Much ado about nothing analysis

Although at the beginning of the play they appeared to be completely different, the progressive development of their characters comes to reveal some similarities between them. These two female characters play big roles in the shaping their relationships with their men, and it is through them that the similarities between the two romantic relationships could be displayed. The play is plotted in the form of comedy or tragicomedy, whereby the combination of sparkling wordplay, humor, scheming and villainy play a significant role in creating a great sense of comedy and tension in Shakespeare’s manners of comedy (Shakespeare 2). The two relationships have different points of interest and form the fundamental body of the play. Basically, the relationship between Benedick and Beatrice has a close link to the modern relationship between Claudio and Hero.

The hero is displayed as a character of fewer words, indeed she speaks only in the opening scene. Hero is quoted describing Beatrice as her cousin whose name symbolizes Signor Benedick of Padua. Her words were aimed at helping the messenger have a better understanding of what had been said by Beatrice. The quotation also reveals that Hero could only speak when addressing the relationship of Benedick with Beatrice. The silence in the relationship of Hero and Claudio makes the couple an interesting one, as Hero’s silence represents the courtly love in the Elizabethan tradition. Various styles of rhetoric language including imagery, wit, poetry, and prose have been employed in ‘Much Ado About Nothing’ (Shakespeare 4). The play is written in prose which is unusual to the blank verse.

The mixture of prose and poetry style in writing leaves the most audience in wonder. The reason for this could be because poetry is used by characters of higher status like Beatrice in more dramatic and important scenes, while the lower status characters like Dogberry use prose in less important but more comical scenes. The play begins when Beatrice expresses her secret care for Benedict by enquiring to know whether he survived the war. Out of her sincere love towards Beatrice, Benedick showed respect by letting her win the ‘battles of wit’. The feelings between them kept growing strong and provoked blossom of the relationship between them. Finally, the two reveals their true feelings for one another which sees Benedick and Beatrice as a couple (Mangan 38).

The two gains courage to express their strong and mutual affections for each other. Finally, Beatrice agrees to the proposal by Benedick and they finally get married. The couple met for their first time at the masked ball at the beginning of the play at the house of Leonato and later home to Hero. The character of Claudio is revealed as naïve and immature when he develops strong love affection towards Hero on seeing her for the first time. Immediately, Claudio develops thoughts of marriage and future family with Hero. “Characters repeatedly stage moments designed to confuse other figures, a good example being the machinations aimed at Beatrice and Benedick” (Inness, 1) Claudio developed a strong will of marrying Hero despite the fact that he knew very less about her.

“Claudio was so much attracted to Hero that he shared a conversation with Benedict about this lady whom he knew nothing about her personality” (Graham 105). However, during the night for working of the arranged plan, Don John ‘the bastard’ interrupted the plan by convincing Claudio to agree that Don Pedro was after Hero for himself. Unfortunately, Claudio falls for the trickery by Don John, which displays his character as immature and naïve. Despite the accusations of betrayal, Don Pedro succeeded in wooing and winning Hero’s heart for marriage to Claudio. This shocks Claudio who expresses his happiness and will to marry Hero in the future. Their relationship officially begins at this point till the times of allegations and failure of their first wedding ceremony.

Conclusion The study of the relationship between Beatrice and Benedick and the relationship between Hero and Claudia reveals a number of differences between the two couples. The relationship of Claudio with Hero is solely based on the sexual love they have towards each other. Claudio and Hero are love mainly due to the attraction of each other’s appearances, which makes their relationship very shallow. Contrariwise, the strong love between Benedick and Beatrice is based more on personality than looks, which makes their relationship much deeper. Benedick and Beatrice knew each other for a longer time and the blossoming of their relationship took a longer time. " The Oxford Handbook of Shakespearean Comedy (2018): 105. Innes, Paul. "Sensory Confusion and the Generation Gap in Much Ado About Nothing.