| Shakespeare
was a rebel, a mover and shaker, and an instigator who enjoyed turning convention
on its ear. With this in mind, what typical conventions does he
introduce and fiddle with in Much Ado? Consider stock characters,
social rank and status, gender roles, marriage, love, cultural fears and
taboos, and even the comic structure itself. |
Thursday, January 31, 2013
The James Dean of his day
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Shakespeare comments on the role women were supposed to play in society through the character of Beatrice. Beatrice's sharp wit is severely contrasted with the conservative notions of a what a female living in late Elizabethan England would've been like. Her denouncement of marriage would surely have raised questions about her personality and state of being. Yet ultimately even she succumbs to the traditional route most women at that time would've taken by agreeing to marry Benedick suggesting that Shakespeare believed women, who were free of the passivity that inhabited their gender in those times, could attain happiness and benefit from their outspoken nature even more so than the traditional, obedient and passive woman, such as Hero.
ReplyDeleteShakespeare uses Much Ado about Nothing as a medium to challenge many aspects of the conventional wisdom of the Elizabethan era. For example, he uses the character of Beatrice to challenge the perception that women should always subordinate themselves to orders of men. Also, he uses the love story of Beatrice and Benedick to challenge the idea that people who are “rational” or “logical” are somehow immune from falling in love. However, I believe Shakespeare’s most poignant critique in Much Ado about Nothing, is that of the comic structure itself. By having Dogberry, the play’s most bungling and inept character, save the day, he shows that comedies don’t necessarily have to feature any sort of prominent hero in order to be funny.
ReplyDeleteShakespeare plays with the idea of social rank and status throughout the play. Dogsberry is a constable for the Messina, yet his use of language demonstrates that he may be rather stupid, instead of proper, which is what we would expect. He uses Dogsberry to somewhat question the social rank. A guardsman should be well respected by all members of the town of Messina, yet when Dogsberry tries to speak up, no one listens. The scenes that include Dogsberry are structured in a way to make the reader laugh, and take away the seriousness of the play for a little bit. In the end we never really know the intelligence of Dogsberry because although he is a constable his lack of proper word usage puts the him at lower status.
ReplyDeleteA common fear in the Elizabethan era, as well as in the novel, is men's fear of marriage or being "cuckolded". An aversion to marriage resulting from this cultural fear is present in many of the play's male characters and throughout the novel references are made to this fear through mentions of horns. Shakespeare fiddles with the idea of this fear of marriage through Benedick's antics. Benedick represents the aversion to marriage; from the very beginning he states that he will never marry. However, in the end, he too ends up betrothed. Benedick's complete acceptance of marriage is further revealed when he suggests that Don Pedro should marry as well. The change of heart represents that marriage is not about being tamed and having freedom removed, but rather accepting feelings, however long buried they may be, and finding happiness.
ReplyDeleteDuring Shakespeare’s time, women were supposed to be seen not heard which is why Beatrice is such an interesting character. Unlike her cousin Hero, Beatrice likes having her opinions heard and doesn’t seem to worry much about the standards and rules when it comes to gender. Furthermore, Beatrice doesn’t appear to want to conform to the typical gender roles of her time where she would be expected to find a husband and become his possession after marriage. Throughout the play, until the very end, Beatrice refuses men, including Don Pedro, saying that none of them meet her expectations and needs. Her ideas and actions are nowhere near conventional for Shakespeare’s time; much of what she says and the way she acts would be more widely accepted today than during that time period.
ReplyDeleteThe most clear social norm that Shakespeare is shaking up is the idea that women's voices deserve to be heard and they can match men intellectually. Shakespeare uses Hero to show the conventional view of women, one who does not truly share their own opinion, one of few words, and someone who generally just does what their father tells them. He breaks the norm with Beatrice, a women who's father is not displayed, showing that she can think alone. She matches Benedick with witty comments and she is not afraid to share her opinions. By having a character like Beatrice Shakespeare is showing that women don't have to conform to the social norms of the day and they hsould be more free thinking and free speaking. This idea was definitely way before it's time. Additionally, something that is displayed that normally isn't exhibited in the plays of the time is the fact that relationships aren't perfect. Shakespeare chooses to highlight the relationship between Beatrice and Benedick where there is a lot of playful jokes and witty comments directed towards eachtohers "negative qualities", but they get over eachothers imperfections to form a perfect union.
