Social Pressures in William Shakespeares Much Ado About...

Social Pressures in William Shakespeares Much Ado About Nothing There has been much discussion about whether or not Shakespeare’s play ‘Much Ado About Nothing’ it is based more around social pressures rather than true love; this essay will see to what extent the play supports this idea. Shakespeare wrote the play ‘Much Ado About Nothing’ around 1598. It was located in Italy, because Italy at the time was seen as a romantic exotic country, writers during this time period were obsessed over Italy, a lot of the plays written were set in Italy. This play has a wide appeal to all classes which shows that it would be appropriate for all to watch. The title ‘Much Ado About Nothing’ suggests†¦show more content†¦Maybe this was because life expectancy was not extremely long; as a result she had to marry at a young age. Every girl throughout this time had a ‘dowry’ which was money or property brought by a bride to her husband at marriage. This was a sort of social pressure because marriages were usually arranged by the parents and was not a matter to be discussed with them you could have been expected to marry who they chose for you even if it was not true love. Things that were considered socially unacceptable were sleeping with someone before you were married, having a baby with someone else and trying to pass it off as your husbands. At the beginning of the play the men Don Pedro, Don John, Claudio, Benedick, Leanato and Antonio return from war, from the onset the play focuses on Beatrice and Benedick, as the two central characters. Beatrice is portrayed as a strong female character that speaks her mind, this is different because in the time period this play is set men were seen as more superior than women. Both Benedick and Beatrice are the comedy characters in this play that tend to argue a lot. When Beatrice hears that they are arriving back in Messina she immediately shows interest in Benedick ‘IShow MoreRelatedWilliam Shakespeare s Much Ado About Nothing909 Words   |  4 PagesWilliam Shakespeare’s play Much Ado about Nothing traverses the complex social, and emotional trials and triumphs of romantic relationships; Shakespeare’s perspective on the subject is both very similar to ours today, and different. Although filled with sexual innuendos, and humorous trickery and shenanigans, M uch Ado about Nothing also dives into the complexities of social anxieties, defense mechanisms to cope with the social pressures, and the emotions involved. First, the characters in MuchRead More Beatrice of William Shakespeares Much Ado About Nothing Essay1746 Words   |  7 PagesBeatrice of William Shakespeares Much Ado About Nothing One of the most intriguing characters from Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing must be Beatrice. An intelligent, well-spoken (and, perhaps more interesting, outspoken) young woman, she is an almost exact opposite of her cousin, Hero. What makes Beatrice so different than what one expects of a woman during Shakespeare’s time? Why did Shakespeare decide to make her such a strong female character? It begs the question of what women wereRead MoreEssay about Renaissance Figures2969 Words   |  12 Pagesignoring the popes order to stop preaching, Savonarola was finally executed as a false prophet. ? Baldassare Castiglione, who lived from 1478--1529, was an Italian author and statesman. His Book of the Courtier (1528), a treatise on etiquette, social problems, and intellectual accomplishments, contributed to a Renaissance ideal of aristocracy embodied in the life of Sir Philip Sidney. The son of a noble family, Castiglione was educated at the humanist school of Giorgio Merula and DemetriusRead MoreGp Essay Mainpoints24643 Words   |  99 PagesCelebrity as a role model h. Blame media for our problems i. Power + Responsibility of Media j. Media ethics k. New Media and Democracy 2. Science/Tech a. Science and Ethics b. Government and scientist role in science c. Rely too much on technology? d. Nuclear technology e. Genetic modification f. Right tech for wrong reasons 3. Arts/Culture a. Arts have a future in Singapore? b. Why pursue Arts? c. Arts and technology d. Uniquely Singapore: Culture 4. Environment