Much Ado about Nothing has been classified as an outstanding 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 Bene*censored* 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 Bene*censored*'s pairing is a fiery match. They display tremendous will and wit, and in the end cannot help but be drawn to one another. Bene*censored* and Beatrice are intellectual beings. Beatrice shows her wit in the very opening dialogue when she makes several satirical remarks about Bene*censored* before his arrival in Messina. Bene*censored* 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). There are, of course, some troublesome aspects of the play. Claudio's lack of faith in Hero makes him a less than heroic hero. Leonato shares this flaw. Neither are bad men, but their lack of loyalty and commitment causes the reader to pause and ponder whether either man truly deserves a relationship with the long- suffering Hero. The truth of the matter is, however, that in a romantic comedy, all the sins of all the characters are forgiven. The endings are happy without exception. ...
