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Sarah Campbell Smith

Professor Kirk

Composition 1

October 28, 2022

Crafted Individualism

Some people write left-handed. Some have freckles. Others cannot see blue. As a

reminder that our Creator individually forms us, Isaiah 64:8 states, “Yet you, Lord, are our

Father. We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand” (New International

Version Isa. 64:8). Just as God creates each human uniquely, William Shakespeare also

imaginatively fashioned with his hand the characters in his play Much Ado About Nothing. This

story unfolds during the Elizabethan era and explores the role of women in this time period. The

characteristics of two prominent female characters, Beatrice and Hero, illustrate the effects of

individualism when pitted against societal expectations.

Two key people stand subject to Shakespeare’s schemes of depiction, trickery, and love.

The first is Beatrice, Leonato’s niece. The second is Hero, Leonato’s daughter. Having the

familial connection through Leonato makes them cousins, and the main plot of the story

significantly revolves around these two female characters.

Both Beatrice and Hero live in Messina and share a close relationship. Beatrice’s flaming

character reveals itself throughout the play, and Hero sparsely reveals herself to be clever and

wise in how well she can manipulate Beatrice. At first glance, it may seem that these women,

raised among the same societal values, both act as the embodiment of feminine virtues during

their time. While Beatrice is feisty, sharp, and cynical, Hero is polite, reserved, and respectful,

and, therefore the two women differ significantly in character, tongue, and principle.
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As the plot strengthens throughout the play, Shakespeare designs each woman with a

unique character. Eager to rebel against the traditional outlook of womanhood, Beatrice primarily

concerns herself with the fact that she acts as a cultured and sophisticated woman. She not only

proves herself thoroughly capable of violent, witty exchanges with Benedick, but in many

instances, she clearly dominates him intellectually. After Claudio scorns Hero at the altar,

Beatrice exclaims, “But manhood is melted into curtsies, 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”

(Shakespeare 4.1. 312-316). Fiery yet loyal, Beatrice’s strong character erupts at the injustice.

Eager to challenge Claudio for disgracing Hero, she cannot do so because such an action would

bring shame upon her. Addressing her anger by calling all men cowards, Beatrice’s remark

compliments her strong character and shows her striking contradiction to the understood nature

of womanhood.

As the complete opposite of her cousin, Hero illustrates the perfect, polished example of

feminine characteristics in a loyal and affectionate woman. Quiet and gentle, Hero’s simple

character prevails as she dutifully fulfills her social role as a daughter. She recognizes her purity

and loyalty by self-evaluation, “Is it not Hero? Who can blot that name with any just reproach”

(Shakespeare 4.1.78-79)? Contrasting her cousin’s explicit personality, Hero shows strong

passiveness in her general character. In honoring her physiological role in society, Hero’s gentle

characteristics naturally inspire respect in readers' hearts. Although he connects them as family,

Shakespeare clearly defines these two women differently and matures them into contrasting

cousins.
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In addition, the play's comedic and dramatic appeal stems from the diversity in the

dialogue between the characters. A sharp tongue primarily defines Beatrice’s character. As a

feisty female, she often asserts her independence in a barrage of words, and Leonato “refers to

the ‘merry war’ and ‘skirmish of wit’ that Beatrice carries on with Benedick” (Leithart 254)

throughout the play. They “quarrel and tease each other constantly” (Leithart 254). As Benedick

calls a truce to the banter in Scene One, Beatrice retorts, “You always end with a jade’s trick. I

know you of old” (Shakespeare 1.1.114). An unkindly insult, “a ‘jade’ is a worn-out horse who

drops out of a race before the finish line; Beatrice knows from ‘of old’ that Benedick will drop

out before things get tough” (Leithart 255). Excluding her quick wit, her voice alone provides a

social critique of male domination. Rebelliously outspoken, Beatrice’s biting tongue ultimately

grants prominent insurgency in her community.

