OVERALL ANALYSES

Much Ado about Nothing has been classified as an outstanding romantic comedy. Fanciful notions, emotional intensity, love, adventure, the beauties of Nature and of women -- all these aspects of romance are present. Love is also the major theme in Shakespeare's romantic comedies. The love theme involves both the pairs: Hero and Claudio, and Benedick and Beatrice. For Claudio and Hero it is love at first sight, but there is an absence of passion and intensity. Claudio has his friend, Don Pedro, woo Hero by proxy. In complete contrast, Beatrice and Benedick's pairing is a fiery match. They display tremendous will and wit, and in the end cannot help but be drawn to one another. Benedick and Beatrice are intellectual beings. Beatrice shows her wit in the very opening dialogue when she makes several satirical remarks about Benedick before his arrival in Messina. Benedick displays his wit in a soliloquy in which he ridicules Claudio for his follies, believed to have been committed after falling in love. He constantly mocks Cupid's efforts. He teases Beatrice indefinitely.

In the end, it does not matter how or why two people are drawn to each other. It does not matter what stumbling blocks are thrown in their way, whether those blocks be malicious plots of one's own stubborn will. Love conquers all, and any attempt to stand in love's path is simply a lot of fuss with no chance of success (much ado about nothing).

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