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How Shakespeare presents attitudes towards women in Much Ado About Nothing
Much ado about nothing relationships essay
How Shakespeare presents attitudes towards women in Much Ado About Nothing
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Ram Mohan once said, “Two people of similar nature can never get along, it takes two opposites to harmonize.” In the play, Much Ado About Nothing, by William Shakespeare, a prince named Don Pedro tried to entwine two couples together. After he returns from war, his partner Claudio claims he is in love with Leonato's daughter Hero and tries to win her heart. While this romance was blooming, Don Pedro decides to unite the two quarreling lovers, Beatrice and Benedick together. Don John, the illegitimate brother of Don Pedro, constantly tries to come between these plans and ruin the marriage of Claudio and Hero for the sake of revenge. Throughout this play, benedick and Claudio exhibit opposite personality traits which impacted the plot by delivering the message that deceit usually leads to strong emotions or transformation. One of the main characters, Claudio is shy and gullible. While winning Hero’s heart, he had his friend Don Pedro pretend he was Claudio. His lack of confidence contributed to the play by making him easily believing lies. For example, “Who Hero?... Disloyal?” (Shakespeare 49).In this scene, Don John tells Claudio that Hero has been cheating on him, and he believes him. After hearing this, Claudio was overtaken by a strong feeling of hate, which made him blow up in anger at his …show more content…
After Claudio blew up at the wedding and slandered Hero, Benedick stayed to comfort her. Unlike the other men, he knew that Hero didn’t cheat and Don ]ohn was behind this plan. As Bendick states, “And if their wisdoms be misled in this the practice of it lives in Don John the Bastard” (Shakespeare 71). When he believes Hero has nothing to do with this, Beatrice wants it to challenge Claudio. Bendick has changed from a person who never wanted to get married, to a person in love. Driven by this love, he is willing to go against his friends for Beatrice. Ironically both these characters’ attitudes have been
The difference between Beatrice,Benedick,and the other two Claudio and Hero though is that, these two are very headstrong characters with a different outlook on love, but have very much love for one another. Benedick believes in just being a bachelor and spending the rest of his life messing with as many women as he pleases, well as for Beatrice she believes there is no man good enough and willing to show her the love she wants so she much rather be left alone. But the fact that they honestly want to believe what they say is what makes this get way more interesting. What they don’t know is that they are going to soon become curious trying to figure out what they truly feel for one
Beatrice's courtship with Benedick greatly contrasts with the courtship of Hero and Claudio. Hero gladly and willingly submitted to marriage, and she accepted the role of the relatively powerless woman. In contrast Beatrice chose her submission after openly criticizing the institution of marriage.
In today's society, true love can be described as someone buying a sparkly present for the significant other, celebrating their special anniversary with a beautiful getaway from their hectic life, or even risking anything in the world for that one person. These are all real examples of true love but these are also the things that Claudio didn’t do to show his affection and love towards Hero. Instead, he chose to humiliate her on their wedding day, he didn’t trust her to stay faithful until marriage, and even “killed” her. In the play, Much Ado About Nothing by William Shakespeare, the main characters, Hero, and Claudio, are not truly in love and their actions display that.
“Love goes by haps; Some Cupid kills with arrows, some with traps” (Shakespeare pg. 45). One of Shakespeare’s most famous plays is Much Ado About Nothing and it specifically shows the tragic flaws of each and every character throughout the story. One character that will be mainly focused on that’s the most tragically flawed, is Claudio because he’s passionate about his love for Hero and how he’s easily manipulated.
Whedon's production of Much Ado About Nothing is a modern, black and white retelling of the famous Shakespeare play of the same name which tells the story of love and deceit between two couples: Hero and Claudio, and Beatrice and Benedick. While Hero and Claudio court and prepare to marry each other, Beatrice and Benedick steal the show away with their wit, humor, and constant bickering. Though they both insist that they hate each other, the flashback presented at the start of the film suggests that there is far more to the story than meets the eye. While the style of the film certainly enhances the story being told, making it a timeless classic entangled with modern society, it is the ensemble cast that work both individually and as a unit which make the film a true masterpiece, as well as the genius idea of a change in scenery that propels a sense of realism not often found in your average Shakespeare adaptation.
In the play of `Much Ado About Nothing', Beatrice is portrayed as a witty and strong willed woman who talks a great deal, appearing determined not to marry. However, Don Pedro concocts a plot that brings her together with Benedick and they marry at the end.
