Claudio And Hero's Relationship

Claudio slanders and publicly shames his soon-to-be wife, while Benedick believes that wasn’t the right decision. When Claudio hears news that Hero is cheating on him, he says, “If I see anything tonight why I should not marry her… I will shame her.” (Shakespeare, Page 50) He would rather openly shame his love than to talk through the problem. After the public humiliation, Benedick goes to talk to Beatrice saying, “Surely I do believe your fair cousin is wronged.”

From love at first sight to crying at funeral orientations, Claudio and Hero’s relationship encounters many challenges that question their love. As the masquerade ball commences, the prince asks Hero for her say in a possible marriage with Claudio. Due to Claudio's gullibility, Don John seizes the opportunity and persuades claudio to think that the prince is asking for Hero’s hand in marriage. Claudio believes every word and says, “Tis certain the prince woos for himself. Friendship is constant in all other things...let everyone negotiate for itself and trust no agent, for beauty is a which..this is an accident of hourly proof, which I mistrusted not. Farewell, therefore, hero”( Shakespeare 145). Claudio loses faith in his friendship with

It’s different then Benedick and Beatrice’s though in that it is forced and only Claudio gets a say in what is going on.The hero is forced into the marriage by her father. It’s arranged. And ask yourself this; can true love exist in an arranged marriage? People cannot be made to love someone else simply because they are told too. Hero is from a rich family, and Claudio it seems is more in love with the idea of Hero, and her inheritance then with Hero herself. In fact his disinterest in her can be observed at their wedding. She collapses and he doesn’t seem to care about her well-being. He doesn’t even acknowledge it. Hero fulfills her social role well and doesn’t really give an insight to her opinion, but it seems that after all she went through her reward is still Claudio and that seems a little

Claudio and Hero are the idealised Elizabethan couple in the book because of the patriarchal society that the story is based on. This is because Hero is shown as a weak and powerless young woman while Claudio is described as a powerful and honourable man. In the wedding Claudio decides to shame her and says ‘There, Leonato, take her back again Give not this rotten orange to your friend’. Even when Hero is being insulted and accused of being a prostitute she does not defend herself and says ‘Is my lord well, that he doth speak so wide?’ Instead of defending herself she asks if Claudio is alright which displays a sign of weakness in her.

The humiliation caused to Hero in the event would be inconceivable to an audience at the time, being accused of adultery would no doubt ruin a woman’s reputation and therefore create difficulty for her when finding a husband; especially for a woman of high status such as Hero. Claudio is being presented as a potential threat at this part in the play, contrasting with the gallant war hero we were first introduced to. This emphasizes how bitter and sinister Claudio has turned, consequently reminding the audience by irony that is he only interested in wealth and status when marrying Hero. Claudio’s shallow fickleness plays into the villain’s hands. Shakespeare uses the threat of Claudio to generate further anxiety in the audience and concern for Hero’s welfare. This scene shows the men of the play coinciding with each other in their response to the defamation of Hero. Don Pedro personally insults Hero during the commotion of this scene, “to link my dear friend to a common stale,” he suggests here that he believes her status has been lowered by what she has supposedly done and rendered her ‘common’. This personal attack on Hero which has come from someone who shouldn’t really be involved advocates the idea that she is isolated in a patriarchal society in which men group together to defend male interests. Hero’s reputation is being publicly ruined here, and at the time this would have ruined Hero’s life and her

Claudio and hero are very alike, but they do have quite a bit of differences. “Not to be married, Not to knit my soul to an approved wanton.” That is when claudio and leonato(hero’s father) are having a conversation.Don Pedro says,”What should I speak? I stand dishonored, that have gone about To link my dear friend a common stale.” Leonato replies, “Are these things spoken, or do i but dream.These quotes support the first quote by claudio by showing that don pedro

            This banter between the men is consistent with the notion that all Shakespeare men want to marry a pure, socially benefiting woman and avoid cuckoldry.  Claudio also does not seem to know much about Hero, thus explaining why he is asking Benedick and Don Pedro about her.  He not only wants to know that his budding feelings are justified, but he wants to make sure that his choice of lady is indeed worthy of his honor.  Even if Hero is fair, if she will not compliment Claudio’s social status, he will not marry her (Ranald 74).

Leonato deceived Claudio and Don Pedro by telling them Hero had died because of Claudio's words; when in reality her death was portrayed to prove the innocence of Hero. The news devastated Claudio, and is instantly feeling guilty for the accusing her and humiliating the young bride in front of all of Messina.

Shakespeare portrays Claudio and Hero as a pair of conventional lovers who go through an unadventurous and predictive courtship. Through this relationship he shows the modern audience how women were largely dominated by men. As Claudio metaphorically asks, ‘can the world buy such a jewel' Hero is portrayed as an object and someone to possess and

I feel as though throughout the story Shakespeare is making fun of Claudio and hero, with their “romantic” ideas. With that, I am not totally sure which one is “should” like. In part I believe he wants us to love Claudio and Hero because they are the “fairytale” couple, but I think more that Shakespeare is pushing his audience to find that not all love stories or “happily ever afters” are

She throws away her old self, stating "Contempt, farewell! and maiden pride, adieu!"(3.1.109). She also choses not to be so protective of her independence and declares love for Benedick, claiming "I will requite thee, Taming my wild heart to thy loving hand"(3.1.111-112). However, the true change in Beatrice does not show until the first church scene in which Claudio publicly humiliates Hero. Beatrice shows deep concern for her cousin Hero, the first time in the play where Beatrice shows concern for another. She is the first to claim Claudio is a liar and declare "on my soul, my cousin is belied!"(4.1.145). Beatrice then proves once again that she is a better person by demanding justice for Hero is met. Through Benedick, Beatrice plots to right the wrong and asks Benedick to "Kill Claudio"(4.1.290). It is in this scene as well that Beatrice, proving a complete turnaround in behavior, confesses to Benedick that "I love you with so much of my heart that none is left to protest "(4.1.287-288). This shows Beatrice transforming from someone who would scoff at marriage and love, declaring things like "I may sit in a corner and cry heigh-ho for a husband"(2.1.312-313), to someone who easily embraces love from the person she once mocked. But such a dramatic change is seen in her love as well.

Shakespeare uses both Claudio and Leonato to represent the males of the time and the honor code they were held to. Claudio is in no way held to the same pre-marital expectations as Hero, which, at the time, was the case for all men. For instance, when Hero is accused of being with a man prior to her marriage, no one questions what man and, quite frankly, no one cares what man. Shakespeare also shows how men are judged and given honor based on how their women act. When Leonato learns of the accusations his daughter receives on her wedding day he scolds her and says,

The first use of trickery in Hero and Claudio's relationship is when Claudio's friend, Don Pedro, pretends to be

When Hero has been humiliated by Claudio, her father instantly says, "Do not live, Hero; do not ope thine eyes"(4.1.121). He would rather she were dead that have this kind of shame brought on the family. He doesn't even consider once, until the friar speaks up, that Hero could be innocent of Claudio's charges. And then if this isn't enough, she (as her cousin) has the audacity to take Claudio back after he has publicly humiliated her just because her father tells her to. This is another example of how tightly women were trapped under their father's rule.

Claudio also says that Hero has known a “luxurious bed”, a shocking accusation which implies that she has slept with another man just the night before their wedding; something extraordinarily shameful for Hero as women at that time were valued for being a virgin up to the time they got married. Claudio then refers to Hero explicitly as an “approved wanton” in line 41 provides extra shock as his rage is now very high. Calling her a proven whore in front of every one at the wedding is very mean and at the same time scandalous.