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The Importance Of Relationships In Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing

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The play “Much Ado About Nothing” by William Shakespeare takes place in the city of Messina. It is a comedy play that mainly focuses on the love lives of two couples: a young lord from Florence named Claudio, who falls for a young woman named Hero, and a gentleman from Padua named Benedick who falls for Hero’s cousin, Beatrice. Each of the two romances is strikingly different, the first being a typical romance for the Shakespearean time period, while the second relationship is one that would be more commonly seen in today’s time. This play explores the dynamics which can make up these different types of relationships, from wit, to expectations of love and courtship.
The word “ideal” is defined by the dictionary as, “a conception of something …show more content…

Benedick tries to create the impression that he is tough and although he wishes it, he is simply incapable of loving someone when he tells Beatrice, “I would I could find in my heart that I had not a cold heart, for truly I love none.” (1.1.124-125) Beatrice mirrors his toughness facade by responding to him, “I had rather hear my dog bark at a crow than a man swear he loves me.” (1.1.129-130) It seems that they only tell each other this as if to make it clear to each other that they will never love one another. This is what makes it all the more satisfying when they are so easily deceived into falling in love with each other. For example, Benedick, upon hearing that Beatrice loves him, doubts it a bit at first, but thinks better of those he is eavesdropping on and says, “I should think this a gull but that the white-bearded fellow speaks it. Knavery cannot, sure, hide himself in such reverence.” (2.3.126-128) Beatrice is proven to be just as gullible as her lover. Upon overhearing that Benedick is in love with her, she says, “Can this be true?... Benedick love on; I will requite thee, taming my wild heart to thy loving hand.” (3.2.113;117-118) She also falls easily in love upon hearing only rumors which further proves how strong her hidden feelings for Benedick were. It is aesthetically pleasing to the reader to see that the bickering duo of characters who put up such a tough guard, can have it so easily knocked down by their undisclosed love for the person they claimed to hate the most. The fact that they were made so easy to be deceived only confirms the suspicions of the reader of the feelings Beatrice and Benedick were so obviously trying to hide from everyone, and especially hide from each other. This is a great deal more satisfying than Hero and Claudio’s relationship. Hero and Claudio’s romance was the typical Shakespearean romance which conformed to the social norms of

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While they are conversing, Beatrice plainly states that she wants Benedick to “kill Claudio...a villain, that hath slandered, scorned, dishonoured [her] kinswoman (Shakespeare 74-75).” Beatrice makes very bold actions, and she is not afraid of doing so. This shows how Beatrice and Hero are foils of each other because Hero takes actions that are safe and pleasing to others, while Beatrice does what she wants and doesn’t care about what others think of her actions. Another example of this occurs during the Masquerade Ball. Beatrice talks with Don Pedro and is quoted to have said, “My cousin tells him in his ear that he is in her heart (Shakespeare 27).”

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Even though she and Hero are close, they are not much alike. While Hero is polite, quit, respectful and gentle, Beatrice is feisty, cynical, witty and sharp. Although Beatrice is outspoken and seems hard she is vulnerable. Once she hears Hero talking about how Benedick is in love with her she opens herself to the sensitivitis and weaknesses of love. Unlike Hero who is will do anything her father asks and will agree to an arranged marraige to marry anybody that her father picks, Beatrice refuses to marry because she feels that she has not found the perfect man for her?

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Cathy Chen Mrs. Weber AP Lit 1 March 2023 Revision In the play, Much Ado About Nothing by Shakespeare, Don John is the half-brother of Don Pedro and shows his hatred toward Don Pedro. To illustrate the character the author then uses diction, figurative speech like metaphors, and anaphora to form and develop Don John’s character as a dark, mischievous person, revealing his thoughts and showing that he is also miserable because of his relationship with Don Pedro. Additionally, Shakespeare uses Don John to illustrate the idea of deception, appearance versus reality as he is deceiving the character and himself.

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“Romeo and Juliet”, a tragedy written by William Shakespeare, is held in Verona, Italy. The play portrays the reality of a trascurring feud between two households, Montagues and Capulets, which resulted in tragic consequences for the main characters, Romeo and Juliet. The events contrast hate with love, forcing the young star-crossed lovers to grow up quickly and die tragically in despair. The theme of hate is shown through the transcurring feud of both households; the reason behind all six deaths in the play and the prohibition of the love of two star cross 'd lovers. Shakespeare does not reveal why the families hate each other, but one of the many possible reasons could be that the feud is so longstanding that the families themselves don 't know why it started.

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When Beatrice asks Benedick to duel Claudio for her, he agrees and plans to duel him. Benedick and Claudio are best friends who had fought in battle together, but the love of a woman completely changes Benedick’s allegiance from his fellow soldiers to his new love. Before falling in love with Beatrice, Benedick would have done everything possible to protect his brothers in battle. Now, love has emboldened him to make a choice that he would not have previously made. Benedick’s sacrifice of a meaningful friendship proves that he is now completely devoted to his relationship with Beatrice and is willing to do whatever necessary to preserve that relationship.

