Honour and status

Honour and status

1. Swearing on your honour

   • Most men in the play swear on their honour while the women swear on their souls.
     • "O on my soul my cousin is belied."
       • Once the men realise that honour is misleading, they too start to swear on their souls.
         • "My soul doth tell me Hero is belied."
     • "But on my honour she was charged with nothing but what was true and very full of proof"
       • Mainly these promises are false so Shakespeare is showing how untrustworthy honour is.

2. Men's honour

   • Many problems arise from people trusting status too much.
     • "Would the two princes lie?"
     • "Dogberry: Why, this is flat perjury, to call a prince's brother villain."
       • shows influence of status
   • Women cannot win back honour so Benedick has to win Hero's honour back for Beatrice.
     • Via a duel- a physical show of strength.
       • "Enough, I am engaged; I will challenge him."
     • Beat. is frustrated at these social norms.
       • "Oh that I were a man- I would eat his heart in the marketplace!"
       • Accuses Ben. of being a coward and not a man.
         • "Manhood is melted into curtsies."

3. Honour of women.

   • Once Hero is accused her entire reputation is destroyed.
     • "Give not this rotten orange to your friend."
       • Graphic language shows disgust.
     • "Die Hero, do not open thine eyes."
     • Not seen as worthy for Claudio's honour
       • "It would better fit your honour to change your mind."

4. Play explores the problems and pitfalls of honour in a patriarchal society- somewhat mirroring the Jacobean society this play was performed in.

   • Shakespeare is critiquing the social norms that cause people to act without thinking.