Claudio and Heros Relationship vs. Beatrice and Benedicks :: Much Ado About Nothing Shakespeare Love Essays

Claudio and Hero's Relationship vs. Beatrice and Benedick's The main topic of discussion is based around the relationships of Claudio and Hero and how their relationship differs from Beatrice’s and Benedick’s. The idea of marriage is an important factor. In Shakespeares time marriage was seen as an obligation and your wife would be ‘chosen’ for you. The decision making was made by the men. It was a very patriarchal society. Beatrice is a prime example of one of Shakespeare’s strong characters. She refuses to marry because she has not found the perfect equal partner and is unwilling to eschew her liberty to the will of a controlling husband. In her frustration and rage about Hero’s mistreatment, Beatrice rebels against the unequal status of women in Renaissance society. â€Å"O that I were a man for his sake! Or that I had any friend would be a man for my sake!† she passionately exclaims. â€Å"I cannot be a man with wishing, therefore I will die a woman with grieving†. Beatrice relates to women in a modern society because of her attitude towards society’s norms at that time. Benedick is the wilful lord who vows never to marry. He engages with Beatrice in a competition to outwit and outsmart each other, but to his observant friends he seems to feel some deeper emotions below the surface. Beatrice and Benedick have a more modern idea of a relationship. In Shakespeare’s time the idea of marriage was very different from today. Women had no freedom to marry for love, whereas today women have a lot more freedom and power to make their own choices. Love and marriage are the two most striking ideas in Much Ado About Nothing. The play ends with the union between a fair young woman and a