The Representations Of Love In Much Ado About Nothing
Much Ado About Nothing was written in 1598, but the story takes place sometime around the 16th century during the Italian Wars in Messina, Italy. The focus of the essay is to write an analytical essay that explores the representations of love in much ado about nothing in response to the quote, “the course of true love never did run smooth”. In much ado about nothing love didn’t run smooth at all. I will be focusing on Hero and Claudio and Beatrice and benedick relationships and they were not smooth there was bumps between all their love.
Beatrice and Benedick are no exception. Beatrice is the niece of Leonato, Don Pedro’s close friend. … At the beginning of William Shakespeare’s Much Ado about Nothing, Beatrice and Benedick have a combative relationship, but with some help from their friends and relatives, they realize that there is more there. They trick themselves into thinking that they don’t have feelings for each other. Although they appear to dislike one another, both are easily persuaded of the other’s love by the tricks that their friends play on them. Beatrice and Benedick, on the other hand, are each in denial of their love and need to be tricked by their friends into realising their true feelings. Ultimately their love seems more real and true. Don Pedro manipulates Benedick and Beatrice like a scientist conducting an experiment, or a playwright setting a scene. The play suggests that love is not love without its masquerade-like sequence of poses and appearances, even if they must be imagined or faked.
Claudio and Hero are types in the courtly formula, with the difference that marriage rather than infinite flirtation is the goal. Like a knight, Claudio has just returned from war and is ready to socialize at Leonato’s ”court” with the prince, Leonato, and Leonato’s family. Claudio quickly decides he loves Hero and wants to marry her, and the prince agrees to help him win her by courting her in disguise, as Claudio, at the masquerade ball. This also shows that he would seek vengeance after the person he loves if she did something wrong and not forgive her. Claudio and Hero’s relationship is not strong because Claudio does not trust anyone in the affairs of love. He says ‘friendship is constant in all other things, save in the office and affairs of love’. He also says ‘and trust no agent for beauty is a witch’. The phrase ‘beauty is a witch’ implies that he thinks anyone who looks good should not be trusted therefore it shows that Claudio is keeping a close eye on Hero. The first quote suggests that he does not trust his friends as well because he thinks that when love is going on friendship takes a different path. On the other hand Benedick and Beatrice’s relationship is different; their relationship is not superficial but deeply rooted within them. They enjoy insulting each other as Benedick says to her ‘what my lady disdain! Are you yet living?’ This quote shows the enjoyment Benedick gets when insulting Beatrice as it displays an enjoyable hate that would eventually grow into love. They are also hurt by each others remarks as Benedick says ‘she speaks poniards, and every word stabs’.
Claudio is convinced by what appears to be Hero’s unfaithfulness. However, the audience knows that this is not the reality. Claudio’s love for Hero is often regarded as superficial. He seems to fall in love with her because she fits the model of an ideal woman: modest, beautiful and obedient.
