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There are several different aspects of the status and behaviour of women, which unfold as the play unravels. The layers are pealed back as we look at women both through the way they are treated by men, how they treat each other and how they treat men in different circumstances.


Women in this patriarchal society didn’t have a say in their household, they were there to look after the children. They had legal control over neither themselves nor their property. The men were head of the household; demanded respect from their family and decided on whom and when their daughters would marry. The women were supposed to be silent, gentle, passive and submissive but Elizabeth 1st herself projected an ambiguous male-female identity. Independent women were regarded with interest and suspicion. The controversial treatment of gender issues in Much Ado have been central to its impact on Elizabethan audiences familiar with a comprehensive literature on the role of women. Shakespeare saw men and women as equals in a world, which declared them unequal. To talk about Shakespeare’s women is to talk about his men; he refused to separate their worlds physically, intellectually and spiritually. Women in general were not highly educated and were not expected to have clever, witty talk with men. Some women clearly did not fit in this mould because of independent wealth or position.


This patriarchal attitude is seen clearly throughout the play; the male characters continually put the female down. Leonato’s behaviour here orders Hero to prepare to accept whoever courts her. Her duty is to be ruled by her father. As Antonio says ‘Well, niece, I trust you will be ruled by your father’, this is a sign of control over women. Leonato gives orders to Hero in what to do ‘Daughter, remember what I told you. If the Prince do solicit you in that kind, you know your answer’, if he proposes marriage to you, you know what to do. Hero does her best to play the dutiful and obedient daughter, she is shy, deferential and defenceless against Claudio’s denunciation. She is like how women are supposed to be, only speaking when spoken to you. Women are of a lower status than men, they seem to be ordered around, Leonato sends Beatrice away ‘Niece, will you look to those things I told you of?’


With the aristocracy of this age, the fathers arranged marriages; if you were not married you were seen as rejected or as single women protected extremely by their father to preserve virginity, they were not considered any better than a prostitute. Marriage amongst the Elizabethan gentry was traditionally a means of providing heirs to secure the family name and property. A man would look to marry a woman of his own social level, or from a class beneath him if her family was wealthy enough, they would never marry a woman who was seen as ‘better’ than them. Although mutual esteem, affection, companionship could all develop within a marriage, Elizabethans did not necessary believe them to be prerequisites. Of course there should be love, but in the sense of sexual desire.


Cheap University Papers on Comment on the Status and Behaviour of Women in the Patriarchal Society of Much Ado About Nothing:

Beatrice begins by commenting on the sour-faced Don John, (even though women were not aloud to speak their minds; Beatrice does, and talks a lot whilst at it) and then brings Benedick into the conversation. Her ideal man is somewhere between the two of them Don John is too quiet whereas Benedick prattles non-stop. Both Leonato and Antonio warn Beatrice about her sharp tongue.


Beatrice ‘He were an excellent man that were made just in the


midway between him and Benedick. The one is too like


an image and says nothing, and the other too like my


lady’s eldest son, evermore tattling.’


It is obvious that she does not conform to their idea of proper womanly behaviour. Leonato’s warning is good humoured but Antonio is much more bluntly disapproving


Leonato ‘By my troth, niece, thou wilt never get thee a husband,


If thou be so shrewd of thy tongue.’


Antonio ‘In faith, she’s too curst.’


Leonato calls her sharp-witted, although Antonio is rather more blunt, his use of the phrase ‘too curst’ implying that if she carries on with her sharp-tongued attitude she will not be left with a husband.


Beatrice unconventially refuses marriage to a much higher status-Don John, this may make people uncomfortable. Don Pedro compliments Beatrice, he does not like to see her quiet, but lively and loud ‘Your silence most offends me, and to be merry best becomes you; for out o’question, you were born in a merry hour’.


Female criticism and political criticism has become conventional to separate, it seems inappropriate to treat them as distinct categories. In practise both forms of criticism are understandably interlinked, most typically by the notion of patriarchy and misogyny.


Feminism aims to achieve rights and equality for women in social, political and economic life. This challenges sexist beliefs, which result in the degradation and subordination of women.


Much Ado explores the nature of true love. Beatrice and Benedick don’t understand themselves at first, until they are tricked that they are in love.


The Masked Dance allows women to be themselves; it is abnormal for women to say things, make their own decisions or speak down on men, but the mask allows them to. The women with the masks pretend not to know whom they are talking to. A paradox- a usual ‘mask; must be held in normal, social etiquette. The mask allows you to be free, no one can see who anyone else is, there is no status and the behaviour immediately changes.


This mask is almost like a license for women, to step out of convention and take power, unlike normal circumstances, it releases possibilities that don’t exist in normal life.


In conclusion, the play reveals how Shakespeare saw men. In this play he invites us to also look at how the women were equal in reality, even if society declared them not to be. Shakespeare saw men and women as equals in a world, which declared them unequal. To talk about Shakespeare’s women is to talk about his men; he refused to separate their worlds physically, intellectually and spiritually. Women in general were not highly educated and were not expected to have clever, witty talk with men. Some women clearly did not fit in this mould because of independent wealth or position. There are exceptions to this and although this is the apparent picture, in such situations it had made it difficult for men to have control of women. It is clear that men would never marry a woman of a higher status because they would have no control.


Society is just a mask of what is going on beneath, it is the behaviour in different circumstances, women are equal to men but are driven to exercise this freedom.


There is an official perception that men have all power, but, in reality women have a lot more power than they are seen on the outside by men. When a man is in love with a women, he would do anything to have her, this is their weakness.





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