Much Ado About Nothing Essay An Exploration of Conformity

Much Ado About Nothing as an Exploration of Conformity In Shakespeares Much Ado About Nothing, Beatrice and Benedict rant about marriage for most of the beginning of the play, while Claudio raves about how wonderful it will be being married to Hero. Yet in the end, Claudio exchanges his marriage to Hero for an opportunity to bash her in public, while Beatrice and Benedick marry despite that they were mortal enemies for most of the first three acts. How did the situation swing around to this degree? Beatrice and Benedick had been using the most extreme metaphors to demonstrate their scorn of each other and of marriage, and Claudio had been doing the same to demonstrate his love of Hero. Not only did none of these three†¦show more content†¦Yet the purpose of the act can be found in its effect : those around Beatrice and Benedick trick them into getting together again, having seen on some subconscious level what the act is for. It is a signal to them to do exactly what they do. Would anyone ever try to bring two sworn enemie s together if they believed the animosity was really there? The entire situation and result is a farce of conformity. Beatrice and Benedick most likely fell apart over some minor quarrel. Both of them being intelligent, several cutting insults probably insued. Escalation led to a total separation which neither of them could cross without breaking several social barriers at once, and so the dance : signaling through their apparent immense hatred of each other that they wanted to be together and could not bridge the gap. With Claudio the situation is reversed. Although there is a misunderstanding between Claudio and Don Pedro near the beginning as to who was wooed by who for whom, Claudio has marriage to Hero in the bag. His pleasure in this is stated and overstated several times. Yet when Don John, who just recently lied to Claudio about Don Pedros wooing Hero for himself, tells him Hero has been having sex with anyone and everyone she could get her hands on, he says, If I see anything tonight why I should not marry her tomorrow, in the congregation where I should wed, there will I shame her. It does not make sense