Often overshadowed by her cousin’s wittiness, Hero speaks with reservation throughout

the play. She exists solely to feel appreciated through her physical features by men who base

their affection on outward appearance. With very minimal dialogue in the first two acts of the

play, Shakespeare presents Hero as a “perfect picture of sweetness and virtue” (Royal

Shakespeare Company 1) and he reflects her as the ideal image of womanhood. While she

uncharacteristically defends herself with a more dominating tone after the shocking accusation at

her wedding, she demonstrates silence from that scene onward. Hero believes that she can only

attain self-actualization by entering a matrimonial relationship. She allows her looks to fuel her

romance with Claudio, and the two seldom exchange words throughout the play. In a

conversation with Beatrice, Claudio speaks of his beloved while declaring, “Silence is the

perfectest herald of joy” (Shakespeare 2.1.257). Leithart writes that their relationship “is a

conventional relationship between a sweet and silent woman and a dashing and smitten man”
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(Leithart 250). Representing the epitome of a man’s ideal woman, Hero’s quiet tongue ultimately

grants her the life she desires. Each woman exerted her independence in choosing words to

reflect their beliefs.

Lastly, Beatrice and Hero also differ in societal and personal principles. Throughout the

entirety of the play, Beatrice’s actions suggest that she refuses to consider that her calling in life

might solely involve the duties of a housewife. She questions, “Not till God make men of some

other metal than earth. Would it not grieve a woman to be overmastered with a piece of valiant

dust? To make an account of her life to a clod of wayward marl” (Shakespeare 2.1.49-52)? This

quote demonstrates Beatrice's understanding that, for a woman, marriage means submitting to

the rule of a man. Differing greatly from the principles of her time, she refers to women as being

''overmastered'' and having to ''make an account'' (Shakespeare 2.1.49-52) of her life to her

husband. Since Beatrice clearly lives as a free and independent spirit, the bond of marriage does

not appeal to her. Rebelling against the principles of society, Beatrice exerts her independence in

desiring to direct her own path rather than submitting to someone else’s direction.

In direction contradiction, Hero shows no opposition to the typical feminine principles of

Elizabethan society and exemplifies the ideal woman for a patriarchal system. Often described as

a one-dimensional character, her external, physical appearance reflects directly on her

personality. Submissively, she relies on her father’s judgment in deciding who she should wed.

Leonato instructs Hero, “Daughter, remember what I told you. If the Prince do solicit you in that

kind, you know your answer” (Shakespeare 2.1. 54-55). Just as Beatrice refuses to exist as a

commodity, Hero willingly becomes a “jewel that all the world cannot buy” (Leithart 256).

Women in their society lived as the property of their fathers until they married and immediately

became the property of their husbands. Although Leonato desires the best match for his daughter,
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the decision still ultimately rests on his shoulders. Leithart writes, “In Shakespeare’s day, women

were often treated as no better than commodities to be examined, bought, and sold by men”

(Leithart 256). In juxtaposition to her cousin, Hero never ceases to rely on her sense of social

principle and stands as an illustrative example of a submissive and passive woman in Elizabethan

society. In pursuing their respective lifestyles, each woman had to choose the most inherent way

to mesh societal principles with their own.

While at first blush it may appear that Beatrice and Hero exemplify similar mannerisms,

the two main protagonists differ greatly in character, tongue, and principle. Beatrice's energetic

monologues often stand in direct contradiction to societal norms. In contrast, Hero accepts her

societal reality with quiet grace. Peppered with a repertoire of women including love interests,

wives, mothers, maids, and temptresses, Shakespeare’s comedy examines the roles held by each

character in their society. Of all of these, Beatrice more easily wins the hearts of the readers

because, although she exerts her independence, her witty tone produces laughter and relational

comedy. Hero’s passive and quiet nature makes it challenging for the readers to feel a kinship

with her character. The actions of both women exemplify the importance of individualism, and

Shakespeare once again proves himself the master of crafting unique personalities to fully

engage his audience.

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Works Cited

Leithart, P. Brightest Invention Of Heaven: A Christian Guide to Six Shakespeare Plays. Cannon

Press, 1996.

New International Version. Bible, 2011. BibleGateway.com. www.biblegateway.com/versions

/New-International-Version-NIV-Bible/#booklist. Accessed October 26, 2022.

SparkNotes Editors. No Fear Shakespeare Much Ado About Nothing: The Play Plus A

Translation Anyone Can Understand. SparkNotes LLC, 2004.

Royal Shakespeare Company Editors. Much Ado About Nothing: Analysis. Royal Shakespeare

Company. https://www.rsc.org.uk/shakespeare-learning-zone/much-ado-about-nothing

/character /analysis. Accessed October 20, 2022.