Representations of Love in Much Ado About Nothing

Explore representations of go to bed in a great deal squabble About null In Much Ado About Nothing, Shakespeare use ups literary structures such as doubles and opposites in company to emphasise the plays main themes and ideas. McEachern claims It is undoubtedly the most socially and psychologically realistic of his comedies, in its portrayal of the foibles generosities of communal life. (McEachern, 2006, 1) One main theme I want to explore is spang and how Shakespeare represents this in Much Ado About Nothing. The two main genres in Shakespeares dramas are tragedy and comedy.Tragedy eternally ends in death and comedy always ends in a marriage. Although Much Ado inevitably ends in marriage, it differs from some of Shakespeares other romantic comedies as his other comedies usually portray savor in a much more than unrealistic way. Much Ado About Nothing is best cognize for the merry war between one of its two couples, and an oxymoron could also describe this comedys identi ty as a whole. Shakespeare offers a play of light and dark, of romantic union wrested from fear and animosity and of social harmony soothing the savagery of psychic violence (McEachern, 2006, 1)In Act 1 survey 1, founding father Pedro, prince of Arragon arrives with his bastard brother Don John, and his two friends Claudio and benedict. It is in this Act that Beatrice and Benedick premier(prenominal) accommodate and the war of wits begin. Leonato states There is a kind of merry war betwixt Signior Benedick and her Beatrice they never meet but there is a skirmish of wit between them. (Much Ado, Act 1 burst 1, 520) Although their words seem quite hateful to one another, at the same time it whitethorn also come across as flirtatious.Before Beatrice even meets Benedick, she expresses her distaste for him, however, she talks about him in such great depth it is almost more like an obsession than hatred. Benedick teases Beatrice by grammatical construction I am loved of all ladies , only you excepted and I would I could find it in my eye that I had not a hard heart for, truly, I love none. (Act 1 scene 1, 521) to which Beatrice replies A dear happiness to women they would else have been troubled with a pernicious suitor.I thank God and my bleak blood, I am of your humour for that I had rather hear my dog bark at a crow than a man swear he loves me (Act 1 Scene 1, 521) By using the characters of Beatrice and Benedick, Shakespeare mocks the formulaic type of love, romantic love, which is expressed by hoagy and Claudio. This is also an example of how Shakespeare uses doubles in his play, as he uses the two couples to express two types of love. One being more realistic, that of Beatrice and Benedick, and the other being the more unrealistic, over the top romantic love expressed by Hero and Claudio.Even though the eyepatch is largely based on Hero and Claudios descent, the witty banter and seemingly unromantic relationship between Beatrice and Benedick seem s much more interesting to the reader and we are more interested in how their relationship will develop. It is this relationship that seems much more believable compared to Claudio and Heros fairytale love at first sight. It is through contrasting these two different types of love and through the different use of style that Shakespeare can mock the conventional romantic love. Claudio uses a totally different style of language to Benedick when they both speak of love.Benedick is highly cynical and negative about love where as Claudio is more pretentious and elaborate when he speaks about Hero, for example when he says Can the world cloud such a Jewel? (Act 1 scene 1, 522). This language is completely different to the way that benedick speaks to Beatrice as the first thing he says to her is My dear Lady disdain Are you yet hold? (Act 1 scene 1, 521) Benedick also speaks of his frustration of Claudios eloquent language when speaking of love as he states He was wont speak plain and to the purpose, like an honest man and a soldierhis words are a very(prenominal) fantastical banquet, just so many antic dishes. (Act 1 Scene 3, 529) This however is quite hypocritical of him as in Act 4 Scene 1, Benedick confesses his love for Beatrice and states I do love nothing in the world so hale as you is that not strange? (Act 4, Scene 1, 541) to which Beatrice responds I love you with so much of my heart, that none is leftover to protest (Act 4, scene 1, 541) This shows how dramatically their relationship has changed as the witty banter and insults have turned into confessions of love for one another.It is often difficult to understand and accept the love between Hero and Claudio as it is so unrealistic. They fall in love with each other before they even truly get to sock one-another, which therefore makes their love and marriage seem quite false and shallow. The fact that Claudio does not question Don John when he professes that Hero has been unfaithful, yet instead believes his word to be true, questions whether the love he has for Hero is sincere.Surely Claudio would confront his future wife before coming to any sort of conclusion, however, even her accept father believes this to be true and states why she, oh she is fallen/ into a pit of ink, that the wide sea/ hath drops in addition few to wash her clean again,/ and salt too little, which may season give/ to her foul cloud flash (Act 4 Scene 1, 540) Another aspect of the play that makes Hero and Claudios love very unrealistic is heros willingness to forgive Claudio after his bold accusations of her infidelity.If his love for her was as strong and respectable as he made out, he would be more trusting of Hero in the first place. However, she seems to disregard this and does not question his behaviour, but instead is willing to carry on with the marriage. Bibliography McEachern,Claire. Much Ado About Nothing. 2006. the Arden Shakespeare Shakespeare, W. The Complete Works of William Shakes peare. 1996. Wordsworth Editions Limited