Love & Marriage
English Lit: AQA GCSE Much Ado About Nothing, topic 8.1.1
Beatrice and Benedick
In its simplest form, Much Ado About Nothing is a romantic tale, telling the story of two couples and the trials and tribulations (ups and downs) of their relationships.
Motivations
- Love is a driving force of several characters’ motivations in Much Ado About Nothing.
- Indeed, even Don John the bastard’s actions result in the lack of love he feels towards his half-brother.
True feelings
- Beatrice and Benedick’s true feelings towards each other are never explicitly stated by Shakespeare.
- However there are numerous hints of both a previous relationship and feelings, at worst of admiration; more likely in denial of love, towards each other.
Language
- Both Benedick and Beatrice bring each other into the topic of conversation when it is originally about someone else:
- Hero in Act 1, Scene 1.
- Don John in Act 2, Scene 1.
- Moreover their language throughout the play mirrors one another’s.
Names
- Even their names have similar meanings:
- Beatrice = she who blesses.
- Benedick = he is to be blessed.
Charles II
- The two characters are so memorable that Charles II allegedly wrote ‘Benedick and Beatrice’ next to the title of ‘Much Ado About Nothing’ in his copy of Shakespeare’s plays.
Claudio and Hero
In its simplest form, Much Ado About Nothing is a romantic tale, telling the story of two couples and the trials and tribulations (ups and downs) of their relationships.
Claudio and Hero
- Claudio and Hero are the main romantic protagonists of the play and their relationship was conventional for the time period.
- Claudio is a young nobleman from Florence; a suitable match for Hero as her father is in the respected position of Governor of Messina.
Rank
- Only Don Pedro, as a prince, outranks both Claudio and Leonato.
- This explains both:
- Leonato’s keenness for Hero to marry Don Pedro (“if the prince doth solicit you in that kind, you know your answer").
- Claudio’s jealousy when he believes Don John’s lies in Act 2, Scene 1.
Dramatic foils
- Don Pedro’s wooing of Hero on Claudio’s behalf was common for the time period.
- It was normal for couples to not really know one another prior to their wedding day.
- Again in this way, Benedick and Beatrice serve as a dramatic foil for Claudio and Hero.
Borachio and Margaret
In its simplest form, Much Ado About Nothing is a romantic tale, telling the story of two couples and the trials and tribulations (ups and downs) of their relationships.
Borachio and Margaret
- Borachio and Margaret are the other couple in the play, perhaps representing lower class relationships in the play.
True feelings
- Although the audience never learn how Margaret feels towards Borachio, she seems willing (yet unaware of his true intentions) to participate in his plan to deceive Claudio.
- Displaying uncharacteristic kindness, Borachio insists she was innocent when asked by Leonato, in Act 5.
Well matched
- Margaret’s language is at times crude, making sexual innuendos.
- This suggests that she is comfortable in talking about such matters but also that she and Borachio - rather like Benedick and Beatrice - are well matched.
Test yourself on Love & Marriage
Where is Claudio from?
Who is the highest ranking character in Much Ado About Nothing?
What is Leonato's job in Much Ado About Nothing?
What implies that Borachio and Margaret are well-matched?