In the time of William Shakespeare where courtship and romance were often overshadowed by the need to marry for social betterment and to ensure inheritance, emerges a couple from Much Ado About Nothing, Hero and Claudio, who must not only grow as a couple, who faces deception and slander, but as individuals. Out of the couple, Claudio, a brave soldier respected by some of the highest ranked men during his time, Prince Don Pedro and the Governor of Messina, Leonato, has the most growing to do. Throughout the play, Claudio’s transformation from an immature, love-struck boy who believes gossip and allows himself to easily be manipulated is seen when he blossoms into a mature young man who admits to his mistakes and actually has the capacity to love the girl he has longed for. The first sign of Claudio’s immaturity is how easily he falls in and out of love. In Act 1, Scene 1, Claudio says to Benedict, “I would scarce trust myself, though I had sworn the contrary, if Hero would be my wife” after merely taking in the beauty of Hero (Shakespeare 1.1.9). There is no real substance yet to his love for Hero other than outward appearance, much like any person young and naïve with love. When Claudio asks Don Pedro, “Hath Leonato any sons, my lord?” helps the reader develop a further understanding of Claudio and what could be his true motive for wanting to marry Hero, the only heir to her Leonato (1.1.13). Another sign of the fickleness of Claudio is when told by Don Jon, the bastard, that Hero has affections toward Don Pedro his best friend, he swears off his love for Hero by saying, “This is an accident of hourly proof. Which I mistrusted not. Farewell therefore Hero” (2.1.24). After having Don Pedro ask Leonato for his permissions to marry... ... middle of paper ... ... is insensitive, but he says, “For this I owe you…which is the lady I must seize upon” (5.4.98). It can be seen here that he is not excited, but must do it for his life. The true excitement of this arrangement is when he finally has the opportunity to see the face of the girl he must wed and exclaims, “Another Hero!” (5.4.98). It can be said that it took the death of Hero to awaken inside Claudio the man he was meant to be. By the end of the play, we see Claudio’s transformation from being an immature, love-struck boy who believes gossip and allows himself to easily be manipulated grow into a mature young man who admits to his mistakes and actually has the capacity to love the girl he has longed for. The wedding dance of Claudio and Hero along with Beatrice and Benedict shows how order is now restored in the city of Messina, and order given to the life of Claudio.
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.
While reading this comedy and romance mix, there are many aspects of the book that show that Hero and Claudio are not truly in love and the examples would
...ce Borachio confesses about his and Don John's plot, everyone lays their grudges and challenges aside. Claudio still marries Hero while Benedick and Beatrice also wed together.
Firstly, one of the two major tragic flaws of Claudio is his Passion of love for Hero. Claudio in Much Ado About Nothing says, “Sweet Hero, now thy image doth appear In the rare semblance that lov’d it first” (Shakespeare pg. 89). This quote shows how Claudio loves Hero once again when he hears Hero’s innocence. This quote also shows how Claudio’s passion of love for Hero is not as deep as it should have because he loved her again after overreacting and judging things too
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.
Claudio can be clearly seen as a genuine person, as he becomes humble. and saddened as truth is revealed, showing his sensitive side, this. also suggests he hides behind an arrogant exterior. Claudio can be seen as nave, sensitive, humble, power hungry and a big male figure.
William Shakespeare said: “Women may fall when there's no strength in men” (Romeo and Juliet). Throughout history gender role have been a big, whether someone is a feminist or someone believes there is no equality between males and females; everyone has different opinions when it comes to the matter of gender roles. The same thing can be said about William Shakespeare who was a feminist (Shakespeare of Stratford). This ideology can be seen in his play Much Ado about Nothing. In this comedy Shakespeare focuses on two pairs of lovers named Claudio and Hero who are set to be married in a week but before their marriage day, they plan to conspire with Don Pedro, the prince of Aragon to trick their friends Beatrice and Benedick to admit their love for each other. Don John, the brother of Don Pedro, meanwhile plots to prevent marriage of Claudio and Hero by accusing Hero of being unfaithful. Don John initially succeeds in his plan as Hero is accused and ashamed at the marriage ceremony, but at the end Claudio and Hero are united and marry each other. Also, Beatrice and Benedick finally declare their love for each and dance at the end of the play. Shakespeare uses a lot of sources for this comedy and one of them is “Orlando Furioso” written in 1591, which gave Shakespeare the idea of Hero and Claudio’s marriage and Don John’s plot to prevent it. Another source Shakespeare used to write the play is the courtier written in 1588, which gave him the idea of the romance between Beatrice and Benedick. And also “La Prima de la Novelle” written in 1554 by Matteo Bandello gave Shakespeare the idea of putting the setting in Messina, Italy (Shakespeare in quarto). Because Shakespeare was a feminist, some of the women appear as supporting and central...
