The central key theme presented in the play is love. The two couples show the two contrasting types of loves, one of “heart-felt” love between Hero and Claudio, and one of seemingly extreme distaste for the other shown between Benedick and Beatrice, while the two are actually burying their affections for each other. Shakespeare is able to use these two couples relationships to extend the theme of love to show that love can be expressed in various ways.
The theme of love also reveals the theme of gossip and deception as the characters overhear other characters in the play talking about them being in love. Through the theme of gossip, Benedick and Beatrice are tricked into believing that they both still love each other. The playwright introduces the theme of deception through the relationships of these two couples. Hero and Claudio are first brought together by Don John dressing up as Claudio and wooing Hero for Claudio. The relationship was brought about by the deception by Don Pedro of Hero. Benedick and Beatrice’s relationship also starts in deception. Benedick and Beatrice both claim that they are uninterested in the opposite sex, through Don Pedro’s plan of deception, conversations are staged so Benedick can overhear Don Pedro and Claudio talking about the “undying love” for Benedick that Beatrice swears every night and the conversation between Margaret and Ursula talking about the “sonnet” that Benedick wrote to Beatrice showing his love for her, is overheard by Beatrice which is fictitious. When Benedick and Beatrice learn of these fictitious information ,their stored affection for each other drastically is released.
Shakespeare uses relationships of Benedick and Beatrice and the relationship of Hero and Claudio to compare aspects of deception. Furthermore, deception is prevalent in the relationship between Hero and Claudio when Borachio wooed Margaret at Hero's chamber and causes Claudio to think that Hero is disloyal and that she has been unfaithful to him. Borachio’s actions jeopardise the relationship of Hero and Claudio. The deception of Borachio was one of evil purpose and deception from Don Pedro, Claudio, Margaret and Hero. This was a good intent as it bought Benedick and Beatrice together. The playwright contrasts the two deceptions to show that deception can be used both for good and for evil. The love shared amongst Beatrice and Benedick is the idealistic love and the love between Claudio and Hero is more physical.
From the beginning of the play, Claudio realizes that after returning from the war, he is deeply in love with Hero and perceives hero as the most beautiful sight in the world:
''Can the world by such a jewel''
The denotation of 'jewel' is a precious stone which is polished elegantly. 'Jewel' has connotations of
being priceless, precious, captivating and unique. Each jewel is unique and rare to find. Claudio is expressing the beauty of which Hero possess as relating her appearance being precious and unique.
Hero and Claudio’s relationship is based on first impressions as Claudio does not know the fact that Hero is a person aside from her beauty and position. Hero and Claudio are so conventional that they rely on the proxy courtship, which is typical of arranged marriages as a common love at first sight is a sentimental type. Nevertheless, the love between Claudio and Hero is actually a romance overshadowed by the passion of Beatrice and Benedick. Their love story progressively disheartens and almost turns into a tragedy. This shows how Claudio's love is an appearance love towards hero as he has never met her before or known her personally, however he has loved her for her appearance.
In addition, Beatrice and Benedick’s love is based on mutual respect, love, honesty and true admiration. At the start of the play, there is nothing but an obvious spark between Beatrice and Benedick. It appears as though they are reluctant lovers deceived into a suspicious relationship. Beatrice and Benedick have never been gentle with each other, as whenever they meet, they often have a skirmish of words between the two of them. They have known each other for a long time and seem to enjoy fencing insults back and forth between them, using insults to convey their true feelings of affection towards one another. In the opening act, they already argue as lovers as Benedick says;
‘What, my dear Lady Disdain! Are you yet living?''
''Lady'' symbolises a woman with respectful manners who's honourable and responsible however this is a question is quite rude which then Beatrice’s replies:
‘Is it possible disdain should die while she hath such meet food to feet it as Signor Benedick? Courtesy itself must convert to disdain if you come in her presence.’
This teasing attaches with clear regard and attraction which continues with more passionate infighting where their fascination for each other becomes understanding. Benedick And Beatrice have the 'reality' of love as their words, which appear to be that displays disdain are the exact words talked tediously by lovers who are confused and frightened of their attraction as love's first step starts from bitterness/arguments. Shakespeare portrays their bickering argumentative love to be more heart whelming as opposed to the sentimental affectionate relationship of Hero and Claudio.
Benedick’s admiration for Beatrice is clouded by fear and confusion, not based only on her appearance, but on her soul and inner beauty. Obtaining an accomplished belief in his own everlasting bachelorhood, Benedick refuses to be persuaded from his beliefs for nothing less then a woman of inner beauty which is quick-witted;
''but till all graces be in one woman, one woman shall not come in my grace.
Rich she shall be, that’s certain;
wise, or I’ll none;
Virtuous, or I’ll never cheapen her;
Fair, or I’ll ever look on her;
mild, or come not near me;
noble, or not I for an angel;
of good discourse, an excellent musician..''
The use of soliloquy conveys how Benedick has high expectations for his ideal women. Furthermore, after stating each characteristic, Benedick uses similar words which emphasises his strict guidelines for the perfect woman. He portrays an image of inflexibility and a fear of falling in love with a woman who does not meet his requirements. However, he may not realize it but Benedick's flexibility causes him to over shadow women who could actually be his perfect match.
