Feminism in Much Ado about Nothing by William Shakespeare

This analysis discusses the feminism movement in Much Ado about Nothing by William Shakespeare, comparing the character traits of Beatrice and Hero. It argues that Hero is actually more representative of the feminist movement than Beatrice.

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Much Ado about Nothing
The book “Much Ado about Nothing” by William Shakespeare discusses feminism
movement comparing Beatrice and Hero character traits. The Shakespeare comedies basically
reflect and give the critics on what is portrayed by the women (Shakespeare 35). To some
points, the book gives Beatrice elaborate character traits on the basis of how independent she is.
This is contrary to how the Hero is expressed based on traditional gender responsibilities. I have
no doubt that some may think that Beatrice portrays much of feminism as compared to Hero. In
my argument, I will argue in the basis that Hero is actually more of the feminist movement
representative as compared to Beatrice. Based on how the Hero is so playful and this displays the
fact that the women are social as well as witty in the social settings. Hero represents the theme of
love in the book by the fact, as the soldiers arrive from the war; she falls in love with
Claudio(Shakespeare 38). This is definitely the major role played by Hero in the exposure of the
love feminism character traits in the storyline.
In this analysis, it is true that Hero brings the fact that love is interconnected within the
William Shakespeare thematic concern in the book. Hero love and faithfulness is seen by the fact
that she falls in love with Claudio immediately after the war is over. This shows how women in
the social setting display the sense of unity, love and marital honest for their partners. Women
strong and careful decision is seen in the thematic concern of the book when Claudio and hero

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decide to marry as their love Pledge. This is contrary to what Beatrice and Benedick do as they
resume to the war and carry their life just as past (Shakespeare 351). Hero shows that women can
make their wise decision and strong stand through the way she decides to choose her partner
wise for the better marriage. In my opinion, Hero is a strong foundation for the fact that women
make a sober decision in the real life situations. This gives the sense that we should listen and
follow what women say or decide in the community without any form of the bias (Shakespeare
35). Not just like before when women were seen as inferior beings that could not make any
important decision towards what was going on in the society. Hero just like her name suggests
showing a high level of bravery by the fact that she organizes for the weeding games which is
away through newly married couple can emulate even in the real-life situations (Shakespeare
1577).
On the basis of Second-wave feminism, Hero shows the inequality in women can be
reduced. The reproduction rights are portrayed by the fact hero and her partner marries without
any limitations or challenges. The fact that Hero marrying Claudio unconditionally clearly
indicates that Fourth-wave feminism is embraced absence of sexual embarrassment in the
society. Hero advises Beatrice and Benedick to stop arguing and disagreeing and instead come
together for marriage. It is through the power of advice that Hero brings together Beatrice and
her partner and later they fall in love secretly. The theme of pretense is shown by the Hero as she
pretends to have died out of the shock but the fact is she just falls to pretend that she died. This
comes after she is accused of being unfaithful and therefore falling down is a way that she uses
to come out of the scene. In the later stages, Beatrice and Benedick confess that they love one
another is a sense that human advice and encouragement is important in the community.

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Hero shows the importance of women social honor after the wedding ceremony is
aborted. According to Shakespeare, the honor of the woman is related to her virginity. Drawing
the example from the book, the Hero is accused of lacking the dignity and this caused her
termination of the wedding which she is not really happy about. Based on the Shakespeare point
of view, it is bad behavior for the women to loss their virginity before marriage. This is seen by
how the wedding of Hero and her partner is aborted after accusation of Hero that she is cheating
on Claudio. It such an important thing for the women to stay clean without showing any form of
cheating to their partners especially before the marriage time. Women lose their honor if they
involve themselves in sexual behavior, especially before marriage. This is clearly seen through
what has happened to Hero in Shakespeare’s point of view in the book (Shakespeare 291). In the
event whereby the women have sex before the marriage, she loses her social standing and she is
not accepted in the community anymore. Based on what Shakespeare describes in his book,
women are so delicate instruments which require a high level of dignity and self-respect. Women
deferment is said to be so disastrous and can cost her a lot especially the way she will relate with
other people in the community.
The loss of honor of one member of the family especially the woman will lead to whole
disapproval of the family. The whole family is not accepted by the community due to one
mistake done by the woman from that homage. This is clearly seen by the way the wedding of
Hero is aborted immediately they realize that she is not pure and she cheated her partner before
falling in love (Shakespeare 167). It is the fact seen when Leonato gives a rush believe on what
is confessed by the Claudio during the wedding about Hero and how she is shamed in the event.
It is seen as taboo for the cheating of a woman and its equivalent to death especially sexual
cheating. It is believed that there is no reverse for the fallen woman in the event that she has lost

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her virginity during the sexual practices and dishonest. The loss of honor is belied as permanent
fall which has no reverse. The play gives the perception that it is very difficult to relate the good
and bad. The fact that Hero does not do according to her dignity, he loses her personal honor and
this cost her marriage with Claudio. Shakespeare gives the voice of the woman as the dominant
of the male actors in the play.
In this play, Hero character portrays the fact that woman can make decisions but once the
decisions are not right according to the taboos of the community, it may become the poison to
the woman and all members of her family. The woman is considered to be much Ado especially
for nothing following the incidence between Beatrice and Benedick in which even after the war,
Beatrice is not willing to marry Benedick. This gives the woman the character of weakness and
fall of the man following the fact that Benedick did not expect an argument from his partner after
the war. Shakespeare portrays women to be very strong in whatever they do, unlike men who get
away with things very easily. This is seen by the fact Claudio has given up with Hero after
realizing that she is not as clean as he expected her to be and end up shaming her during the
marriage time. Through the way Hero does not give up in this regardless of the fault she does, it
portrays courage in women and not easy to give up.

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