Andrew Curtin
ENGL 1102 TH 9:30
April 6, 2019
Gender Roles
Gender Roles
Gender roles have always played an important role in society, whether it is for better or
worse. These roles have been a part of society since the beginning of time, especially during the
1600’s when Shakespeare was in the midst of his writing. The term “gender role” was socially
created and it therefore categorizes men from women. These gender roles can be seen all
throughout “Much Ado About Nothing.”
Women, under typical gender roles, “are generally expected to dress in typically feminine
ways and be polite, accommodating, and nurturing” (Parenthood). There is also an idea that
women are supposed to be seen and not heard in public and have little to no authority, especially
when it comes to a household problem. Hero, Leonato’s daughter and the fiancé of Claudio, fits
into these typical gender roles in the play. She is a sensitive, kind, and delightful lady who is
looking for love.
In the play, Hero’s marriage is set up and forced upon her by her father. He demands that
Hero accept the proposal from Claudio. This falls under the typical gender roles because back in
those times, women did not get to pick their husbands. This does not mean Hero does not love
Claudio, but it still fits with her father pushing the marriage upon her.
Hero also fits into the women’s role by being so submissive to her fiancé. In the play, he
shames her many times, and sometimes even publicly, yet she still cowers to him and loves him
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unconditionally despite the way he treats her. Women are expected to just take whatever the
husband throws at them, and that is exactly the woman Shakespeare sets Hero up to be in “Much
Ado About Nothing.”
As a woman under these typical conditions, Hero was expected to keep her virginity until
she was married, and Shakespeare did an excellent job on making this point very clear in Act V,
scene iv, line 64-65 of “Much Ado About Nothing” when Hero claims her virginity by stating
“One Hero died defiled, but I do live/And surely as I live, I am a maid.” In this scene, Hero does
not speak much to Claudio, but when she does she is a perfect example of the gender roles in this
play. She is more seen than heard in the conversation, and is confessing her virginity to him,
whether he believes it or not.