The soliloquy discovers the echoing characteristics of Beatrice as Benedick describes his ideal wife being rich, assertive, noble, dramatic, beautiful, mild-mannered and well spoken which all fixes into Beatrice's personality criteria. Beatrice is dominant in the sense of independence, and fierce wit place her among the most powerful female characters in Shakespeare's play-wrights. Moreover, Benedick differs dramatically from Claudio whose first impression and regard is based only on Hero’s beauty.
An imagery of an angel is used in his description in his list. ''Angel'' has connotations of elegance, beauty, innocence and a saint. An interpretation of this imagery could be that, Shakespeare seems to be contrasting an angel and noble displaying the fact that, Benedick would reject someone who's fully good and innocent as an angel, but he would admire a noble woman who has high moral qualities and is trustworthy which illustrates Benedick's importance in inward beauty.
In the play, the only conversation Claudio and Hero had was at their wedding when he castigated her and publicly ashamed her. An interpretation of this could be that, his attraction to her is purely of outward beauty and he only guessed her inward beauty. He trusts his eyes only on who is to be his future wife but can also somehow denounce her and cause her shame. He sees her outer beauty but can only guess at her inner beauty, until Hero's look-alike comes along and her true identity is revealed to Claudio and he realizes that his love for her is true. Beatrice and Benedick are overconfident in their actions which often muddles up their love affair.
Although, Claudio and Hero are not confident in their feelings or desires, and their lack of action muddled up their relationship. As a result of this they allowed trickery to step in to their relationship. Beatrice is a overpowering determined woman, in her ideas of not collapsing to a man but instead becoming his wife. Another insight could illustrate, Benedick being firm in his belief of not marrying a woman which he's referred to "being committed to a war against the ladies." The couple learn to trust their feelings more than their observations of each other and witty remarks. As a result to this, they were able to see inward beauty in one another which blossoms there 'reality' of love for each other. Another interpretation could be that Beatrice and Benedick have true and honest passion love, while Hero and Claudio’s love demonstrates the shallowness of physical attraction
Another outline of reality love is inserted when Benedick is being skeptical as the friar when everyone thinks Hero has been unfaithful and disloyalty to Claudio which is actually fake. Furthermore, this could alternatively build a strong proceeding relationship from opposition to falling in love with each other. Some audience could build up a picture of how Claudio and Hero's love in this situation is just the merely appearance of love as how Claudio publicly shames Hero:
1. ''She’s but the sign and semblance of her honor.
Behold how like a maid she blushes here!
All you that see her, that she were a maid
By these exterior shows? But she is none.
She knows the heat of a luxurious bed.
Her blush is guiltiness, not modesty.''
Alternatively, some readers interpret that quote as Hero only appears to be granted honourable from the outside. When she blushes it can suggests that she is honourable and innocent, and now everyone who looks at her would think she is a virgin by judging her from outside, but she is not virgin, she has been in a man's bed and she blushes from the guilt she feels inside. ''Modest'' has connotation of something humble, small and having a low opinion of yourself which reinforces the fact that Hero is blushing in guiltiness as her special wedding day that a girl ever dreamt of has been devastating as she's been dishonoured, manipulated, humiliated in front of all the society which shows that she only has the name for the social appearance but not the social power to stop herself being humiliated. Subsequently, by faking Hero's death, she can purify her reputation that Claudio had demolished on the wedding and she could cause guilt and suffering in Claudio, once he learns that she's innocent.
Towards the end of the play Benedick proposes to Beatrice and kisses her before Claudio and Hero's marriage. This shows that they had come a long way with help from their friends. Claudio sees inner beauty in Hero when he learns her innocence, but Shakespeare makes it seem much less dramatic for Benedick and Beatrice as they expressed there love to each other just after Claudio left the church. An interpretation could be that the marriage of Benedick and Beatrice was explicit as there sparring insults between each other generated the eternal reality of love within them. One could say that Claudio fell in love at first sight, and then caught a glance of her inner beauty when her innocence was revealed. After learning of Hero's innocence, he agrees to marry one of Leonato's nieces, and says that he would even have an Ethiope for his wife. This could be interpreted as a desire of Claudio to marry into fortune, pursuance of his love wealth obscured by beauty.
Shakespeare mounts Beatrice and Benedick's relationship as the 'reality' of love as it a relationship that seems more believable and enduring throughout the play as the couple constantly affront each other but do appreciate each others absence thoroughly by admiring the love between each other. Shakespeare seems to have done this to probably express how love shouldn't be always serious but should also have comedy that heightens up the love between a couple. In contrast with Claudio and Hero's love is highlighted as the 'appearance' of love as the outward beauty of Hero dramatically deceived Claudio in to deep physical attraction which overlapped with the attraction of inward beauty. By contrasting these two different types of love, Shakespeare manages to poke fun at the conventions of a polished romantic love. Some of the audience could interpret that no matter how much you fall in love with a outward beauty, it will deceive you if your heart doesn’t purify the inward beauty of the opposite sex.
