Much Ado About Nothing: Character Analysis of Claudio and Hero Essay

This essay delves into the characters of Claudio and Hero from William Shakespeare's comedy, Much Ado About Nothing, examining their motives, attitudes, and how their actions influence the play's plot and other characters. Claudio, a young and initially naive soldier, quickly falls in love with Hero but is easily manipulated by Don John, leading to a dramatic and unjust accusation against Hero. Hero, portrayed as gentle and innocent, becomes a victim of slander but ultimately overcomes the false accusations. The analysis highlights the lessons that can be learned from these characters, such as the importance of not trusting appearances and the eventual triumph of truth. This study provides insight into the play's themes of deception, love, and redemption.

Running head: MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING
MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING
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The comedy piece, Much Ado about Nothing, is assumed to be written by William
Shakespeare in 1598 and 1599. In this essay, two of the character of the piece will be discussed
focusing on the significant character’s motives and attitudes. The essay also focuses on the ways
character’s actions affect other characters and the plot as a whole including the growth of the
person as a person. Lastly, the essay discusses things, if any, can be learned from these
characters.
The reason for considering the two characters, Claudio and Hero, are not for they are the
central character of the story but the story is revolving around them gives various interesting
insights. Claudio is the young soldier that has won great acclaim fighting under Don Pedro
recently. He falls in love with Hero when he returns to Messina. He is youthful, enthusiastic and
the young lover of the story. Although he is a good soldier who seems to win every battle, he is
an immature person who can be moulded in any way. His character is specifically more to do
with looks and his bravery than clever and intelligent. The way he gives passionate feelings and
the enthusiasm to his emotions it displayed a sign of immaturity. Also, he was easily fooled by
Don John and spoilt his relationship in a while. He also has an unfortunate suspicious nature
which is the reason he believed the evil humor quickly (Whedon & Shakespeare, 2013).
Hero is the beautiful young daughter of Leonato. She is gentle, kind and beautiful as per
the stories during that decades described women. She falls in love with Claudio when Claudio
falls in love with her. Don John slandered her and Claudio after becoming manipulated takes
revenge from her. She only suffered terribly with all the unfair treatment on her. She is fragile
and at the same time a very graceful woman (Howard, 2013).

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The character’s actions were the main plot on which the story revolved. Claudia and Hero
are the main characters who are the happy couple falling in love. This is the fact that people
around them perform either to help them or to ruin their relationship.
Claudia was a brave soldier before with very less sense of the reality and the people’s
trait. From the beginning, he has been an immature person who, after getting manipulated takes
revenge. However, he got clarity in the end which made him realise his mistake. In a similar
way, Hero was the gentle and loving person who was hit by an accusation. In the end, she was
able to overcome the accusation. She was presented as the idyllic version of an innocent girl who
finds the power to overcome the wrong accusation. Her character was mostly a one-dimensional
role.
There are various aspects to be learned from the characters. It gives an idea of the way
real life perform. Many people are under the mask and they are mistaken ad good people. Like
Claudia, it can be learned people cannot be trusted easily. Also, the truth will always come out
and it can be learned by the way Hero overcame the accusation.

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References:
Howard, J. E. (2013). Renaissance antitheatricality and the politics of gender and rank in Much
Ado About Nothing. In Shakespeare Reproduced (pp. 171-195). Routledge.
Whedon, J., & Shakespeare, W. (2013). Much Ado About Nothing: A Film by Joss Whedon.
Titan Books.