Acknowledging Female Stereotypes in Much Ado About Nothing Essay

Women in the Elizabethan age were extremely repressed and discriminated in peerless case once morest. nigh would not have gone to school or received either type of formal education. They were not allowed to vote, let property, or freely vowelize their opinions.They were seen as the property of a man, subject to his wants, needs, and not allowed to have their own men held extremely stereotypical attends of their female counterparts that helped them justify the way they interact them. Shakespe are exposes many of these injustices and biases in his stage plays, which are sboulder clay comm totally assume and performed today. In more than fuss About Nothing, Claudio moves from seeing women (specifically hotshot) as goddesses and wives to adulterers, and thus back again to his original absorbs.Claudio initially views ace according to the launch stereotypes, in process 1, Scene 1 as property. When first verbalize of submarine, he refers to her as the daughter of Signor Leonato epoch this appears to be scarcely for identification purposes, he effectively relinquishes the power of her name to her guardian (1. 1. 119). sooner of commerce her by her given name, Hero, Claudio names her in relation to her more(prenominal) correctly male owner. He goes on to ask benedick if she is a modest young lady, not wondering only if she is sweet, but if she is literally a virgin (1. 1. 121). A womans virginity was extremely blue-chip in Elizabethan England, and determined her worth as a potentiality wife.This outright inquiry into her purity foreshadows the afterward s tail assemblydal surrounding it. benedict asks Claudio if he would buy her, and Claudio responds with a seemingly noble hypothetical wonder Can the conception buy such a jewel? (1 1 134). While his question seems to imply that she is so valuable that the entire worlds money could not purchase her, it still perpetuates the stereotype that women are pieces of property, albeit very beautifu l and expensive ones.Later in the same scene, Claudio demonstrates Elizabethan mens views of women through Shakespeares thematic messages. He remarks that in mine eye, Hero is the sweetest lady that ever I looked on (1 1 139).This introduces a reoccurring thought of Much Ado About Nothing of seeing and perception. Here, and later on in the play, Claudio bases his opinions of Hero on her outward beauty and appearance of piety. In addition, the phrases mine and I stress the importance of Claudio himself, the important, powerful male in the situation. One notes Shakespeares wordplay in the pun implied when eye and I sound interchangeable when spoken aloud.Another physical composition surfaces in the use of the word sworn in line receipts of crook 1, Scene 1, whereby Claudio makes evident that his honor depends on peoples perception of him and, by proxy, his future wife, Hero. Also notable is the hope he expresses that Hero would be his wife, in that he uses language again pertai ning to himself where he could have wished that Hero would marry him or something similar, he kinda wishes her to become his property.Claudio reveals that he has had an interest in Hero for a while before their present conversation about her. He admired her before he went outdoor(a) to war, but more pressing, important, masculine issues took his mind move out her. This implies that matters of the heart were less valued by men than duty and honor, and that his circulating(prenominal) infatuation with Hero is sort of an afterthought, something to pursue as he is today bored.This distant, material admiration for Hero quickly turns to contempt when he thinks that hold out Pedro has taken her for himself in Act 2, Scene 1. When put on John and Borachio severalize him about his friends betrayal, Claudio seems to be angrier with Hero than with the man who take his prospective bride. He claims beauty is a witch, against whose charms faith meltheth into blood (2 1 135-6). This demo nstrates the stereotype that Elizabethan men held of women being easily turned to adulterers it seems to be her evil beauty that lured Don Pedro into supposedly winning her over for his own.This is again an insult to Claudios arrogance Don John and Borachio use forms of the word swear when recounting Don Pedros supposed conquest of Hero, calling to mind how Claudio swore to marry her in the first act. Claudio denounces Hero, and wishes Don Pedro joy of her, once again suggesting women to be objects of personal property, solely existing to fulfill the desires of man.When it is support that Don Pedro was indeed just performing his friendly duties, Claudio instantly reverts to his view of Hero as a perfect, virginal, almost goddess-like potential wife. He says to Hero Lady, as you are mine, I am yours I give away myself for you, and dote upon the exchange (2 1 233-4).Claudio acknowledges that Hero is now his property, and as that is an true custom in Elizabethan England, it is ther efore deemed