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John Ruskin once said, “It is better to lose your pride with someone you love than to lose that someone you love with your useless pride.” Similarly, in Much Ado About Nothing, Shakespeare also suggests that the biggest barrier between romantic love is pride. He asserts, this by telling the readers that love is a far more authentic feeling than pride, and that love can only grow if an individual is able to set aside their pride and allow themselves to be both vulnerable and receptive to authentic feelings. The first thing that is emphasized in the play, Much Ado About Nothing is the vulnerability and dangers of love. It’s shown that falling in love is a constant danger, and that no one gets out of the ordeal unharmed.

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Beatrice and Benedick’s love is more complicated from the start. In Act 1, Beatrice says to the messenger, “it is so indeed. He is less than a stuffed man, but for the stuffing well, we are all mortal”(1.1.57). Beatrice points out he's nothing but a stuffed dummy as what he stuffed with well, nobody's perfect. In Act 1, Benedick comes back when he exclaims “I would my horse had the speed of her tongue and so good a container”(1.1.140).

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Before Benedick and Beatrice decided to marry each other or start a relationship at all, they took a period of time to ponder their feelings and realize the best solution, something Claudio and Hero completely ignored. Once they decided to finally start a relationship, their joking nature didn 't change, displaying their friendship and love for each other as a main component that has not wavered. Even when announcing their relationship, a serious matter, Benedick joked, “But by this light, I take thee/ for pity”(5.4.92-93). It is obvious that Benedick does not actually think Beatrice is ugly, but their relationship is so strong that he can jokingly insult her. In contrast, Hero and Claudio had to remain respectful towards each other in order to not risk the marriage.

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Play Analysis – Essay 1 “Much Ado About Nothing “ Submitted by Noor Ul Ain Shaikh (BSMS 2A) What seems to be a comedy play for an audience who enjoys a theatre with good humor and romance, “Much Ado About Nothing” contains much more than just entertainment. If we dig in deep, William Shakespeare’s play has much more than a tragic story with happy ending; even that is debatable. The theme of this play revolves around deception, plotting against your own, personal gains and rejection.

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Even though this “war” happens amongst them, it is obvious that they care for one another or else they would not continue the fight; realistically, they would have ceased communication years before. Their relationship, through the war of wits was only seen as deceptive to themselves. Beatrice and Benedick constantly lie to themselves about their feelings towards the other, while their true emotions are apparent to anyone from the outside looking in. It is obvious from the beginning of the play, that the truth of their emotions would be revealed purposely or unintentionally by themselves or those around them. Their ironic nature towards each other, though seen as somewhat deceitful is more honest than their counterparts of Hero and Claudio who solely act upon opinions and rumors of

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It was a set up marriage and she would just try to make the male proud. Relationships, in the modern day, are more egalitarian than they use to be. This allows Benedick and Beatrice to represent more of a modern time ideal couple, than Claudio and Hero. A great quote about relationships is “ Respect is as important as love in a relationships”

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In William Shakespeare’s play, Much Ado About Nothing, he spins a tale of misunderstandings leading to terrible consequences, but truth prevails in the end. He sets the scene in the mansion of the Messinan Governor Leonato. Don Pedro has just won a huge battle and has decided to pass through Messina. As he arrives, accompanied by Claudio and Benedick, Claudio quickly falls in love with Leonato’s daughter Hero, and Beatrice engages Benedick in a battle of wit and insults. As the play unfolds, the audience learns that Don Pedro’s brother, Don John the Bastard, will try to destroy Don Pedro’s plans no matter the cost or consequence.

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Moreover, Claudio's quickness on believing that Broachio, who claims to be Hero’s supposed lover, comes to show that he is unworthy of her. On their wedding he publicly shamed her by stating, “Give not this rotten orange to your friend…Behold how like a maid she blushes here” (4.1.32-34). This then causes Leonato to fake Hero’s “death” so that Claudio can grieve her memory and admit that he was wrong on publicly bashing her. Shakespeare’s

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This is shown with their views on marriage. Hero is willing to marry whoever her father asks her too and when Leonato finds out that Don Pedro seeks marriage with Hero, he encourages Hero to marry and says to Hero, “Daughter, remember what I told you. If the prince does solicit you in the kind, you know your answer” (II.i.57-58). Beatrice, however rebels completely against marriage and says “If he send me no husband; for the which blessing / I am at him upon my knees every morning and evening” (23-25).

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I was only 10 years old, sitting in a warm classroom in late May as my fifth-grade teacher taught us a lesson on human anatomy. At first, the out pour of information made me stressed and overwhelmed, but something deep inside me sparked. Once school let out, I was left on an edge of a cliff with hundreds of questions, but no answers. After fifth-grade, I become intrigued by the world of medicine.

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