Gender roles have changed in many ways overtime. The roles men and women play now are not the same roles they played back in the 1600's. In the play, Much Ado about Nothing, gender expectations of that time period were both reflected and went against. Some characters in the play followed the gender roles, while others did not. This play both affirmed and contradicted gender roles established in that time period because Hero was a typical quiet and obedient woman, Beatrice was outspoken, and Claudio saw women as objects.
Throughout the majority of the play, Hero was very quiet. She did not speak up, unless there was only women around. When men were around she did not speak much. This was a typical gender expectation for women during that time period. Men did not like women who were loud and talkative, so Hero did not speak much around men. She was also very obedient. She was willing to marry Don Pedro just because her father wanted her to. She also agreed to marry Claudio because it was what her father wanted. Whatever her father wanted, she was willing to do. This is how a woman was expected to be during that time, and Hero was a perfect example.
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She was very outspoken and said what was on her mind, no matter who was around. She didn't care about pleasing men or getting married. In fact, in the beginning of the play she did not even want to get married at all. Beatrice was very feisty which completely went against gender expectations at that time. Also in the beginning of the play, Beatrice and a soldier named Benedick, would go back and forth throwing punches at each other. At that time period, a woman was not supposed be outspoken towards a man, let alone insult them. Beatrice definitely contradicted the gender role of a woman in that time