Themes

Themes

1. Role of men

   • 'owner' of women

2. Role of women

   • Hero is ruled by her father and obedient
   • 'rare and precious gift'
   • 'would you buy her'
   • 'obtained her'

3. Attitudes towards marriage

   • Benedick's view of marriage changes completely
   • Marriage is business
   • 'she is well worthy'
   • Benedick - 'I will live a bachelor'
   • Beatrice - 'rather hear a dog bark at a crow than a man swear he loves me'
   • Leonarto - 'you know your answer'

4. Reputation

   • 'you disgrace her'
   • 'die to live'
     • Die without a good reputation
   • 'fallen into a pit of ink'
     • Once your Reputation is stained, hard to clean off

5. Disguise

   • 'masquerade ball'
   • 'will you not tell me who you are'
   • 'all put on their masks'
   • 'are you not signor Benedick'
     • Knows its Claudio

6. Love

   • 'can the world buy such a jewel'
     • Love at first sight, love is an illusion
   • 'transform'
     • Love changes you
   • 'some cupid kills with arrows and some with traps'
     • Loves a trick
   • Love is ever present
   • Benedick thinks the worst thing to happen is to fall in love

7. Deceit/trickery

   • 'hear me call Margaret Hero'
   • 'and tell fair Hero I am Claudio'
   • 'that your niece was in love with signor Benedick'
   • 'the lady is disloyal'
   • Claudio is tricked into thinking Hero slept with Borachio
   • Beatrice and Benedick are tricked into loving each other