Hero
English Lit: AQA GCSE Much Ado About Nothing, topic 9.1.17
Hero
In this scene a more confident side of Hero is revealed, as is the true depth of her affection for Claudio.
Key line
- HERO: Now, Ursula, when Beatrice doth come, as we do trace this alley up and down, our talk must only be of Benedick.
Confidence
- Shakespeare provides the audience with a parallel between Hero and Beatrice in this scene through Hero’s confident tone.
- Her use of the imperative statement “our talk must only be of Benedik” is assertive and the use of “must” illustrates to the audience that Hero, too, can be strong and confident in the right company.
Key line
- HERO: [Benedick] is the only man of Italy, always excepted my dear Claudio.
True feeling
- This provides the audience with a rare insight into how Hero feels towards Claudio, in contrast to her silence from Act 2, Scene 1.
- Whilst it is sometimes problematic for a modern audience to accept that a woman so mistreated as Hero is by Claudio would be willing to forgive, small details such as this illustrate the love she has for him.
“Dear”
- “Dear” is an affectionate term and could be viewed as more complimentary than the way Claudio speaks of Hero, which often focuses on her physical appearance.