Each of the two know deep down that they do love each other and only when their friends plot against them do they end up declaring their love for each other. Benedick has protested in the past about loving Beatrice and we get this idea from this passage and numerous other passages throughout the play, for instance when Benedick says “Love me? Why, it must be requited. I hear how I am censured: they say I will bear myself proudly, if I perceive the love come from her; they say to that she would rather die than give any sign of affection.” Beatrice is also not happy about feeling love for Benedick and we get this feeling in the given passage – “As strange as the thing I know not. If it were possible for me to say I loved nothing so well as you, but believe me not, and yet I lie not. I confess nothing nor deny nothing. I am sorry for my cousin.” This passage also shows Beatrice’s confusion, she does not take Benedick seriously and is mainly thinking of Hero during this conversation.
Early on in the play Claudio asks, "Hath Leonato any son my lord?¨ This would suggest that he is finding out whether she will inherit all of Leonato's wealth before he finally decides that he loves Hero. When Don Pedro replies, "no child but Hero" he immediately delivers a speech about how much he loves her, "how fair young Hero is". This speech seems to be sincere but the fact that Claudio says he is in love with Hero having only known her well for a few days makes us question as to how sincere Claudio really is. "My liking might too sudden seem" shows that he realizes that it may seem odd that he has fallen in love with a potentially rich maid too quickly and may only be interested in her money. However, the idea of "love at first sight" was very popular in Shakespeare's day, for instance Romeo and Juliet fall in love at first sight. When Don John tells Claudio at the dance that Don Pedro "Woos for himself" he is too quick to doubt his close friend, Don Pedro. This shows how untrusting and suspicious Claudio is. It also shows us that he is too easily swayed perhaps even gullible? Jealousy and love are a major part in Hero and Claudio’s relationship, we can see this in numerous parts of the play. When Claudio finds that his love has been unfaithful he humiliates and embarrasses her in front of all the people attending their wedding. When Don John tells Claudio of how Hero has been unfaithful, this time Claudio is not so gullible, "May this be so?¨ "Disloyal?¨. However, Claudio immediately comes up with a plan of how he will shame Hero on their wedding day. You would not expect someone upon hearing that his fiancée is being disloyal to devise a plan so soon after hearing it. This suggests he is gullible especially as it has not been proved to him, or he has not spoken to Hero, he only seems to believe it because the prince believes it and does not seem to doubt Don Jon, the well-known trickster. However, in Claudio's defence he is young and inexperienced; Don John the bastard is a very clever trickster; and that even the older, more experienced Don Pedro is deceived. After the disastrous wedding we see Claudio, Benedick and Don Pedro talking. We see Claudio behave in a manner, which shows that he does not feel guilty about "murdering Hero". In fact he begins to make jokes, "We had like to have our two noses snapped off with two old men without teeth¨. You would expect Claudio to be deeply upset and show some guilt instead of his almost light-hearted manner. This is not the behaviour you would expect of someone who has just lost someone they love very much. When he finds out that he "Wronged the dead Hero" because he seems genuinely in remorse and genuinely in love with Hero. But previous behaviour he seems to have an unfortunately suspicious nature, quick to believe evil rumours and hasty in despairing and taking revenge. All of this suggests that Claudio is not entirely what he seems. In my opinion Claudio is a difficult character to understand. Is he genuine? It is hard to tell.
At the beginning of the play, when the soldiers have arrived in Messina, and Claudio has fallen in love with Hero, Benedick points out the discrepancy between Claudio's illusions and Hero's reality, he feels that a woman crowds a soldier's freedom and thirst for adventure. He seems to value himself more as a bachelor – “I will not be sworn but love may transform me to an oyster; but I’ll take my oath on it, till he have made an oyster of me, be shall never make me such a fool.” Beatrice also seems to have this view, she finds it impossible to consider any suitor, but complains that everyone else is getting married – “Heigh-ho for a husband.”
Compared to Claudio, Benedick certainly seems to be genuine. All of his speeches seem to be sincere and not planned. Benedick is the character everyone likes. He seems also to be more passionate. Benedick is prepared to be humiliated by his friends in order to marry. It is hard to imagine Claudio doing the same. Beatrice and Benedick did not jump into their relationship as they already new each other for a long time. They seem to know each other well, partly by means of verbal duels. Although originally they are both too proud to acknowledge each other’s love for one another. They seem to grow throughout the play.
Hero and Claudio have an idealised love that was very widespread image of love in Elizabethan times. With the introduction of Beatrice and Benedick we can see a very different picture – a love that thrives on conflict and tension. While Claudio says of Hero “Can the world buy such a gem?” Benedick refers to Beatrice as “my dear lady disdain.” Claudio and Hero whisper sweet nothings into each other's ears, Beatrice and Benedick bicker incessantly, for example Beatrice tells of Hero - "My cousin tells him in his ear that he is in her heart,¨ while Benedick says of Beatrice "if her breath were as terrible as her terminations, there were no living near her.” However, we can see from this that Beatrice and Benedick’s relationship is the more genuine.
Hero and Claudio do not appear to be confident around each other. This is shown when Claudio asks Don Pedro to woo Hero for him, “Claudio, I have wooed in thy name, and fair Hero is won¨. Beatrice and Benedick on the other hand seem over confident and do not mind openly expressing their feelings to one another. It is hard to imagine see Claudio and Hero thriving on an "insulting" relationship, as do Beatrice and Benedick.
Beatrice and Benedick have been well acquainted for a long time, "I know you of old". Whereas, Claudio and Hero barely know each other before they decide that they love each other. We can tell from this following small passage that Beatrice and Benedick have a love/hate relationship which may have come from past relationship let down, for instance when Beatrice "indeed my lord, he lent it me awhile, and I gave him use for it, a double heart for his single one. Marry, once before he won it off me with false dice, therefore your grace may well say I have lost it.”
There seems to be less trust in Hero and Claudio’s relationship than Beatrice and Benedick’s relationship. If the same scenario (Benedick suspected Beatrice of cheating on him) had happened to Benedick and Beatrice then I am sure Benedick would have investigated further before taking any action as he trusts more readily. This trust is shown when despite not believing that Claudio wronged Hero he goes with Beatrice's word and challenges Claudio. This also shows that Beatrice and Benedick would do anything for each other, even kill ones best friend to prove their love for one another.
We can see that women in the early 1600’s had no authority and were given away to their husbands without a say in the situation, for example both when Claudio and Hero were only allowed to get married with Leonato’s permission and later when Hero was not given a chance to prove her innocence after being accused of adultery. We mainly get this idea from the Hero and Claudio relationship, as during the play we learn nothing of Beatrice’s father or mother. Throughout the book we as the reader can make many judgements and have many thoughts on relationships in the 1600’s. From the two main couples we learn of family values and expectations – for instance Leonato’s huge upset at Hero’s supposed adultery, when he disowns and almost denies any existence of her. We learn of different attitudes to love and we also learn of relationships between different couples and how they may of handled their affections. Today’s responses are slightly different from Elizabethan responses but are mainly the same. Firstly, because of the characters, which many people can relate to, today. Secondly, the theme of love, which is very widely used and thirdly, the use of dramatic tricks and styles, which make the play enjoyable to read and watch, and helped to bring together Beatrice and Benedick, but tear apart Hero and Claudio, for a short while.
