Wednesday, December 12, 2012

What are some contrasts between love and war in Act 1 of Much Ado About Nothing?

The most obvious contrast that comes to my mind is Claudio and
his attentions to Hero as he explains to Don Pedro in Act I scene 1. There is a definite
distinction made between the time of war, when thoughts of love are not possible and, indeed, can
be a distraction, and the time of peace, where thoughts of love can be entertained and focused
upon. Note what he says to Don Pedro towards the end of this
scene:



When you went
onward on this ended action


I look'd upon her with a soldier's
eye,


That lik'd, but had a rougher task in
hand


Than to drive linking to the name of
love.


But now I am return'd, and that
war-thoughts


Have left their places vacant, in their
rooms


Come thronging soft and delicate
desires,


All prompting me how fair young Hero
is,


Saying I lik'd her ere I went to
wars.



Note how Claudio before war was
able to "like" Hero, but because he had a "rougher task in hand," liking was not allowed to
become love. However, now that "war-thoughts / Have left their places vacant," war has allowed
space and time to entertain that "liking" might actually be "loving," and thus Claudio is
entertaining marriage with Hero.

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