Sexual Fidelity in Much Ado About Nothing

Lee
English 220
Topic #1
23 March 2014
Essay Two
Shakespeare commonly used pressing issues of his day, or limitations imposed on people during the Elizabethan era as an underlying theme in his play. In Much Ado About Nothing we see two very different tempered couples falling in love, and Shakespeare uses the limitation of chastity to prove honor in the play. Sexual fidelity and innocence for woman was almost more important than beauty in Shakespeare’s time, and this is reflected in his plays. Innocence, modesty, virginity and proper manners are what made them worth so much to a male. Chastity not only proved a women’s honor to others, but also her worth to her father and her husband. If a woman is unchaste and sexually promiscuous, her honor is completely taken; she is worthless in the eyes of others and “unmarketable” to males, as Shakespeare examples in the play with Hero specifically. The standards for men are much different. I feel that their honor and fidelity was not proved by chastity and innocence, but by war valor, and whether or not they can “control” their daughters and wives, as Shakespeare examples in the play as well. In Much Ado About Nothing Claudio emphasizes the reason he has taken so much notice of Hero in returning home from war is her “modest” (Shakespeare Act I Scene I Line 167) appearance. He calls her a “jewel” (Shakespeare Act I Scene I Line 176) that cannot be bought while speaking to Benedick. While speaking to Benedick about Hero, Claudio says "In mine eye she is the sweetest lady that ever I looked on" (Shakespeare Act I Scene I Line 183), I think that this is saying Claudio sees Hero as sublime, and her appearance and manor prove her modesty and innocence to Claudio. In the first part of Act one, Shakespeare has not written many lines for Hero to speak to a male, in the way the Beatrice has a jousting word match with Benedick. Hero is presented as a sort of well mannered, silent, innocent type to Claudio. I think this is what makes her so appealing and pure to Claudio. This is a good example that Hero’s honor has been weighted by her purity and trustworthy proper behavior. Shakespeare has imposed here the power of modesty and importance of innocence in women of his Elizabethan time period. Don John plans to turn Claudio’s world upside down by tricking him into thinking the Hero had been “with” someone the night before they were to wed. His reasons for doing so are his deep hatred for Claudio.
Any bar, any cross, any impediment will be med 'cinable to me.
I am sick in displeasure to him, and whatsoever comes athwart his affection ranges evenly with mine.
How canst thou cross this marriage?
(Shakespeare Act II Scene II Line 4) I think this is also a great example that a man’s trustworthiness and character doesn’t compare to a woman’s unfaithfulness in this play and Shakespeare’s time. Claudio immediately takes Don John’s word when he accuses Hero of being unfaithful; even though it has been established previously and also after that Don John is deceitful. Claudio’s reaction to hearing this without any actual evidence speaks volumes to the damage promiscuity and unfaithfulness would bring a woman in that time period. He immediately swears to humiliate her on their wedding day in front of the town and her family and friends, without even having solid evidence.
“If I see anything tonight why I should not marry her, tomorrow in the congregation, where I should wed there will I shame her.”
(Shakespeare Act III Scene III Line 116) Hero is expected to control her desire and save herself for marriage, this is in part what made her so valuable to Claudio; and as soon as it is suspected that she has been unfaithful and lost her virginity her worth and honor is gone in the eyes of not only Claudio, but her family and most of the town. Claudio denounces Hero in front of everyone saying “Not to be married, not to knit my soul to an approved wanton.” (Shakespeare Act IV Scene I Line 44) He basically calls Hero a slut in front of the entire room. Don Pedro goes on to call her a common whore “What should I speak? I stand dishonored, that have gone about to link my dear friend to a common stale.” (Shakespeare Act IV Scene I Line 7) which everyone is beginning to agree with, even though there is no actual solid proof.
Hero’s fate is decided by her male superiors. She can’t change their opinion of her, or give herself a fair trial. In their minds she has lost any shred of trustworthiness and honor. Even her own father denounces her and says he wants to kill her then and there, “Hath no man’s dagger here a point for me?” (Shakespeare, Act IV Scene I Line 114) He also goes on to say that for Hero death would be better than living at this point. “O Fate! Take not away thy heavy hand! Death is the fairest cover for her shame that may be wished for.” (Shakespeare Act IV Scene I Line 121) I think that this shows again, how important Hero’s modesty and purity is to her reputation and honor. They don’t even question her as to who the man involved is, nor is he really punished as harshly. I think it also shows how the men are more concerned with the accusations and betrayal on the women’s part then finding out the facts. Don John doesn’t have anyone question his statements, until they have already made a mockery of Hero. This shows me that men are held to a different standard in Shakespeare’s plays. At the beginning of the play Claudio is highly regarded because he has earned his honor in war, and proven to be strong and wise beyond his years.