ReplyDeleteBeatrice's role in Much Ado about Nothing is definitely an indicator that Shakespeare was a rebel for his time period. When creating her character, he made sure to make her the complete opposite of the women typical of his day. Beatrice isn't afraid to speak her mind and voices her opinions throughout the entire play even when men tell her to stop. During Shakespeare's time, women were viewed as objects that were to supposed to be seen and rarely heard, especially when it came to their own thoughts/opinions. By making Beatrice witty and verbally strong, he challenges the roles of women in society and it shows that he believes women are capable of vocally supporting their own ideas and opinions.
ReplyDeleteShakespeare's comedy Much Ado About Nothing is actually not much of a comedy. Sure, the play possesses some of the key characteristics of a comedy: a wedding, witty characters, and a happy ending. And, there are plenty of people that just dismiss Much Ado as a comedy because no one died (so it can't possibly be a tragedy, right??). It is not that simple, however, and even some of the most lighthearted elements of the plot become quite troubling upon examination. The first abnormality of this comedy appear in the very first scene. Usually, comedies start with a sad event, but in this case, the story begins with a victory. Couples are reunited, few men have died in battle, and there is going to be a party later in the story. As the plot unfolds, the audience starts to see more and more deception, the first plot leading to the engagement of Claudio and Hero and the second plot leading to her 'death' and their separation. The two characters eventually do get married, but is the union happy and is it going to last? Could Shakespeare be trying to warn us about the nature of this love-at-first-sight kind of relationship? It is almost disturbing that Hero would still marry Claudio after he destroyed her reputation. Perhaps she only does so because of pressure from her father. If that is the case, then their marriage is even more terrifying. The blind love relationship becomes nothing more than deception, destruction, and then coercion. This might be an unpopular opinion, but this doesn't seem like the ideal happy ending, leaving me to believe that Much Ado About Nothing is not the traditional comedy but rather, one of a darker, more sinister breed.
ReplyDeleteShakespeare twisted the Elizabethan era concept of arranged marriage by leaving out the part of Beatrice’s father. Without this authority figure to dictate and reprimand Beatrice’s actions she was free to speak what she pleased. Although there was no father figure to arrange a betrothal for Beatrice, the other characters in the play end up playing the match-maker. Hero and Ursula gossip about Benedick’s love for Beatrice as Beatrice listens in conspicuously. Moreover, marriages would be arranged to bring wealth or nobility to a family. When Leonato learns that the Prince is seeking Hero’s hand he is ecstatic. Later on when he discovers his misconception Leonato is still delighted to hand Hero over to Claudio. This adds to the comedy because most families would have desired such nobility as a Prince to marry into their family rather than the Prince’s right hand man.
ReplyDeleteWithin the text of Much Ado about Nothing, Shakespeare fiddles with the preconception that those of the government or law. The prime examples of this are Dogberry and Don Pedro. Dogberry is one of the law enforcers in Much Ado. However, he is displayed as unintelligible, frequently mixing up words or phrases. This is very contrary to the preconceptions typically held about those associated with the law. The other character where this fiddling appears is with Don Pedro. As prince, Don Pedro is supposed to be knowledgeable about those around him and under him. Despite this, he is duped by his brother, whom he had no reason to trust. Also, Don Pedro lacks the common sense usually associated with the prince. On just the flimsiest of evidence, he helps to destroy Hero’s reputation. His inability to separate hearsay from truth causes many problems within the play. By introducing these characters, Shakespeare goes against the preconceptions that rank equals intelligence, and instead supports the idea that anyone has that capacity, as can be seen in Benedick and Beatrice.
