Beatrice is portrayed as a complete contrast to the traditional upper class Elizabethan woman, in possessing qualities of outspokenness and feisty wit regardless of those in her presence. Unlike Hero, Beatrice refuses to compromise her true personality in the company of men. Her rebellious character is apparent to all, and her uniqueness is, surprisingly, accepted rather than stifled by the men around her. In lines 16-17, Leonato states:
“By my troth, niece, thou wilt never get thee a husband if thou be so shrewd of thy tongue.”
This leads to a discussion between Beatrice and both of her uncles, in which she asserts she does not want a husband, as no man would be good enough. Such a declaration would be reprehensible to men in Elizabethan times, but the uncles do not challenge strong-minded Beatrice further, but turn their attentions to Hero. In the extract, Antonio places an emphasis on the word “your” in addressing Hero. Not only does this accentuate the discrepancies between the two cousins, but also suggests that Antonio recognises Beatrice’s “free and uninhibited” (“Women as Writers,” Warner, 272) nature and no longer expects her to conform to the usual expectations of a typical Renaissance woman.
This view is reinforced by Beatrice with her supposed emphasis on the words “my cousin’s”, implying that her own marriage obligations differ greatly from that of Hero’s. Beatrice’s tone is likely to denote marks of frustration and sarcasm, suggesting her dissatisfaction towards the lack of free will for typically male-dominated Elizabethan women.
Through this extract of the play, the importance of a father figure in terms of shaping the life of a sixteenth or seventeenth century female is made clear. With reference to Hero being ruled by her father and Beatrice’s resistance to conformity, it may be further speculated that as Beatrice has no father of her own, she is not subject to the same levels of dominance as Hero. The implication of Beatrice being free from such oppression may be responsible for her character’s more extrovert behaviour.
Additional components to Beatrice’s personality, which set her aside from other female characters of the play, include her infamous “merry wars” with Benedick:
Benedick: “ God keep your ladyship still in that mind, so some gentleman or other shall ‘scape a predestinate scratched face.”
Beatrice: “ Scratching could not make it worse, an ‘twere such a face as yours were”
This repartee occurs throughout the play, and acts as a source of amusement to a modern day reader, but also allows an insight into Beatrice’s sometimes over forceful nature. Whereas Beatrice’s innuendo in addressing Benedick would now be regarded with hilarity, in previous centuries it is more likely to have been viewed with disapproval.
“She does not defend herself, or make her attacks with grave, argumentative, and persuasive elocution: but, endowed with the powers of with, she employs them in raillery, banter, and repartee.” (William Richardson, Essays on Some of Shakespeare’s Dramatic Characters to which is added an Essay on the Faults of Shakespeare)
Hero’s inability to respond to Antonio’s comment is reflective of her feeble disposition whenever she is amongst men. Shakespeare portrays Hero in this subordinate manner because such a weak-willed female would have been regarded as the ideal daughter and wife in the Elizabethan era. We can deduce that Shakespeare deliberately named her “Hero” to influence the audience’s partiality towards her ever-humble character. Ironically, Hero is the opposite of a female role model. Instead, the progressive playwright uses the name pun to demonstrate how total female submission is far from a commendable quality. As the play progresses, it becomes increasingly apparent that, in contrast to Beatrice, Hero possesses a number of un-heroic qualities.
Act 3, Scene 1 portrays Hero exclusively in the company of women, no longer restrained in a modest manner, revealing dominating and opinionated characteristics in herself which were previously unseen. Hero’s more outspoken character when in the company of women is not reflected in the extract Act 2, Scene1. This leads to the suggestion of an additional facet to her personality revealed only in the presence of other women. Perhaps Beatrice’s absence in this scene is further justification of Hero’s newfound confidence. Rather than obeying others, Hero is seen to be making commands, while her waiting ladies follow her every instruction.
The portrayal of female characters in the extract of Act 2 Scene 1, lines 43-46,upholds the patriarchal mindset of the Renaissance’s society. Through Hero’s silence, she is established as a compliant saint, whereas her talkative cousin is typecast as the wild shrew. Unlike the complex personality of Beatrice, all that is admirable about Hero is embodied entirely in her modesty which proves to be her Achilles Heel, as any tarnishing of it destroys her entire character. This is made apparent at the climax of the play, when she is accused of having an impure relationship with a man- a sin of great dishonour warranting severe punishment in Elizabethan times. As more of Hero’s personality flaws are revealed, she becomes more disliked by a modern reader. Rather than feeling sympathy towards her misfortune, it becomes the inclination to regard the character as simply pathetic due to her inability to shape her own destiny.
“ What Hero’s silence reflects, in other words, is the fact that, in social terms at least, she is essentially no more than a cipher, a sign without content, an abstract token subject to male manipulation, intrinsically nothing. A nothing, of course, about which a great deal of ado is being made” (Bringing Deformed Forth, Engendering Meaning in Much Ado About Nothing, David Lucking, University of LECCE)
Such a humiliating allegation undermines everything that is estimable about Hero’s character, leaving behind a woman of little substance. The negative flaws of her temperament shine through as her extreme humility inhibits her from defending her honour, even though she has been wrongly shamed.