He hath borne himself beyond the promise of his age, doing in the figure of a lamb the feats of a lion. He hath indeed better bettered expectation than you must expect of me to tell you how. (Shakespeare Act I Scene I Line 12)

He doesn’t get this honor from something like chastity or appropriate manners; he got it from fighting a war honorably. He also doesn’t suffer the amount of embarrassment that Hero did when Hero is proven innocent. His honor and reputation are not scarred by his accusations against Hero, and even Hero forgives and marries him in the end. “And when I lived, I was your other wife, and when you loved, you were my other husband.” (Shakespeare Act V Scene IV Line 61) This shows again, how a man’s honor is not affected as much as a woman’s when it is questioned. Benedick’s chastity and fidelity are never questioned, even though he himself, Beatrice, and even his friends joke that he will never be married for fear of his wife committing adultery. I think it is interesting that Shakespeare writes Benedick this way. Benedick won’t admit that not wanting to be married might have more to do with being venerable and only wanting Beatrice to love him, but that the woman he marries would only cause embarrassment because they wouldn’t be chased to him, and they would ruin his reputation and honor. The savage bull may, but if ever the sensible Benedick bear it, pluck off the bull’s horns and set them in my forehead, and let me be vilely painted, and in such great letters as they write “Here is good horse to hire” let them signify under my sign “Here you may see Benedick the married man. (Shakespeare Act I Scene I Line 257) I think that this play to Shakespeare’s idea that a man’s honor is only worth as much as his wife’s faithfulness to him. Benedick is teased several times throughout the play about being a “ladies man”. Benedick makes a comment to Beatrice and says “…But it is certain I am loved of all ladies, only you excepted. And I would I could find in my heart that I had not a hard heart, for truly I love none.” (Shakespeare Act I Scene I Line 122).Benedick would rather be a bachelor his entire life, than to have to trust another woman with his honor. Shakespeare shows through Benedick’s reasoning here, that men are in charge of making sure they don’t get cuckolded but never once mentions in the play that the man might be the one to be unfaithful to the woman. I think this shows that a man’s honor is directly affected by his wife’s fidelity, but not the other way around. Don Pedro is the most level headed of the group; he has supported Claudio in pursuing Hero as Claudio says to him “How sweetly you do minister to love, That know love’s grief by his complexion!” (Shakespeare Act I Scene I Line 307) helped him along the way as is exampled in his conversation with Claudio devising his wooing of Hero and her father’s approval “Then after to her father will I break, and the conclusion is, she shall be thine. In practice let us put it presently.” (Shakespeare Act I Scene I Line 321) and also joined in shaming her with him “What should I speak? I stand dishonored, that have gone about to link my dear friend to a common stale.” (Shakespeare Act V Scene V Line 67). His honor was never questioned throughout the play, even though he went along with everyone else in wrongly condemning Hero. Throughout the play you can see that Shakespeare has threaded the importance of fidelity and honor into women’s reputation, but the men’s reputation and trustworthiness has little to do with their fidelity and more to do with the honor of finding and keeping a chased woman.

Works Cited
Shakespeare. Much Ado About Nothing. No Fear Shakespeare. SparkNotes, 2014. Web. 09 Mar. 2014.
Shakespeare, William, Barbara A. Mowat, and Paul Werstine. Much Ado about Nothing. New York: Washington Square, 1995. Print.
Wire, Rebecca L. "Chastity and the Male Perspective in Shakespeare 's Much Ado About Nothing." Yahoo Contributor Network. Yahoo, 22 Aug. 2012. Web. 09 Mar. 2014.

Cited: Shakespeare. Much Ado About Nothing. No Fear Shakespeare. SparkNotes, 2014. Web. 09 Mar. 2014. Shakespeare, William, Barbara A. Mowat, and Paul Werstine. Much Ado about Nothing. New York: Washington Square, 1995. Print. Wire, Rebecca L. "Chastity and the Male Perspective in Shakespeare 's Much Ado About Nothing." Yahoo Contributor Network. Yahoo, 22 Aug. 2012. Web. 09 Mar. 2014.