ReplyDeleteShakespeare commonly played with the varying roles of gender throughout all of his plays. In Much Ado About Nothing, Shakespeare uses Hero to represent the idea women of the time. She was beautiful, quiet, young, and wealthy. In contrast Shakespeare uses Beatrice as an example of an independent, witty woman, who up until Benedick, no man appreciated or even considered marrying. When it comes to the men in Shakespeare's plays, they all commonly seek power in various aspects of their lives. Claudio's reaction to Hero's cheating clearly shows that he wanted to reassert his role as the alpha male in the relationship, even though he knew that would mean Hero's death. Through out the play all Don John wants is his power back that he lost during the war and he goes to great lengths in order to achieve this. Shakespeare plays with the varying roles of woman and he commonly shows that the main role of men in his plays is fueled by their need for power.
ReplyDeletePrimarily Shakespeare played with the idea of love. He used two foil relationships (Claudio& Hero and Benedick& Beatrice) to expose the incongruences that persist in love. Claudio and Hero's relationship is very young and naive. Both characters are very easily manipulated in terms of their relationship. Hero just goes along with what he father tells her to do and Claudio is so quick to accept accusations against his love-interest. Benedick and Beatrice on the other hand have a relationship full of much more experience and wisdom. They know who they are and what they believe in and they do not show as much vulnerability to outside involvement. While one might argue that they are because of their reactions to hearing of the other's love for them, it's undeniable that there were feeling there prior to the eavesdropping. The gossip served more to arouse those hidden emotions that we saw in Beatrice's inquiry of the whereabouts of Benedick in Act 1 and Benedick's comments on her undeniable beauty. Shakespeare really fiddles with the dynamics of relationships in Much Ado and show that love, like life, comes in many stages of development.
ReplyDeleteThe character of Beatrice in and of itself is a perfect example of the rebellious nature of Shakespeare's writing. The social norms of this time period could be represented by the actions of Hero. Although Hero is fair and beautiful, Hero's decisions are, in many cases, the decisions of Leonato. Women were still considered socially inferior to men, and supposed to be seen, but not heard. In this case, Beatrice is the antithesis of the social norms, as she wages a verbal war with Benedick and refuses to get married, preferring a life as a bachelor instead. Beatrice does much of her own decision making, and is seen as a intellectual equal to Benedick, a man known for his wit. Shakespeare uses Beatrice to poke fun at these social conventions.
ReplyDeleteAs most of the earlier posts are saying, the most obvious social norm that Shakespeare is mixing up in Much Ado About Nothing is the role of gender in society and social standing. The way Shakespeare attacks these conventions is through the juxtaposition of Hero and her cousin Beatrice. Hero represents the notions at the time; she was quite, obedient, and never stood up for herself. Beatrice, on the other hand, listens to no one. She spends the entire play matching wits with the other characters, most of them male. Although creating Beatrice caused a stir in itself, the way Shakespeare drove his point home on gender inequality was what makes her such a memorable character. While Hero spends the play in silence, Claudio takes their entire relationship upon himself, causing most of the drama seen throughout the play. In comparison, Beatrice remains strictly independent all through the play. With this in mind her and Benedick’s relationship is healthy and strong. This contrast highlights the idea that women can and should be equals in their relationships, a very “James Dean” thought for that time period.
ReplyDeleteShakespeare fiddles with the nature of power struggles by establishing a traditional, physical context for such struggles in Much Ado as well as the more covert, psychological context of power struggles between individuals in a romantic relationship. To adhere to Elizabethan notions of power exchanges, the play is riddled with references to physical conflict in the form of war and dueling. The interest that Leonato, Anthony, and Benedick have in challenging Claudio to a duel (with swords and everything) is motivated by a need to remove Claudio from an unfair position of power that he has obtained in shaming and “killing” Hero. Yet, Shakespeare explores the nature of emotional power struggles with his continuous mention of Benedick’s fear of becoming a cuckhold. Shakespeare pokes fun at the horror that men during that error associated with feeling unrequited, broken love in a relationship by using Claudio and Don Pedro as playful critics of Benedick’s self-proclaimed status as an eternal bachelor. Benedick uses his fear of an unfaithful partner to justify appearing withdrawn from romantic relationships. In doing so, Benedick harnesses the greatest amount of emotional and psychological power by never establishing a commitment or an opportunity to be subject to unrequited love. Shakespeare’s transformation of power struggles from physical to psychological phenomenon shapes Much Ado into a battle of the heart and mind rather than one of swords.
