from the bestiary of Medieval/Renaissance thought. Among these are the fierce lion of imperious, egotistical power, a pair of fantastic peacocks, one of vanity, one of preening social status, and the docile lamb of humility. The lion and the peacocks are of the species known as pride, while the lamb is of an entirely different, in fact antithetical race, that of humility and forgiveness. The textual regions we shall be exploring include the diverse expanses, from palace to heath, of William Shakespeare, the dark, sinister Italy of John Webster, and the perfumed lady's chambers of Ben Jonson and Robert Herrick.
In the first part of the scene where Romeo gets depressed over Rosaline, Benvolio plays a significant role in which he is a reliable and trustworthy cousin of Romeo’s. When Montague was frustrated of Romeo’s temperament, Benvolio responded, “So please you, step aside/ I’ll know his grievance or be much denied” (1.1. 159-160). In regards to Benvolio’s response with the Montagues, Benvolio shows that he understood Romeo more than his parents, and is willing to console him. In this case, I included one of symbols that represent a loyal friend just as Benvolio; a dog. On the other hand, when there was a recent fight in the street, Benvolio tried to make peace with the Capulets, but Tybalt resisted. Before the fight had begun, Benvolio insisted
Throughout Act one and two, Benedick repeatedly says that he will never love a woman or get married. At some stage in the duration of the play his mindset changes. In the end he is head over heels in love for Beatrice whom he once quarreled with habitually. The turnabout in his behavior was brought about by the deceiving Claudio and Pedro who indirectly told Benedick that Beatrice loved him.
Entry 1: Act I. Don Pedro and his men return from the war and visit the house of Leonato and his brother, Antonio. This sudden meeting reunites Beatrice with her archrival, Benedick, and it is here that Claudio and Hero fall in love. React: Is it a In Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing, there are the usual characters that show up in most of Shakespeare’s pieces.
As the book progressed, readers may argue that the Nurse betrayed Juliet when she confessed that Juliet should do as what her parents says and marry Paris. " Then, since the case so stands as now it doth, I think it best you married with the county" (Shakespeare 3. 5. 218-219) Although she did confess it and said it was from the bottom of her heart, she only thought that way because of how the situation was. Romeo was banished, her parents threatened to disown her. The Nurse only wanted the safety of Juliet, she also did not tell Capulet that she was secretly married to Romeo. When Juliet came to Friar Laurence for advice after being "betrayed" by the Nurse, Friar Laurence proposed a plan in order Juliet to be with Romeo. Some may speculate
Like many other renaissance Ducks, The duck of Ferrara is very arrogant and selfish. He is very proud of himself and his ancestors. He believes it is his wife’s privilege to be married with him and she should be thankful for “the gift of a nine-hundred –year’s-old name” that he gave her. The fact that “[his] favor at her breast, the dropping of the daylight in the west, the bough of cherries some officious fool broke in the orchard for her…all and each would draw from her alike the approving speech” disgusts him. He thinks he should be treated specially not like anyone else and with “Much the same smile,” but he can not stoop “to blame this sort of trifling.”
older days for women, as they did not have much rights as men’s did. A
The Relationship between Elizabeth and Darcy in Pride and Prejudice In the 19th century, a controversy arose over what the true foundation and purpose of marriage should be. The basis of this conflict was whether one should let reason or emotion be the guide of their love life and if a balance between the two could be maintained. The relationship between Elizabeth and Darcy in Jane Austen's book Pride and Prejudice depicts such a balance, thus becoming the model for Austen's definition of a perfect couple and for true love. Their relationship is neither solely based on a quest for money on Elizabeth's part, or emotions that blind the couple from all other important aspects of life.