Much Ado About Nothing Themes

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Appearance and Reality

Claudio's thoughts about Hero - 'She is the sweetest lady that I ever looked on'

This shows how Claudio is taken in by looks and appearance not what is actually within. Shakespeare uses the imagery of seeing to suggest the superficiality of Claudio's love and to set the scene for the later manipulation of appearances with Borachio and Margaret. The plot on Hero is based on accusing her however the reality that Claudio only looks and has been deceived by the manipulation of appearance.

When Don John shows Claudio that 'Hero' is cheating on him - 'If you dare not trust what you see, confess not that you know

Don John is manipulating appearances here however, Shakespeare is exploring the indecencies of seeing and seeming. Shakespeare is showing that you should not jump to conclusions as everything is not always as it seems.

When Claudio is talking about Hero's "unfaithfulness" - 'show of truth can cunning sin cover itself withal!'

This is Claudio not thinking about the reality of the situation. The irony of Claudio's words which the audience already know the reality that he has been deceived.

Women and Men

Beatrice being outspoken and the unconventional women of Shakespearean times - 'nobody marks you'

This sub-plot provides amusement for the audience, whilst fulfilling the expectation that they will marry at the end. However where Beatrice is adamant that she will not marry this is different to the usual women of that era. Beatrice has been used by Shakespeare to be different.

Leonato giving Hero away as an almost "arranged marriage" - 'Count, take my daughter'

Leonato feels entitled to talk about giving Hero away twice to Don Pedro and Claudio. Then Don Pedro thinks it's appropriate to woo Hero for Claudio. This shows he is not thinking about what Hero might want but what is best for Claudio. This shows the inequality in shakespearean times.

Beatrice wanting to hurt Claudio but can't because she is a women - 'I were a man! I would eat his heart out in the market place'

Her anger is a sign of her emotional strength and a sign of her weakness. She still needs a man like Benedick to harm Claudio as she cannot do it herself as in those times it was an unthinkable act. This made the audience think about gender boundaries

When Claudio starts shouting abuse at Hero - 'rotten orange'

Claudio's image of Hero was too idealised to ever match reality. However Hero's reaction was a reaction of a conventional women in that time period. She plead to commit suicide before fainting.

Wisdom and Folly

Dogberry is presented as a folly character - 'Is our whole dissembly appeared?'

Clearly he was meant to use 'assembly' however his comical character has an important part in the play bringing wisdom and concluding the main line for the story.

Borachio highlights the wisdom of the 'dumb' and the foolishness of the 'wise' - 'What your wisdoms could not discover'

Borachio highlights the important point that the characters that are meant to be folly are intact the wise characters. The so called wise characters are not very wise as they jump to conclusions and do not speak the truth. This makes the audience aware to listen to 'folly' people and not just listen to the higher class as they may not always speak the truth.

Love and Marriage

Beatrice talking about marriage -

her rejection of marriage has imaginative depth - the idea that a women can go without a man in shakespearean times was unheard of.

Claudio swings into hating Hero and their marriage is symbolic rather than emotionally significant. This could have been done to highlight the fact marriage should be about love not about social status