Much Ado About Nothing CONTEXT

Much Ado About Nothing CONTEXT

1. Patriarchal Society

   • Elizabethan society was patriarchal which meant that men were in power. Women then were considered as the weaker sex and they needed a man to look after them.
     • Throughout the play, women are used as a means to showing off male honour. Women in the play are defined in connection to men. Hero is addressed by other characters as “Leonato’s Hero, your Hero, every man’s Hero” and “the old man’s daughter”, which suggests that she is seen as someones property.

2. Court life

   • Courtly ideals were seen as a career such as being a soldier or a poet. A lot of them were educated however, some of the people would keep it hidden.

3. Religion

   • Friar Francis' character is based on the life of a Catholic friar during the Renaissance period.His exact sect is unclear, but it is safe to assume he is close to Leonato's family and has been present at the major religious milestones in Hero's life meaning that the family is religious.

4. Social hierarchy

   • Social class is clearly shown through characters appearance as well as their language. Margaret always speaks in a filthy way which shows that she wasn't educated to act as a proper lady. The upper class characters are well educated and well dressed which makes their social status stand out. This means that anyone would understand what type of life they live.