Dudek 1
Alexis Dudek
Professor Nancy Metz
ENGL 2604
3 May 2015
Much Ado About Nothing: Questioning Hero’s Subjugation
According to Richard Laws, “Within Shakespeare’s comedies, many of the female
characters are portrayed as submissive and easily controlled. Like dutiful daughters, these
women submit to patriarchal repression with little complaint” (Dutiful Daughters, Willful
Nieces: The Empowerment of Women in Shakespearean Comedy). In William Shakespeare’s
comedy Much Ado About Nothing, a primary example of a “dutiful daughter” is Hero, who falls
victim to slander and lustful rumors. Hero allows herself to be manipulated by her father,
Leonato, and her fiancé, Claudio. Critics often consider Hero to be submissive and powerless
because she does not defend herself against these rumors. Although most of the play’s conflict
focuses on Hero, she allows the other characters to speak for her and remains voiceless. Hero’s
submission reflects the objectification of women in Elizabethan society. During Shakespeare’s
lifetime, women were viewed as commodities in marital transactions. Daughters were expected
to obey their fathers until they married and conformed to their husband’s desires. Shakespeare
also created female characters who refused to be subjugated by the patriarchy. Hero’s cousin,
Beatrice, contradicts traditional female roles by refusing to marry and acting independently;
however, I believe that Hero seeks to attain the same power and authority as her cousin. By
reexamining Hero’s relationships and actions, I will offer new insight into her character and
question whether or not Shakespeare was criticizing Elizabethan society.
Dudek 2
Lisa Ashley Corbett asserts that in Shakespearian plays “men allow their egos to
persuade their decisions, attack their internal emotions, and demolish virtuous women” (1).
Leonato objectifies Hero by viewing her as a commodity in a marital transaction. In order to
comply with the Elizabethan patriarchy, Hero must obey her father’s every wish and marry a
man he deems suitable. At first, Leonato believes that Don Pedro, the prince of Argon, seeks to
woo his daughter. Consequently, he instructs Hero to accept the prince’s marital proposal:
“Daughter, remember what I told you. If the Prince do solicit you in that kind, you know the
answer” (2.1.54-55). Arranging for Hero to marry Don Pedro would boost Leonato’s ego by
enhancing his own social status. Any marital arrangement would victimize Hero by denying her
the ability to choose her own husband. Although Don Pedro only woos Hero for his companion
Claudio, Leonato approves the match due to Claudio’s social connections and his reputation as
an outstanding solider. Therefore, Leonato arranges for Hero to marry Claudio order to satiate
his own pride and ego.
Claire McEachern associates Leonato’s desire to find Hero an excellent suitor with a loss
of paternal authority. According to McEachern, “A daughter's departure through marriage marks
the end of paternal control, although a measure of control persists in the father's choice of his
daughter's husband” (273). She interprets Leonato’s motives as an act of compensating for loss
of authority. Leonato must sacrifice his authority over Hero in order to maintain political order
and perpetuate the Elizabethan patriarchy. McEachern describes Hero and Leonato’s role in this
transaction: “When we look at daughters, we see that they, unlike sons, must violate the integrity
of the family to forge the political bonds that constitute the greater social order; fathers must
sacrifice one authority in order to uphold another” (273). Although Leonato must sacrifice a
certain amount of authority, Hero continues to be victimized by her own culture. Hero’s lack of
Dudek 3
autonomy and independence represents a “necessary” sacrifice for the greater good. Hence,
Shakespeare justifies Hero’s lack of autonomy and the weakening of familial bonds as a
necessity to maintain social order.
Claudio and Hero’s relationship appears inherently superficial because it lacks any sense
of romance and reflects a business transaction. This view of marriage as a business transaction
and transfer of power depicts Claudio as “a very careful and sensible young Elizabethan seeking
a profitable marriage” (Henze 190). Since Claudio solely desires a “profitable” marriage to
enhance his own prestige; he justifies his decision to publicly slander Hero by believing that he
has been cheated out of a favorable transaction. Comparable to Leonato, Claudio’s ego motivates
him to protect his reputation. In order to maintain his authority and power, he victimizes Hero by
publicly slandering her at their wedding. He accuses Hero of cheating on him and acting like
“pampered animals that rage in savage sexuality” (4.1.57-58). These accusations allow Hero to
be personally victimized by her father and Claudio. Hero does nothing to deny these accusations
and subsequently faints. Claudio abandons Hero, believing that she has died, and Leonato’s
damaged pride compels him to proclaim, “Do not live, Hero, do not open thine eyes” (4.1.122).
Hero’s victimization by her father and fiancé depicts her as expendable. The rumors dehumanize
Hero and steal her voice. Moreover, Elizabethan customs rationalize Claudio and Leonato’s
actions. Hero’s role as a submissive daughter and bride inhibit her from defending her honor.
The continued subjugation of women in Elizabethan society results in Hero’s loss of autonomy,
power, and authority. Thus, William Shakespeare exposes the injustices of female subjugation by
presenting Hero’s slander as retribution for an “unfavorable” business transaction.
