A character with a very susceptible mind, Claudio often jumps to conclusion. During the masked ball, while Claudio observes Hero being wooed by Don Pedro in Claudio’s name, Don John feigning to mistake Claudio for Benedick and informs him that Don Pedro “swear[s] his affect” (2.1.166) and “would marry her [Hero] tonight.” (2.1.167) Although Claudio claims to be friends with Don Pedro, he immediately doubts Don Pedro without any material proofs or validating Don John’s words. Also in the chamber-window scene, Claudio is easily convinced that “the lady [Hero] is disloyal” (3.2.100) by noting a situation where Borachio presents himself at night at Hero’s window with Margaret, Hero’s maid. When Claudio and Don Pedro mistake Margaret for Hero, whose unfaithfulness thus becomes “proven” to them, Don John mentions to Claudio that “it would better for your honor to change your mind,” (3.2.111) about the wedding. To which Claudio immediately responds by deciding that “in the congregation where I should wed, there will I shame her” (3.2.120-1) without neither seeing any solid proofs nor allowing Hero to defend herself on such matter. A critic says that Claudio is “too eager to assume the worst about his bride-to-be--character traits not worthy of a story's hero.”1 Completely convinced after watching an artificial scene enacting Don John's fiction, Claudio can not distinguish between lies and reality.
In the world of honour and male friendship, Claudio values his male companion’s opinions above all others. At the beginning of the play, Claduio asks Benedict “didst thou note the daughter of Signior Leonator” (1.1.156-7) hoping that his friend will approve of his choice to woo Hero. Although Benedict “do[es] not like her”(1.1.1’70), much to Claudio’s delight, Don Pedro confirms Claudio’s choice. When Hero is accused of sleeping with another man the night before her wedding night, Claudio immediately believes Don John and tells Hero’s father, Leonato, to “take her [Hero] back.” (4.1.30). He never gives Hero a chance to speak for herself. After shaming Hero’s family and causing Hero to faint, Claudio, along his male companions, leave the scene heartlessly.
Portrayed as a discreditable lover, Claudio is a character who values honour and money instead of love. After his meeting with Benedict proclaiming his love for Hero, Claudio privately asks Don Pedro “Hath Leonato any son?”(1.1.284) and learns that “[Hero]’s his only heir.” (1.1.285). Claudio knows that the marriage with Hero will benefit him greatly. Also, in contrast to Benedict, who cares for Hero (4.1.111) and is willing to help Hero when she is accused of being unfaithful, instead of trusting Hero, Claudio’s ignorance convinces him that Hero has betrayed him. On the wedding day, Claudio, along with Don Pedro, shames Hero and her family by calling Hero a “rotten orange” (4.1.31) and a “common stale” (4.1.64) Claudio does not marry Hero out of love, but out of duty.
Although Don Pedro is often seen as the character that successfully destroyed the social harmony, Claudio is the true social destructor of the play. Claudio’s weaknesses all attribute to the disastrous events in Much Ado about Nothing. Marrying purely out of duty, the wedding between Claudio and Hero at the end of the play does not reaffirm marriage.