heroic that he gives himself to her, as well. Using the word exchange suggests a formal transaction of property, which is what is authentically transpiring between Claudio and Leonato. Claudio expresses his anticipation for the wedding, as time moves slowly till whop have all his rites (2 1 269-70) the two meanings of rites as the actual ceremony and rights as a husband provide insight into this.He feels a necessity for their union to be official, as legally marrying Hero will give him legal ownership of her, and her property. Though he claims to love her, his affection could ultimately be seen as a want of her dowry.Claudio shows his opinions of women in his comical description of Beatrices love for Benedick in Act 2, Scene 3. He describes her grief over her unrequited love in a ridiculous way, saying that she threw a savage fit. This implies Beatrice, and by reference all women, to be controlled and weakened by their emotions.Claudio says that Hero had told him tha t Beatrice would surely break away if her situation with Benedick progresses in any direction, again poking enjoyment at womens irrationality. He suggests she wear herself out by public lecture to someone about her love, as though she were a small barbarian throwing a temper tantrum. Like most men of his time, Claudio appears to believe that womens perceived lack of control of their emotions made them less worthy of esteem.His view of women again turns cynical again when he receives news in Act 3, Scene 2 that leads him to believe that Hero has had an affair with another man. Don John uses the word un-Ameri shag to describe her actions, and Claudio repeats that word in injustice and confusion about this blow to his honor (3 2 76).Being disloyal seems worse than most other things, in that it has wounded Claudios pride and reputation. The prefix dis is extremely negative and poignant. He emphasizes that if he sees anything with his own eyes, he will believe these accusations. He describes the issue as mischief funnily thwarting, and extends that description to all women in general here he shows that he has moved from seeing women as wives and goddesses to adulterers and shrews.At their wedding ceremony in Act 4, Scene 1, Claudio spitefully and ironically addresses Hero with all sorts of virginal, innocent, beautiful language like maid (4 1 19).He again describes her as property in calling her a rich and precious gift, heretofore this time it is with an air of contempt and scorn (4 1 23). Continuing the theme of perception and sight, he calls Hero but the sign and semblance of her honor, implying that she that put on a facade of virginity and purity (4 1 28). He asks the attendees of the wedding and, by extension, the audience, to acknowledge that her innocence is merely a show.Claudio accuses her callow blush to be truly that of guilt and shame. Where previously he has referred to Hero as a maid, here he calls her only like a maid this literal compar ison emphasizes his change of feeling toward her and her sex. He banteringly describes her as the goddess of chastity and the moon, Diana, and of an unopened flower bud virgin in appearance only.Then he compares her to Venus, goddess of sexuality, and even to mindless beasts that act only on impulse and instinct. In the line Marry that Hero, Hero itself can blot out Heros virtue, he proclaims that women are the outset of their own downfall (4 1 75). Where her outward appearance was that of a impeccant young lady, her perceived actions lead Claudio to believe her to be a whore.Although one could argue that Claudios view of women was that of all Elizabethan men, including Shakespeare himself, the development of Benedicks opinions show that this is not true.He begins the play disliking the idea of man and wife and especially marriage to Beatrice, yet, through the dramatic action, he learns to love and valuate her for her previously detested intelligence and wit. Benedick learns t o value women for the humans they are, and yet Claudio still sees them as property at the end of the play.This suggests that Shakespeare realizes that, although he can bring attention to the issue of gender equality in his works, he cannot expect the audience to fully accept his ideas.Claudio constantly moves between stereotypes in his views of women in this play he alternatively sees Hero as wife, goddess, adulterer, and everything in between.Shakespeares specific word choice and themes revealed in Much Ado About Nothing provide insight into how women were actually thought of and treated in Elizabethan England, and how the author himself believed they should be. Today, the centuries-old fight for gender equality is distant from over. But, like Shakespeare, we can hope that all women will eventually be respected as equals, like Beatrice. Works CitedMcDonald, Russ. The Bedford Companion to Shakespeare. Boston Bedford, 2010. Shakespeare, William. Much Ado about Nothing. Ed. Mary Berr y and Michael Clamp. Cambridge Cambridge University Press, 2011.