Much Ado About Nothing

¶ … Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing, Claudio demonstrates an immature attitude toward love and romance. Claudio's initial attraction to Hero is based mostly on physical attraction; he seems to be only slightly interested in her financial status and is not concerned with Benedick's criticism of Leonato's daughter. Unlike Beatrice and Benedick, Claudio and Hero never get to develop a relationship based on respect and friendship. The romance between Claudio and Hero is sudden and spontaneous. As soon as Claudio spots the "sweetest lady that" he ever saw, he becomes determined to marry her. However, Claudio's romantic longing in the first act of Much Ado About Nothing is a genuine love, for it does not wane by the end of the play. Claudio marries Leonato's "niece" without the same spark of enthusiasm he had for Hero at the beginning of the play. It is clear that he values marriage as an institution, but that he would prefer to be united with the woman of his dreams, Hero.

Although there are some elements of social competitiveness with regards to Claudio and Don John, Claudio's love for Hero is not based on proving himself as a dominant male. In fact, Claudio is more than willing to let others make decisions for him and orchestrate his romantic life. He permits Don Pedro to construct an elaborate scheme to lure Hero. Claudio's willingness to resort to trickery as opposed to directly confronting Hero demonstrates his immaturity and lack of confidence. However, Claudio's fear of approaching Hero is based on his infatuation and is an endearing trait.

Claudio's greatest weaknesses are his gullibility, naivete, and his poor judgment. In Act One, Scene One, Claudio's conversations with Don Pedro foreshadows the action that will ensue during the course of the play. Claudio, smitten with Hero, allows his friend to construct an elaborate plan involving masks and deception. Claudio doesn't feel capable of wooing Hero on his own and relishes the idea that his friend will do it for him. The audience can already assume that the plan will backfire. Although Claudio and Hero do fall in love as a result of the ploy, the theme of deception will haunt the couple until their eventual wedding.

Don John creates romantic turmoil based on deception, which causes the central conflict of the play. By staging a false betrayal, Don John forces Claudio to reveal his true character. Claudio immediately believes that the woman at the window is Hero. Claudio has not developed a mature level of trust in his relationship with his fiance. Moreover, instead of confronting Hero with his suspicion, Claudio publicly humiliates her. His degrading his beloved is not done out of hatred or cruelty but rather, out of ignorance, gullibility, and poor judgment. Claudio also exhibits a remarkably low level of self-confidence in allowing other people to control his destiny.