In both stories, the authors portray love as something that is accompanied by various difficulties. According to the two texts, love faces complications from external factors but these complications are often frustrated by the lovers themselves. In Shakespeare’s Much Ado about Nothing, the love between Claudio and Hero faces numerous difficulties emanating from outside influences. Don John decides to frustrate Claudio’s happiness by tricking him to believe that Hero was unfaithful to him. Don John tells Claudio, “I came hither to tell you; and, circumstances shortened, for she has been too long a talking of, the lady is disloyal.” Consequently, Claudio believes Don John and decides to leave Hero at the altar. However, in the end, Claudio realizes his mistake and they reunite with Hero.
Their heart-rending deaths are of course tragic, resulting as they do from an unforeseeable flaw in Friar Laurence's well-intentioned but unlikely plan. Their lives, however, serve to prove that young love is viable, that young people know what they want and will go to extreme lengths to find it. The fair (ie beautiful) city of Verona is a city of promise, one where young love can flourish; it is also a city where swords are drawn in an instant and where life can perish on a sword-point. In such a situation, we cannot be surprised at the existence of a smouldering feud between two prominent families (the Capulets and the Montagues) nor should we be surprised if the young people do not always follow their parents' wishes.
Hero and Claudio represent the Elizabethan norm in marriage. Claudio is the shrewd, hardheaded fortune hunter and Hero is the modest maiden of conduct books and marriage manuals, a docile young woman. It is important to note that Claudio is more concerned with advancement in Don Pedro's army than he is with love. Therefore, Shakespeare illustrates to the reader through the near tragedy of mistaken identity that Claudio must learn that marriage is more than a business arrangement and become worthy of Hero's love and affection. Source: Ranald, Margaret Loftus. "As Marriage Binds, and Blood Breaks: English Marriage and Shakespeare". Shakespeare Quarterly. Vol 30, 1979: 68-81.
In the play, Claudio has been sentenced to death for getting his fiancee pregnant (his crime was not so much getting her pregnant, but having sex with her at all). Claudio's sister, Isabella, who is in the process of joining a nunnery, feels that Claudio has done wrong, has sinned and committed a crime, but she feels that the sentence--death--is too strict. So, she goes to the ruler of the city, Angelo, to plead for her brother's life. The previously virtuous Angelo falls into lust with Isabella, and he propositions her to save her brother by having sex with him (Angelo). Now, remember that Isabella is in the process of becoming a nun. She, of course, rejects this propos...
They then go onto plan to bring Claudio to see ?Hero? with Borachio, however they will have disguised Hero?s waiting Gentlewoman Margaret as Hero. This deception carries on affecting people throughout the course of the play.
When examining the characters in Romeo and Juliet, it is hard to look past the obvious disparities between how the two main characters act and how all the supporting characters respond to these actions. For Romeo and Juliet, their focus on their love seems trivial in comparison to the world around them, especially as their everyone around them starts to be killed, their relationship being a somewhat catalyst for it all. Romeo, however, is by far the most oblivious of the two, being introduced as someone who is looking for love in places he should not. It is with this search for love that Romeo begins being depicted as the archetype for the Petrarchan sonnet, the idea of unrequited love always looming over Romeo. This creates tension when the
Claudio cannot come out and just say that he has feelings for Hero, he has to seek approval from his male counterparts first. While talking to both Benedick and Don Pedro, Claudio describes his feelings as passion first (I.i.219-220), and then he says, “That I love her, I feel” (I.i.228), indicating that he knows he feels something for Hero, but he is unsure of exactly what his feelings mean.... ... middle of paper ... ...
In the play text version of The Two Gentlemen of Verona, William Shakespeare emphasizes the idea that human beings are not without fault; they are fallible, but when treated with love, shown confidence, and entrusted with loyalty, it is possible for individuals to achieve realistic and lasting relationships. Both the play text and the live performance underscore that idea that the limits of friendship, loyalty, love and human theatrics come at the expense of male aggression and confused boundaries, as is evident by Proteus and his behavior throughout much of the play. The constant dichotomy of loyalty to oneself and loyalty to others is also exemplified through Proteus’ actions, as are the struggles that ensue as a result of the consequences. In appropriate and rightful fashion, the Elizabethan play concludes when the Duke declares that Valentine can replace Thurio as the rightful suitor for his daughter’s hand. In the end, friendship and love conquer jealousy and deceit together – and this bond is held together by the loyalty that is renewed amongst lovers and friends. The live adaptati...