Critics of Much Ado About Nothing generally agree that Beatrice represents a strong
female character who rebels against the patriarchy. Beatrice openly mocks the institution of
Dudek 4
marriage and romance by declaring “I had rather hear my dog bark at a crow than a man swear
he loves me” (1.1.104-105). Her quick wit and frequent banter with Benedick reveal the power
and autonomy that Hero lacks. Beatrice often encourages her cousin to discover her own power
and authority throughout the play. An important example of Beatrice’s encouragement occurs
when she asserts, “Yes, faith, it is my cousin’s duty to make curtsy and say, “Father, as it please
you.” But yet for all that, cousin, let him be a handsome fellow, or else make another curtsy and
say, “Father, as it please me” (2.1.45-47). Beatrice possess the freedom that Hero lacks because
she does not have a father to obey. Therefore, critics often distinguish Hero as a “dutiful
daughter” and Beatrice as the autonomous and rebellious niece.
Although Hero is often characterized as submissive and powerless, there are some
moments in which she establishes her authority. Harry Berger, Jr. determines the origins of
Hero’s strength:
Hero, who says almost nothing in the first two acts, hears a great deal, probably
more than what is good for her. If she notes what we note, she hears enough to
make her feel that her fate in life is to be her father's passport to self-perpetuation,
a commodity in the alliance market, the spoils of the love wars inevitably a
conquered Hero, "overmastered with a piece of valiant dust" who guarantees her
anonymity by giving her his name and making her the prisoner and trophy that
validates the name. Hero's name threatens to be her fate: Mrs. Hero. Yet even this
most male-dominated of heroines betrays more than once her sense of her
complicity in the sexual politics of Messina (303).
Hero’s recognition of her role in society allows her to have small moments of defiance. A
prominent example of her defiance occurs at the masquerade ball with Don Pedro. Don Pedro,
Dudek 5
who desires to woo Hero for Claudio, asks her to dance. Hero responds by saying, “So you walk
softly, and look sweetly, and say nothing, I am yours for the walk” (2.1.70-71). Hero displays an
act of rebellion against the patriarchy by commanding Don Pedro to mimic a submissive female.
Hero’s desire for Don Pedro to “look softly” and “say nothing” objectifies and dehumanizes him.
Hero’s recognition of female suppression allows her to exert authority over the prince in the only
way she can, through courtship. Thus, Hero contradicts female suppression by exerting authority
in Don Pedro’s courtship.
Hero also attempts to assert power over Beatrice. Throughout the play, Shakespeare
utilizes the motif of deceit. One important act of deceit occurs when Hero deceives Beatrice into
believing that Benedick secretly loves her. Hero establishes dominance over Beatrice by preying
on her vulnerabilities, her pride and vanity, in an attempt to “overturn her dominance of female
discourse elsewhere in the play” (Straznicky 152). By exposing Beatrice’s weaknesses and
deceiving her, Hero manages to conform Beatrice to the traditional role of an Elizabethan
woman. Moreover, Hero derives a sense of power by comparing herself to Cupid, the love god.
Once she has successfully fooled Beatrice, Hero eagerly proclaims, “Some Cupid kills with
arrows, some with traps” (3.1.106-107). Hero takes pride in implementing her trap and
successfully deceiving Beatrice. This scene includes the most dialogue spoken by Hero and
reveals her concealed shrewdness. Thus, Hero’s ability to fool Beatrice and prey on her
weakness opposes Hero’s supposed submission and passiveness.
Although William Shakespeare typically portrays Hero as weak and submissive, he also
includes moments of inherent strength and independence. Hero recognizes her role in society and
draws attention to female subjugation by convincing Don Pedro to mimic her submission.
Moreover, she also asserts dominance over Beatrice by preying on her weaknesses and deceiving
Dudek 6
her. I believe that Shakespeare included these scenes to criticize, or at least draw attention to,
female subjugation. The comedic nature of Much Ado About Nothing also allows the
contemporary audience to question whether or not Shakespeare included Beatrice’s wit and
humor to defy Elizabethan standards with a strong female character. Whether or not William
Shakespeare was satirizing Elizabethan society, critics overwhelmingly underestimate Hero’s
independence and strength. Overall, Hero has the ability to defy female subjugation along with
Beatrice.
Work Cited
Dudek 7
Berger, Jr., Harry. "Against the Sink-a-Pace: Sexual and Family Politics In Much Ado About
Nothing." Shakespeare Quarterly 33.3 (1982): 302-13. JSTOR. Folger Shakespeare
Library. Web. 4 May 2015.
<http://www.jstor.org/stable/2869734?seq=1#page_scan_tab_contents>.
Henze, Richard. "Deception in Much Ado about Nothing." Studies in English Literature, 15001900 11.2 (1971): 187-201. JSTOR. Rice University. Web. 4 May 2015.
<http://www.jstor.org/stable/450059?seq=1&cid=pdfreference#references_tab_contents>.
Laws, Richard. Dutiful Daughters, Willful Nieces: The Empowerment of Women in
Shakespearean Comedy. Shakespeare Online. Web. 20 Aug. 2000. 4 May. 2015.
< http://www.shakespeare-online.com/essays/Daughters.html >.
McEachern, Claire. "Fathering Herself: A Source Study of Shakespeare's
Feminism."Shakespeare Quarterly 39.3 (1988): 269-90. JSTOR. Folger Shakespeare
Library. Web. 4 May 2015. <http://www.jstor.org/stable/2870927?seq=1&cid=pdfreference#references_tab_contents>.
Shakespeare, William. No Fear Shakespeare: Much Ado About Nothing. New York: Spark,
2004. Print.
Straznicky, Marta. "Shakespeare and the Government of Comedy: Much Ado About
Nothing." Shakespeare Studies 22 (1994): 141-71. Web. 4 May 2015. ,