Examine the differences between the Hero and Claudio relationship and the relationship between Beatrice and Benedick Essay Example For Students

Examine the differences between the Hero and Claudio relationship and the relationship between Beatrice and Benedick Essay Examine the differences between the Hero and Claudio relationship and the relationship between Beatrice and Benedick. Throughout lessons we have read one of Shakespeares well-known comedies, Much Ado About Nothing. The comedy is well known for its tragedies, deception, mischief and love stories. In this piece of coursework I will be examining and comparing the relationship between Beatrice and Benedick and the relationship between Hero and Claudio, the two central couples in Shakespeares play. During the period when Shakespeare wrote Much Ado About Nothing, love and marriage was looked upon in a different way as it is today. In Elizabethan times it was not rare for arranged marriages to take place: especially within wealthier families. Marriage was often arranged between people depending on the wealth of both families. Fathers often arranged marriages between two people to gain more money, land or social status. In todays society on the other hand, marriage is mostly based on love between two people not what the families can gain from one another. In Elizabethan times there was a well known phrase called courtly love. Courtly love was invariably adulterous, largely because upper-class marriage at the time was usually the result of economic interest or the seal of a power alliance. The courtly lover, who saw himself as enslaved by passion but fired by respect, faithfully served and worshiped his lady-saint. Shakespeare is well known for his plays apposed to his poetry. Throughout Shakespeares comedies he often used comedy lines, love stories and tragedies. Shakespeares comedies often resulted in a couple getting married. Throughout Much Ado About Nothing, Shakespeare uses a variety of language styles; prose, poetry, wit and imagery. The language is also particularly rich in rhetoric. When Shakespeare uses poetry throughout Much Ado About Nothing it does not always rhyme but is set out like poetry. We can see an example of this when in Act 4 Scene 1, lines 119-121, Leonato accuses his daughter, Hero, of being unfaithful towards Claudio. Wherefore? Why, doth not every earthly thing Cry shame upon her? Could she here deny The story that is printed in her blood? Printed in her blood; shown in her blushes of shame, stamped on her life. Unusually, Much Ado About Nothing is written in prose, as opposed to blank verse. An example of this is shown when Dogberry, Master Constable of Messina, is talking to Leonato about the prisoners. Moreover, sir, which indeed is not under white and black, this plaintiff here, the offender, did call me ass. Dogberry has a great opinion of him self but an imperfect mastery of the English language, meaning most of his speech is not correct. Shakespeare has most people wondering why he decides to write in a poetry style and in other places in prose. The most likely explanation for this is that higher status characters, such as Beatrice, use poetry in important and more dramatic scenes, whereas prose is mostly likely to be used by the lower status characters, such as Dogberry, in more comical and less important scenes. At the start of the play, Beatrice is keen to know weather Benedick has survived the war as she secretly care for him. I pray you, is Signor Montanto returned from the wars, or not? Here in Act 1 Scene 1, lines 128-29, Beatrice asks the messenger weather Benedick has returned from the wars safely but uses the name Montanto, which confuses the messenger. Beatrice coins the name, with obvious sexual innuendo, form a fencing term for a fencing term for an upward thrust. After Hero puts the messenger back in the picture he replies that Benedick has returned safely from the wars. When Beatrice hears the news that he is safe she disguises the fact that she was worried about the well being of Benedick as if she did not care weather he was alive or not. Throughout the entire play, Beatrice and Benedick, accompany each other in battles of wit. This is one of the focus points of the play, showing Shakespeares superb intellect whilst writing. Both Beatrice and Benedick both try to throw one another in believing there is no slight chance of love. Both Beatrice and Benedick vow not to marry. We can see this from Benedick as in Act 2 Scene 1, line 224, Benedick announces to Claudio and Don Pedro; I will live a bachelor. He tries to fool them into believing that he hasnt any feelings for Beatrice. Throughout Act 2 Scene 1, Benedick is found, continuously, talking about Beatrice. It is now even clearer to the audience that Benedick has feelings for Beatrice. But that my lady Beatrice should know me, and not know me! Here Benedick refers to Beatrice as my lady making me come to the conclusion that Benedick does love Beatrice. By continuously talking about Beatrice, Benedick makes clear his feeling towards Beatrice, but still tries to disguise the fact that he has feelings for her. Benedick adopts the appearance of being a male chauvinist and Beatrice adopts the appearance of displaying resent towards the male gender. Beatrice also adopts the appearance of being an unconventional woman of the time era with her constant out spoken behaviour and witty intelligence, which presents a challenge to all male characters in the play. The couples background is fairly clear. We know that Beatrice and Benedick have known each other for a fairly long time. We can see by reading the play that they have a secret passion for one another but that they both fear to speak out about their feelings for one another in case the other does not feel the same way. Both Beatrice and Benedick continue to fight in battles of wit to try to disguise the fact that they both feel the same way towards each other. Beatrice often wins their battles of wit. I think this is because Benedick is sincere towards Beatrice and maybe even lets her win out of respect for her. As the battles continue throughout the play, chemistry starts to grow stronger between them both. As the play continues, the relationship between Beatrice and Benedick starts to blossom and finally results in the couple revealing their true feelings for each other. The couple finally pluck up the courage to do this with a little will power from other characters within the play. Hero and Ursula deliberately talk aloud about Benedicks feelings for Beatrice, so that Beatrice over hears. After over hearing the conversation Beatrice now feels she can also revel the feelings she has for Benedick, as she now does not fear the thought of rejection. Taming my wild heart to thy loving hand. In Act 3 Scene 1, Beatrice revels