Shakespeare
I have studied the Shakespeare play, ‘Much Ado About Nothing’. I will study in detail the two main female characters, Beatrice and Hero.
Shakespeare did not make up the story line of the play, as it originally only included the Claudio and Hero love affair. Shakespeare added the Benedick and Beatrice plot probably to add interest to the play.At the time that the play was set women had a different role in society than they do these days. Women were seen as property of their fathers and when married that became property of their husbands. They did not have any social worth and what they inherited became their husband’s. Quite often, husbands were chosen for the daughter; if not they had to be approved by the father before they were to be married. People at that time also did not marry into a different social class. It was seen as an outrage and disgrace for a woman to not be a virgin when they were first married, if they were from a wealthy family. If a wealthy family found out that an unmarried female relation was not a virgin they would disown her and in some cases send her to a nunnery. This is because if they stayed as part of their family, their family could lose all its respect as it was thought as such a bad thing. Women were expected to be quiet and obedient to their fathers and husbands. Hero was a typical lady of her time and followed social conventions. She was romantic and was not afraid to show her feelings. Whereas Beatrice is a free-spirited orphan and very outspoken. This was very unusual for any women, especially one of her wealthy class.Shakespeare uses many devices to show their characters, in a variety of ways, to the audience.
At the opening of the play it is evident to the audience that Beatrice is a very confident character. Beatrice was very unconventional to a typical lady of that era, because of her outspoken, witty character. The audience notices she is very self-assured. This device is used to interest the audience. Beatrice also makes it obvious that she has known Signor Benedick a long time and that she dislikes him because somewhere in their past Benedick hurt her. “You always end with a jade’s trick: I know you of old”Beatrice has a very narrow view on marriage. She is convinced there is no man for her, which is illustrated from the quote; “He that hath a beard is more than a youth: and he that hath no beard is less than a man: and he that is more than a youth, is not for me, and he that is less than a man, I am not for him.”Beatrice also plays on the idea God made Adam from earth and she will not “Match in my kindred”with Adam’s sons “till God make men of some other metal than earth.”Most women from that time would not have made comments like those above. It is because of Beatrice’s outspoken, witty character that she is able to say such things with such confidence.Shakespeare uses a device of Benedick wearing a mask to allow Beatrice to speak her mind and insult him without him being able to reply. Beatrice’s initial insult is answering the question Benedick asked behind his mask, “What is he?” She