ReplyDeleteOne of the main conventions Shakespeare strays from in "Much Ado About Nothing" is the role of women. This is especially apparent with the role of Beatrice. For her day, she is extremely advanced in terms of her manners and personality. She feels free to speak her mind and follow her own rules. Shakespeare contrasts Beatrice with Hero to demonstrate the vast differences between them. Also, Shakespeare comments on the ways of love. For example, Hero and Claudio fall for each other at first sight. Beatrice and Benedick on the other hand take time and struggle with their relationship. While Claudio and Hero soon go through difficulties, Beatrice and Benedick remain like an old married couple. They snap at each other and poke fun, but deep down do actually care for each other. Shakespeare plays with the different types of love and the contrasting aspects of the two.
ReplyDeleteThe most obvious deviation from the norm that Shakespeare makes is shown in the character of Beatrice. Women of that era were typically very obedient and quite. Their goal was to get married and gain acceptance in the society. Beatrice is constantly expressing her opinion and in the beginning, has no desire to ever get married. Shakespeare emphasizes this difference by having Hero as the foil character. She is quiet, barely speaking in the play. Hero always does what she is told and doesn't question why. When reading the play, the audience is drawn toward the wit and intelligence of Beatrice. Her cunning nature makes her a likable as apposed to Hero who never makes a true impression. Even though Beatrice does fall in love with Benedick, she still maintains some of her wit the is essential to her character. In making this strong female character, Shakespeare demonstrates that he has some support for women progressing forward in society and having independence.
ReplyDeleteMuch Ado criticizes directness of romance that was prevalent in literature up to that time. The "hero" of the story is frequently forward in his/her pursuits and through actions without outside intervention acquires the girl which he pursues. However, Shakespeare challenges this notion with the romantic characters of Much Ado, by making them all incapable of wooing and winning their lovers without the help of others. Beatrice and Benedick are constantly at odds without the meddling of Don Pedro and Margaret, and Claudio requires the Prince to speak to Hero for him! Yet in the end they still end up as wedded couples, so Shakespeare makes a jab against this preconceived notion.
ReplyDeleteShakespeare "fiddles" with the concept of gender roles in "Much ado About Nothing", the main conflict of the play; between Beatrice and Benedick, arises because of Beatrice's rejection of the label that society forces upon her as a calm, loyal, and submissive wife. She rejects this by rebelling against whatever Benedick has done that is so uncomfortable to her. Her individuality and unwillingness to be "owned" sets her apart from the "ideal woman" of her time, and allow the play to work in a comedic sense, because Beatrice's actions would have been viewed as strange and revoloutionary by the audience of the time.
ReplyDeleteShakespeare definitely toys with the conventions of gender roles in Much Ado. The characters Beatrice and Hero contrast each other in how well they conform to traditional gender roles. Hero is polite, obedient, and mostly quiet, which are indicative of her taking on the subordinate role of most 17th century women. She takes orders from her father, Leonato, and doesn't participate much in the decisions being made around her. Beatrice, however, is funny, talkative, and even rude at times. She does not hesitate to argue bicker with Benedick, and she makes a point of speaking her mind throughout the play. Not only does Beatrice not have a father figure whom she is obliged to obey, she is the one dispensing direction to the significant man in her life. Beatrice gives orders to Benedick to kill Claudio, one of his best friends, and he obeys with little resistance. Through Beatrice, Shakespeare demonstrates that women can take on dominant roles in society just as well as men.
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