aloud that she has feelings for Benedick. In Act 4 scene 1, Benedick now knows that the feelings are mutual. Now the couple have become closer, Beatrice springs a conundrum on Benedick to kill Claudio or lose her. In Act 4 Scene 2, after hearing that if he does not challenge Claudio to a fight and hearing the consequences, Benedick finally agrees to challenge Claudio to a fight. I will challenge him. War and Peace and Anna Karenina Comparison EssayHe express how happy he is and how he is willing to give his future to the marriage. This is the point of the play where the relationship between Claudio and Hero officially begins. All is going well between them and we do not hear much about Hero and Claudio and they are only mentioned individually a few times until the wedding ceremony. The ceremony does not go to plan. Claudio hears that Hero has been unfaithful and decides not to approach her with the allegations, instead leave it till the ceremony where he plans to announce it and embarrass Hero in font of the entire church. We can now tell for certain that Claudio is immature, as he did not approach Don Pedro about the allegations that Don John had told him and now he does the same to Hero. Sweet Prince, you learn me noble thankfulness. There, Leonato, take her back again. Give this rotten orange to your friend. In Act 4 Scene 1 Claudio denounces Hero in front of everybody at the ceremony and everyone present seems confused and bewildered along with Hero. Claudio explains all and confronts Hero, making a big scene in the Church. What man was he talkd with you yesternight out at your window betwixt twelve and one? Claudio revels the rumours that he has heard earlier in Act 4 Scene 1. Hero denies all allegations and appears in a confused state. Shortly after the confrontation, Hero faints and the wedding ceremony is abandoned. It now seems to the audience that all is lost between Hero and Claudio and word travels around that Hero has died. All seems lost until Act 5 Scene 1 where Borachio, a follower of Don John, reveals to Claudio that Hero did not deceive or be unfaithful to him and in fact it was Margaret at the window. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦how you were brought into the orchard and saw me court Margaret in Heros garments, how you disgraced her when you should marry her. Claudio, now knowing the truth, feels full of regret and guiltiness as he now thinks he has lost the love of his life. Leonato then hears the truth and meets with Claudio and offers him the chance to marry his niece. My brother hath a daughter, almost the copy of my child thats dead. Hearing the news in the same scene, Claudio accepts Leonatos offer. I think Claudio is still deeply in love with Hero and only accepts Leonatos offer out of mourning for Hero. In Act 5 Scene 4 Claudio prepares to meet his new wife to be. When the new bride unmasks her self it turns out to be Hero. This is a great twist in the play. Another Hero! Claudio is shocked and awaits an answer, Nothing certainer. One Hero died defild but I do live, and surely as I live, I am a maid. This then concludes the development of the relationship between Hero and Claudio. They both finally reach the alter, for a second time, and finally get married. The wedding goes to plan this time and like many of Shakespeares comedies, the couple are expected to lead a happy and fulfilling life together. After studying the relationship between Hero and Claudio, I have established the similarities the couple share. Firstly, I come to the conclusion that both Hero and Claudio are not confident people. Claudio does not have the confidence to talk to Hero and approach himself. Therefore, Don Pedro does the talking for Claudio. Hero displays her unconfident manor in a different way. She is conventional in the relationship between herself and Claudio and acts like what people expect of her. She displays the tradition Courtly love throughout the relationship and displays all the actions a typical Elizabethan women was expected to do. Secondly, Hero and Claudio base their feelings for each other mainly on the looks of one another. Both want to marry at the start of the play also. Lastly, Hero and Claudio act more immaturely, apposed to Beatrice and Benedick. I cannot state any clear differences between the couple. When comparing the relationship between both couples there are similarities and differences. The main similarity and only similarity I can think of between both couples is the trickery used, resulting in both couple getting married. Beatrice and Benedick were tricked into confessing their love for one another and Claudio was tricked into thinking many things, although Claudio still ends up marrying Hero. There are many differences between both couples. Hero and Claudios relationship is based solely on the sexual love they have for on another. They are mainly in love with each others looks, making the relationship very shallow. On the other hand Beatrice and Benedicks relationship is much deeper, based on not only looks but also personality. Beatrice and Benedicks relationship took a longer time to blossom and the couple knew each other for a longer time apposed to Hero and Claudios relationship, which only starts to take place at the masked ball. The final difference is that Benedick and Beatrice took time to finally confess their feelings for one another, whereas Hero and Claudio announced their feelings for each other straight away. Overall, I think both relationships will last but to different factors. I think Hero and Claudios relationship will last but only on the fact that they have feelings for one another based on looks. I think Beatrice and Benedicks relationship will be the happiest as they have more solid foundations. They both have a lot in common; their views, intellect and history. I think the most secure relationship will be Beatrices and Benedicks. I think this as their relationship is based on more than just looks. The feelings for one another seem genuine and when analysing the couple it seems to me that they are a match made in Heaven. Overall I think Much Ado About Nothing is a magical and superb play showing Shakespeares gift for writing throughout. I enjoyed reading the play, as it did not fail to surprise me with its twists. I think it tells the history of Elizabethan marriage superbly. I enjoyed reading the battles of wit that took place between Beatrice and Benedick mostly. If I had the chance to see Much Ado About Nothing in theatre I would as I think it would turn out to be a very entertaining and enjoyable play. Shakespeares work did not appeal to me before reading the play Much Ado About Nothing, but now after reading it I will have to re-evaluate my thoughts as if each play is as superb as this one, I will be reading a lot more of Shakespeares works.