Representations of Love in Much Ado About Nothing

Explore representations of love in Much confidence game active Nothing In Much bunco game About Nothing, Shakespeare uses literary structures frequently(prenominal) as doubles and opposites in order to emphasise the plays master(prenominal) themes and ideas. McEachern claims It is doubtless the most socially and psychologically realistic of his comedies, in its portrayal of the foibles generosities of communal life. (McEachern, 2006, 1) One main theme I want to look is love and how Shakespeare represents this in Much Ado About Nothing. The devil main genres in Shakespeares dramas are tragedy and comedy.Tragedy always ends in death and comedy always ends in a marriage. Although Much Ado inevitably ends in marriage, it differs from some of Shakespeares other ro homotic comedies as his other comedies usually portray love in a much much unrealistic way. Much Ado About Nothing is scoop known for the merry fight in the midst of one of its two couples, and an oxymoron could i n like manner describe this comedys identity as a whole. Shakespeare offers a play of light and dark, of romantic union wrested from fear and antagonism and of social harmony soothing the savagery of psychic violence (McEachern, 2006, 1)In Act 1 conniption 1, fag out Pedro, prince of Arragon arrives with his bastard brother Don John, and his two friends Claudio and Benedick. It is in this Act that Beatrice and Benedick send-off meet and the war of wits begin. Leonato states There is a kind of merry war among Signior Benedick and her Beatrice they never meet but there is a skirmish of wit between them. (Much Ado, Act 1 word picture 1, 520) Although their quarrel seem quite hateful to one another, at the same m it may also come across as flirtatious.Before Beatrice heretofore meets Benedick, she excerptes her distaste for him, up to now, she talks about him in such great depth it is almost to a greater extent like an obsession than hatred. Benedick teases Beatrice by saw I am loved of all ladies, only you excepted and I would I could find it in my heart that I had not a firm heart for, truly, I love none. (Act 1 scene 1, 521) to which Beatrice replies A upright happiness to women they would else excite been troubled with a pernicious suitor.I thank God and my cold blood, I am of your humour for that I had quite hear my dog bark at a crow than a man swear he loves me (Act 1 Scene 1, 521) By using the characters of Beatrice and Benedick, Shakespeare mocks the conventional type of love, romantic love, which is expressed by maven and Claudio. This is also an example of how Shakespeare uses doubles in his play, as he uses the two couples to express two types of love. One being much than realistic, that of Beatrice and Benedick, and the other being the more unrealistic, over the top romantic love expressed by admirer and Claudio.Even though the plot is largely based on fighter aircraft and Claudios relationship, the witty banter and seemingly u nromantic relationship between Beatrice and Benedick seems much more interesting to the reader and we are more interested in how their relationship will develop. It is this relationship that seems much more believable compared to Claudio and pigboats fairytale love at first sight. It is through contrasting these two contrastive types of love and through the different use of language that Shakespeare can mock the conventional romantic love. Claudio uses a totally different style of language to Benedick when they both plow of love.Benedick is highly cynical and negative about love where as Claudio is more pretentious and elaborate when he speaks about Hero, for example when he says Can the world buy such a Jewel? (Act 1 scene 1, 522). This language is completely different to the way that benedick speaks to Beatrice as the first thing he says to her is My dear Lady disdain argon you yet living? (Act 1 scene 1, 521) Benedick also speaks of his foiling of Claudios eloquent language when speaking of love as he states He was wont speak plain and to the purpose, like an honest man and a soldierhis words are a very antic banquet, just so mevery strange dishes. (Act 1 Scene 3, 529) This however is quite hypocritical of him as in Act 4 Scene 1, Benedick confesses his love for Beatrice and states I do love nothing in the world so well as you is that not strange? (Act 4, Scene 1, 541) to which Beatrice responds I love you with so much of my heart, that none is left to avow (Act 4, scene 1, 541) This shows how dramatically their relationship has changed as the witty banter and insults have turned into confessions of love for one another.It is often difficult to understand and relieve the love between Hero and Claudio as it is so unrealistic. They fall in love with each other before they even truly draw a bead on to know one-another, which therefore makes their love and marriage seem quite monstrous and shallow. The fact that Claudio does not enquiry Don John wh en he professes that Hero has been unfaithful, yet instead believes his word to be true, questions whether the love he has for Hero is sincere.Surely Claudio would confront his future wife before coming to any sort of conclusion, however, even her own father believes this to be true and states why she, oh she is fallen/ into a pit of ink, that the wide sea/ hath drops too a few(prenominal) to wash her clean again,/ and salt too little, which may season spend a penny/ to her foul tainted flash (Act 4 Scene 1, 540) Another locution of the play that makes Hero and Claudios love very unrealistic is gunmans willingness to forgive Claudio after his bold accusations of her infidelity.If his love for her was as pie-eyed and powerful as he made out, he would be more trusting of Hero in the first place. However, she seems to disregard this and does not question his behaviour, but instead is willing to carry on with the marriage. Bibliography McEachern,Claire. Much Ado About Nothing. 2006 . the Arden Shakespeare Shakespeare, W. The Complete Works of William Shakespeare. 1996. Wordsworth Editions Limited