Cathy Wang 王勝雨
9642015
Contemporary Theater and Film Adaptation
Final Paper
Due Date: 2010/1/4
Much Ado About Nothing—The Masks in Love
Much Ado About Nothing is one of Shakespeare’s comedies. It represents
actually two love stories, though the two romances are of very different kind, they
share one similarity—that is, both of them are initially built on the basis of disguise
and profoundly affected by lies and disguises. The romance between Claudio and
Hero begins at the party that everyone needs to wear a mask, and it is Don Pedro that
woos Hero for Claudio; and the love between Benedick and Beatrice is “inspired” by
their family and friends’ trick. Moreover, in Claudio and Hero’s wedding, disguise
also occupies a crucial part. These plots make love and disguise these two seemed
conflicting ideas mingle together, and at last accidentally leads to happy ending.
Accidental, is the feeling when I watch this film, one couple, Claudio and Hero, that
are supposed to go smoothly are accidentally trapped into misunderstanding; while it
is because lies that Benedick and Beatrice get the chance to express their love to each
other. It is very interesting and makes man can’t help but ask: what are lies all about
in the relationships?
Through a mild and humorous representation, the play challenges our common
sense to the tie of love and honesty almost unaware of. It doesn’t deny the value of
honesty; on the contrary, it impart a special possibility that some “masks” can work
even better than simply being honest. For example, upon hearing the rumor that Don
Pedro, Claudio and Leonato spread, Benedick response as followed:
“This can be no trick…. I heard I am censured: they say I will bear myself
proudly, if I perceive the love come from her; they say, too, that she will rather
die than giving any sign of affection. I did not think of marry. I must not seem
proud; happy are they that hear their detractions and can put them to mending.
They say the lady is fair; ’tis a truth, I can bear them witness; and virtuous; so, I
cannot reprove it; and wise, but for loving me. By my troth, it is no addition to
her wit, nor no great argument of her folly, for I will be horribly in love with
her….”
It is the miraculous functions of a lie that can not only make Benedick reexamine his
own pride but also make him to witness his true feeling toward Beatrice which lies
under the disguise of his harsh words. As what Karen Newman reveals in the article
Mistaking in Much Ado, “His [Benedick’s] vision altered by knowledge of Beatrice’s
love, Benedick now begins to interpret her differently. What was judged quarrelsome
is now thought loving.” (Chelsea House Publishers 129) And, when Beatrice
overhears the dialogue of Hero and Ursula, it functions as well. That is to say, it is
other lies that magically force both Benedick and Beatrice to give up their arms of
disguise but to admit their love to each other. Lies dissolve lies.
As to Claudio-Hero part, also, lies play roles in it. We can say their love is
brought out to light by disguise, unfortunately attacked by a lie in the midway,
eventually and luckily completed in another lie. It begins in the party, Don Padro in a
mask confesses Claudio’s love to Hero and woos her for him. They are supposed to go
smoothly; however, attacked by the vicious lie woven by Don John and his fellows
just few days before wedding. The first wedding scene is also the most tensive and
contradictory part, for the progress in the relationship between Benedick and Beatrice,
and the challenge in Claudio and Hero’s love. Believed that his daughter is belied, in
order to prove Hero innocent, Leonato takes the suggestion of the friar, — to
announce Hero’s death. After the mistake is solved, Hero’s sin is washed, in response
to Claudio’s regret; Leonato makes him marry his niece, who is actually disguised by
Hero. As the friar’s word:
“…. So will it fare with Claudio. When he shall hear she died upon his words,
th’idea of her life shall sweetly creep into his study of imagination, and every
lovely organ of her life shall come appareled in more precious habit, more
moving delicate, and full of life, into the eye and prospect of his soul, than she
lived indeed….”
In the end of the play, when everything is clear, the strategy of spreading the untrue
announcement about Hero’s death receives its effect so that the two couples can be
married and dance joyfully together. According to the book Much Ado About Nothing:
Notes, Royster Selibelle illustrates that “Hero shows some growth and character
development, however, even as Claudio does. She improved in appearance and
became more mature during the interim which followed the shocking scene in the
church. She and Claudio were more nearly ready for marriage at the end of the play
than at the beginning, when don Pedro wooed her by proxy for Claudio.” (39) The
renewed identity of Hero’s actually deepens Claudio’s love and marks their (both
Claudio and Hero) maturity.
Just like the lyric of the song that is repeatedly played in the film, “Men were
deceivers ever,” people always tell lies and at the same time are very credulous.
Nevertheless, fear not, love and deceit are not always stand at the opposite side in a
relationship. Much Ado About Nothing is a good example to illustrate this idea by
those passionate hearts behind lies. To Benedick and Beatrice, above their love to one
another, they are originally wearing the masks that made up of sarcastic words in the
beginning of the play, not until Don Pedro’s trick that make them take off their masks,
and meet not only their love but also themselves. The power of lies also helps Claudio
and Hero fall in love again after the great threat of unchastity is clarified. Deceit is no
longer a crime that totally unforgivable; instead, it can sometimes be inconceivably
miraculous tools to accelerate love.
References
Brown, John Russell. Shakespeare: Much Ado About Nothing and As You Like It.
Hong Kong: The Macmillan Press LTD, 1982.
Newman, Karen. “Mistaking in Much Ado.” Modern Critical Interpretations: Much
Ado About Nothing. Ed. Harold Bloom. New York: Chelsea House Publishers,
1988.
Royster, Selibelle. Much Ado About Nothing: Notes. 1963.
Shakespeare, William. Much Ado About Nothing. Ed. R. A. Foakes. New York:
Penguin Books, 1979.