The Themes of Appearance versus True Love in William Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing

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The Themes of Appearance versus True Love in William Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing

True love is a bond shared by few and dreamed of by everyone. The appearance of a relationship may not accurately depict the true reality of the situation. The bond between Claudio and Hero appears far stronger than that of Beatrice and Benedict, yet events of the play provide evidence for the converse. In Shakespeare's comedy Much Ado About Nothing, the masked emotions of two couples are evoked through subterfuge.

Upon first sight, Beatrice and Benedict seem as if they abhor one another as they exchange several deriding remarks. The skirmish of wits is merely a facade of their underlying attraction to each other, and an ongoing struggle of recognizing their love; the insults function as a psychological device which erects a strong barrier around their emotions and further supports their feelings of denial. A few of the townspeople have noticed several signs of love between Beatrice and Benedict so they decide to trick them into divulging their feelings. Don Pedro, Claudio, and Leona...

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