How the Characters in Much Ado About Nothing Learn to...

How the Characters in Much Ado About Nothing Learn to Love The title of Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing has sparked scholarly debates about its meaning for centuries. Some say it is a play on the term â€Å"noting†, revolving around the theme of all sorts of deceptions by all sorts of appearances (Rossiter 163). Others claim it has more to do with everyone making a fuss about things that turn out to be false, therefore, nothing (Vaughn 102). Regardless of these speculations, there is something rather profound going on in the play that is worth making a big deal about: four characters in the play learn about love, and eventually, how to love. The four characters that learn the art of love are Beatrice,†¦show more content†¦Claudio also does not seem to know much about Hero, thus explaining why he is asking Benedick about her. He not only wants to know that his budding feelings are justified, but he wants to make sure that his choice of lady is indeed worthy of his honor. Even if Hero is fair, if she will not compliment Claudio’s social status, he will not marry her (Ranald 74). The notion of honor will come back to the forefront of this play later on. During this first scene, it quickly becomes clear that he knows he feels something for Hero, but he is unsure of exactly what his feelings mean. While talking to both Benedick and Don Pedro, Claudio describes his feelings as passion first (I.i.219-220), and then he says, â€Å"That I love her, I feel† (I.i.228). Claudio’s lame profession of love for Hero mirrors the shallowness of his previous comments. Claudio is not trying to be small-minded though. Because Claudio is a soldier above all else, it seems reasonable that he might not know if he’s in love or not. Claudio, Ranald says, â€Å"is less the romantic young man in love than the ambitious young soldier primarily concerned with his own advancement†¦He must learn that marriage is more than a business arrangement (74).† With Claudio in this business-like frame of mind, the lack of romance in his speech during the previously mentioned lines makes sense. What does this really say about Claudio? At thisShow MoreRelatedThe Reflection of Emotions964 Words   |  4 PagesCharacters within Shakespeare’s, Much Ado About Nothing display love in a complementary manner to the love written in Sonnet 116. Although arduous situations occur, these individuals are loyal to their love interests. They consistently illustrate their feelings and this factor allows the characters to flourish. This especially true of Benedick, Hero and Don Pedro in Much Ado About Nothing. As they are victimized by Don John throughout the play, their relationships are strained. However, onceRead MoreEssay on Gossip and Deceit in Much Ado About Nothing1494 Words   |  6 PagesGossip and Deceit in Much Ado About Nothing Much Ado About Nothing is primarily a play about gossip. Indeed, the title means a big fuss about a trifle, and by the end, this is exactly what happens. All accusations will come to nothing, causing the play to end the same way as if they never occurred at all. Shakespeare brilliantly plays on the meanings of nothing throughout this play. The word nothing would actually have been pronounced noting in his time. It can mean worthless, a person ofRead MoreDeception And Deception In Hamlet1681 Words   |  7 Pagesgrant the characters the ability to attain social status and success. Deception comes from the root word â€Å"deceive,† which can be defined as, â€Å"to mislead by a false appearance or statement,† or â€Å"to mislead or falsely persuade others† (â€Å"Deceive†). When attempting to deceive another person, the characters must be able to understand the consequences one may face when manipulating another through deceit. Two plays that strongly sho wcase Shakespeare’s lies and manipulation are Much Ado About Nothing and HamletRead MoreEssay about Much Ado About Nothing: A Comedy with Deep Meaning1270 Words   |  6 PagesMuch Ado About Nothing:   A Comedy with Deep Meaning  Ã‚  Ã‚      Much Ado About Nothing--the title sounds, to a modern ear, offhand and self-effacing; we might expect the play that follows such a beginning to be a marvelous piece of fluff and not much more. However, the play and the title itself are weightier than they initially seem. 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William Shakespeare was an English poet and playwright, and was considered one of the greatest writers in the English language, of all time. Still to this day, Shakespeare has hisRead MoreShakespeares Techniques in Much Ado About Nothing Essay1171 Words   |  5 PagesShakespeares Techniques in Much Ado About Nothing I am going to describe the techniques used by Shakespeare in Much Ado About Nothing. I am focusing on language, themes, characters, plots and sub plots as well as the play as a whole. I will also be focusing on how the modern day as well as the Elizabethan audience would respond to this play write. Shakespeare is known as one of the worlds best play writers, he has written tragedies, histories, sonnets and comediesRead MoreLove Is A Cornerstone Of Literature1331 Words   |  6 PagesLove is something that every human being as capable of feeling. No matter how hard an individual tries to avoid it, they will at one time or another will be blindsided by love. Love can come in many different forms, love for parents, love for money, love for country, to name of few. Love is something that our race has been focused on since the beginning. Civilizations have written about love throughout the ages and it has been a cornerstone of literature. Love has started wars, ended nations, createdRead MoreA Comparison Between the Plots of King Lear and Much Ado about Nothing910 Words   |  4 PagesBut how can one man churn out all these plays he’s written, and still have new content in each one? Aren’t they all the same story to some extent? As Lindsay Smith writes, â€Å"Many Shakespeare plays, like most typical Renaissance plays, are divide d into scenes and acts. There are five acts and anywhere from three to five scenes per act.† So his plays can’t be all that different, right? This statement will be examined after taking a closer look at the plots of King Lear and Much Ado about Nothing. There