All of the characters in Much Ado About Nothing seemed to develop a personality of their own from the very first scene. It also helped that I saw the movie version of Much Ado About Nothing before we read the play so I could almost get a picture in my head as to what each character looked like. As the character's had their own personality, so did the two love relationships in the play. Benedick and Beatrice seemed to hate each other so much from the very start of the play that as the play carried on it almost seemed like the two went full circle in their relationship. But their relationship might not have changed for the better without help from Claudio, Don Pedro, Leonato, Ursula or Hero. In Claudio's and Hero's relationship seemed to be much more conventional in the way they came together. Claudio first saw Hero and instantly fell in love with her, while Hero stood by and took orders from her father, Leonato. Only when Don John devised his deception to break Claudio and Hero apart that I felt the relationship was in trouble, but even then I felt there was hope.
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.
Hero is resembled by Claudio as a “well-mannered young lady” who is content with her own unchangeable, elegant personality. This quote shows Hero is matron, and consistent of her elegance throughout the book and it is because of her personality that causes Claudio to be drawn to her. Claudio on the other hand, admits to Don Pedro that he is “hasty in (his) emotions”, which resembles his skeptical and uncertain personality when it comes to actually admitting his love for Hero. This evidence supports how Claudio is unsure of himself, and because of Claudio’s doubtful and unsure qualities he is quick to believe Don John when he says Hero has been unfaithful. Nevertheless, Claudio and Hero’s differences in the play it stirs up the plot and conflict, but it is their similarities and strong willed love that draws them together in the
In Much Ado About Nothing Shakespeare depicts different kinds of loving relationships - romantic love, family support and loyal friendship - and shows how various characters react to love and marriage. By exploring the effects of this powerful emotion Shakespeare highlights its universal relevance, a relevance that transcends time.
When Benedick hears that Claudio has fallen in love for Hero, he is enraged. He thought that Claudio would live a bachelor’s life like him. Benedick tells him that men who are in love are not masculine. Near the end of Act IV, Benedick’s complete change is evident when Benedick chooses love over friendship. Benedick challenges Claudio, previously his closest friend in the world, to duel to the death over Claudio’s accusation as to Hero’s unethical behavior. After Beatrice complains to him about Claudio’s mistake, Benedick gives in, “Enough, I am engaged. I will challenge him.” At this point, there is no doubt that Benedick has switched his allegiances entirely over to Beatrice. But then again, Benedick was relieved that Hero was proved guilty so he would not have to fight his close friend Claudio.
However, the most tragically flawed character in William Shakespeare’s play, Much Ado About Nothing, is Claudio because he so gullible and trusting. The main reason that Claudio is the most flawed character is because he is trusting of others. The night before the wedding, in act 3, scene 2, Don John comes up to Claudio and Don Pedro and tells them that Hero is cheating on him. Claudio says, “If I see anything tonight why should I not marry her, / tomorrow, in the congregation where I should wed, / there will I shame her” (Shakespeare 50).
The beginning of the play shows Claudio, on numerous occasions, as gullible and paranoid that everyone is against him. When Don John tells Claudio that Don Pedro has wooed Hero for himself he responds by saying, ““But hear these ill news with the ears of Claudio. Tis’ certain so. The Prince woos for himself” (Shakespeare 24.) This quote shows that Claudio often puts his trust in the wrong people. He takes the word of an enemy, who he has already defeated in battle, over someone who fought along side him and is supposedly his best friend. It also shows how naïve Claudio can be and how easily he will take what others say as the truth without using his better judgment. In this quote, Claudio proves how fast he can turn against someone, even one of his best friends, when he hears they have wronged him. When Don John accuses Hero of being unfaithful to Claudio he says, “If I see anything tonight w...
“If thou dost love fair Hero, cherish it,”(Shakespeare, 25). Don Pedro wants to help everyone fall in love, coming up with plans to help Claudio with Hero and Benedick with Beatrice. Don John’s schemes fall on the complete opposite spectrum, him wanting to tear apart everyone, eventually causing Claudio to publicly shame Hero for supposedly cheating on him the night before their marriage. Don Pedro’s goals are with good intent, hoping to improve the lives of his friends. Don John, however, decides to do the opposite, ruining the lives of those around
...he other hand, Beatrice and Benedick are comedy-makers and Beatrice is not ruled by her father as Hero clearly is. It does take Don Pedro’s benevolent plot to bring Benedick and Beatrice together, however. A modern audience would prefer Beatrice to Hero as she is her own self and admirable. The relationships also differ because Benedick and Beatrice’s relationship slowly grew whereas Claudio and Hero’s relationship was love at first sight. Perhaps it was a little hasty as we see in Act 4 how their love turns sour.