“Publicly shamed, repudiated by her betrothed and disowned by her father, symbolically slain, Hero is reduced even more drastically than before to the nothingness from which, in the conception of the men who surround her, she has the effrontery to emerge” (Bringing Deformed Forth, Engendering Meaning in Much Ado About Nothing, David Lucking, University of LECCE)
In Act Four, Scene 1, Line 30, Claudio crudely refers to Hero as a “rotten orange” unfit for marriage, and slanders her character:
“What a Hero hadst thou been, if half thy outward graces had been placed about thy thoughts and counsels of thy heart. But fare thee well, most foul, most fair. Farewell, thou pure impiety and impious purity.”
Thus, her name is used as a paradox to represent both extremes of modesty. Rather than defend herself, Hero is debilitated to the extent that all she could manage is a blush, causing the men to interpret her red-face as proof of her guilt. Beatrice’s reaction, in comparison, is one of total anger and outrage, as she demands a swift retribution by ordering Benedick to murder Claudio, and even threatens to withhold all affections to her lover until vengeance is achieved.
The extent of Hero’s biddable disposition is further highlighted by the fact she unquestioningly goes along with the preposterous ‘fake death’ scenario in spite of her innocence, in order to cleanse her family’s honour rather than risk challenging her accusers’. When her name is finally cleared, she still does not have enough self-respect to object to marrying Claudio or even reprimand him for his cruel defamation of her character as well as his clear lack of remorse in the days following her supposed death. Therefore, although Hero may have been championed by the audience, it is unlikely Shakespeare, a playwright ahead of his time, would have chosen such a vulnerable character to represent a true Elizabethan heroine, and instead uses her name and character as a prop to illustrate all of the negative flaws associated with insensible and extreme modesty.
Contrasting to Hero is the bold character of Beatrice. As conveyed in the extract, Beatrice’s outspokenness commonly exceeds the acceptable behaviour boundaries of women in the Elizabethan period. To modern-day readers, Beatrice is a timeless role model, proving an intelligent and confident female, regardless of the constraints of present-day society, can be equal and even superior to men in intellect, sense, and willpower.
“ Shakespeare has exhibited in Beatrice a spirited and faithful portrait of the fine lady of his own time. The deportment, language, manners, and allusions, are those of a particular class in a particular age; but the individual and dramatic character which forms the groundwork, is strongly discriminated; and being taken from general nature, belongs to every age. “ (Jameson, Anna Brownell, 1832, Characteristics of Women)
Beatrice’s forthrightness reveals a past relationship with Benedick later in the scene:
He lent it me a while, and I gave him use for it, a double heart for his single one.”
This again would be most untypical of a woman, and frowned upon by an Elizabethan audience. Defiance of social norms in Beatrice’s character, however, is a known trait, which we see to emerge early in the play. To the modern reader, the fact that Beatrice refuses to compromise her distinctive personality regardless of social pressures would be applauded and admired.
Ultimately, Beatrice is seen to soften, appearing less brash due to her discovery of Benedick’s affections. This transformation would appeal to an Elizabethan audience who would have previously viewed her with disapproval. It also makes her more likeable to modern readers, in displaying the more feminine side to Beatrice’s personality.
Contrary to expectation in women, Beatrice appears to be most admired amongst the men in the play, having even attracted the attentions of Don Pedro. However, yet again Beatrice acts against expectations of Elizabethan women in refusing this most eligible bachelor, proving she seeks a mate for love rather than convenience or social elevation.
With reference to Hero and Beatrice in Act 2, Scene 1, lines 43-46, the importance of these two female characters is captured. The additional female counterparts, Ursula and Margaret fail to be noted, which to a degree is representative of the playwright’s representation of women, in portraying them as minor characters.
Mirroring Hero and Beatrice, Margaret and Ursula represent two women of similar social class who behave in very different manners.
“To one method of characterization Shakespeare seemed to have been especially partial; it is that of providing his major characters with contrasting opposites or foils designed to set them off.” (http://sites.micro-link.net/zekscrab/Muchado.html#Much%20Ado)
Unlike Ursula, Margaret frequently acts against convention:
“Not so neither: but know that I have tonight wooed Margaret, the Lady Hero’s gentlewoman, by the name of Hero. She leans me out at her mistress’ chamber-window, bids me a thousand times goodnight- I tell this tale vilely- I should first tell thee how the prince, Claudio, and my master planted and placed and possessed by my master- Don John, saw afar off in the orchard this amiable encounter.”
Through this extract the gullibility and ignorance of the character of Margaret is highlighted. Borachio’s speech indicates that Margaret is easily seduced and deceived by him. Although any suspicions of such unchaste conduct would be dealt with extremely if applied to of Beatrice or Hero, Margaret would not have been received as badly, due to lower expectations in the Elizabethan period for women of the lower classes. Margaret’s promiscuity can be contrasted with the reaction to the slander of Hero. Hero had to “die” in order to surpass the shame associated her reputation, whereas Margaret’s promiscuity is casually overlooked by characters.
