Literary Analysis Essay Much Ado About Nothing

In the play Much Ado About Nothing, William Shakespeare explores the concept of how someone’s gender can affect their actions and the repercussion of them. Shakespeare demonstrates this by using foils to compare women’s views on their roles regarding the symbol of marriage. He further explores this concept by showing how someone’s gender can affect their theme of honour. He finally shows this idea by differing expectations of chastity between men and women. Therefore, Shakespeare demonstrates the differences of how gender can impact a person’s life.

Firstly, In Much Ado About Nothing, Shakespeare uses Foils to represent the symbol of marriage as women throughout the play to compare the two points of view. Shakespeare shows this comparison through the characterisation of Beatrice who is portrayed as an independent woman. In the orientation, she claims she will only marry in a ‘hot January’. Using this paradox (as it is winter in January for Europe) it highlights her beliefs that the likelihood of her getting married is impossible (this also shows irony for when she marries Benedick in the resolution). Shakespeare then shows the opposite personality of Beatrice- her obedient, quiet cousin Hero. He shows how she is the ideal woman in a patriarchal society and how she is ‘ruled’ by men in her life, therefore a ‘well worthy’ lady. Therefore, Hero’s belief to obey father and be the ideal women for marriage contrasts with Beatrices idea of freedom.  This demonstrates the foil characters Hero and Beatrice on their points of views the symbol of marriage as women to show independents in addition to being obedient.

Furthermore, Shakespeare uses the theme of honour to demonstrate how gender influences actions through the methods available to restore one’s reputation. Shakespeare’s explores this concept with Hero who is characterised as innocent before her reputation is quickly changed to being a ‘rotten orange’ by accusations of being disloyal and having an affair on Claudio. Because of her gender, Hero was unable to defend herself as it was a male’s word against hers. Unlike Hero, Shakespeare uses Don John to demonstrate how easily forgiven men are. Although Don John lost in a war against his brother, he was able to go back to Messina with Don Pedro and was ‘welcome’ into Leonato’s home all because Don Pedro ‘reconciled’ with him.  Shakespeare also uses Beatrice’s soliloquy to represent how someone can decide to change. After she overhears Hero’s and Ursula’s conversation, Beatrice vows that she will ‘tame [her] wild heart’ using this metaphor to show how she is willing to change herself and her honour to the ideal women for Benedicks ‘loving hand’.  DO LS

Finally, Shakespeare demonstrates the effect of gender on actions through differing expectations of chastity between men and women. Shakespeare shows this by using the theme of the role of women through the protagonist Hero whom characteristics are known as the perfect woman for men. Hero Cousin mocks the idea of this and claims that her cousin’s role is to ‘curtsy’ and ‘please’ her father or the male figure in her life. This parodying shows how Beatrice believes living for a man is absurd and that hero should say ‘father as it pleases me’ instead. Shakespeare continues this idea by showing how men are expected to be the one in charge of the relationship. He demonstrates this by using the protagonist Benedick arc and his beard to represent masculinity. During the orientation, Benedick vows that he ‘love[s] none’ and will die a ‘bachelor’. This demonstrates how men can also rebel against the idea of the norm of marrying. However, after overhearing the staged conversation Benedicks soliloquy shows how he declares his ‘love’ for Beatrice. He loves her so much he shaved of his beard which is a symbol for masculinity. Thus shows how even the most stubborn of people can fall in love and renegade their past beliefs. DO LS

In conclusion, Shakespeare play Much Ado About Nothing explores the idea of how gender influences someone’s actions. Shakespeare explores this concept by firstly using foils to compare the views of a women role in society. Additionally, he shows how the theme of honour is affect by one’s gender. He finally shows this idea by differing expectations of chastity between men and women. Therefore, Shakespeare demonstrates the differences of how gender can impact a person’s life.