GENDER ROLES Much Ado About Nothing

THE ELIZABETHAN ERA 15th and 16th Centuries valued Patriarchal Societies Women were raised to believe they were inferior to men. Women had no choice on marriage and were expected to have many children. Women's honor was based on Virginal Chastity Men's honor was based on Social Rank and Camaraderie Do the characters in Much Ado About Nothing demonstrate these ideals?

BEATRICE VS. HERO Beatrice  Feisty, witty, independent  Disregards love  Refuses to get married  Powerful character who challenges gender stereotypes  Progressive step towards equality for women Hero  Opposite to Beatrice  Quiet, content, obedient  Love at first sight  No say in marriage  Represents the conventional woman of the time  Conforms to all stereotypes  Strengthens Beatrice's character

BEATRICE In Act I, Sc. i, Beatrice insultingly speaks of Benedick and Leonato apologizes.  “You must not, sir, mistake my niece. There is a kind of merry way betwix Signor Benedick and her” (Act 1, Scene 1).  A woman criticizing a man opposes the gender roles of the time, and Leonato feels the need to dismiss Beatrice's opinion. The same issue arises when Beatrice and Benedick banter back and forth.  Beatrice takes jabs at Benedick’s character, and unable to handle a woman insulting him, he gives up, or cops out. “You always end with a jades trick," Beatrice complains.  Benedick looks for "oohs" and "aahs" from the crowd when he insults Beatrice, whereas Beatrice just wants to insult him. Beatrice yearns to be equal to a man, which challenges the Elizabethan ideal.  “O! that I were a man for his sake, or that I had any friend would be a man for my sake! But manhood is melted into courtesies, valour into compliment, and men are only turned into tongue, and trim ones too: he is now as valiant as Hercules, that only tells a lie and swears it. I cannot be a man with wishing, therefore I will die a woman with grieving" (Act IV, Sc. i).  Men have a voice in this society.  Beatrice yearns for this equality especially after Claudio insults Hero.  Instead, she has to turn to Benedick to enact any revenge on Claudio.

THE MEN OF THE PLAY In Act I Claudio asks Benedick his opinion of Hero, and the conversation turns quickly to talk of buying her and her “worthiness” of love and marriage.  The men value Hero's beauty and obedience which they think make her worthy. In Act II when Claudio is led to believe that Don Pedro stole Hero for himself, Benedick proclaims Don Pedro “stole your meat”.  Objectifying the women makes it evident that the men believe the women have no real voice in any matter.  Women are there for the taking and meant to be submissive. In Act IV, when the men believe that Hero has in fact had premarital sex while she is engaged to marry Claudio, they punish and expose her through public shaming.  Even Hero’s father Leonato believes the lie at first, “Could she here deny the story that is printed in her blood? Do not live, Hero, do not ope thine eyes…” (Act IV, Sc. i).

HONOR AND GENDER ROLES Honor is everything, but in this play it depends women. Claudio's honor is tied to his love for Hero. When her supposed affair is revealed, he is shamed. Therefore, in order to keep his honor, he must shame her.  It would be embarrassing for him to lose his honor to a woman. A man can restore his honor through fighting in a battle or duel (or publically shaming his bride like Claudio did...) If a woman loses her honor, her family loses its honor, which cannot be restored.