Rima Begum

‘How far do you agree that Hero is presented as an ideal women in act one and act two?’

Hero is presented as an ideal women in act one and act two through the way other characters describe her, what Hero says and what she doesn’t say.

However Beatrice’s non-conformity leads to ambiguity when trying to categorise her as an ideal women.

The way other characters describe Hero presents clearly as her being an ideal women.
“Is she not a modest young lady?”
This quotation reveals one reason why Claudio admires hero as he claims that she is a modest young lady. He admires her for the respect and value she gives to others and in a sense it tells the audience that she is from a respected background.

“That she is worthy, I know”
This quotation has connotations or worth and value, ideally it is showing that Hero is following the rules and duties of the conventional women as other characters such as Don Pedro recognises them and through his statement it portrays her that way.

Through what Hero says presents clearly as her being a ideal women.
At the start of act two, Beatrice referred to Don John as being so sour and tartly looking that it gave her heartburn. Whereas Hero sympathises towards him and claims that;
“He is of a very melancholy disposition”
This quotation tells the audience that she is considering the sad position that Don John is in, even knowing that he is illegitimate. This also relates back to act one when Hero corrected Beatrice when she was referred Benedick as Signor Monsanto.
“My cousin means Signor Benedick of Padua”, the lack of disrespect that Beatrice shows contrast with Hero, therefore the audience gets to see the value and importance that Hero gives to other characters and following her duties of a women, by being respectful and modest towards others as an ideal women should be.

However Beatrice’s non-conformity towards an ideal women leads to ambiguity when trying to categorise her.
“O Lord, he will hang upon him like a disease”
Beatrice uses a simile by comparing Benedick to a disease. Beatrice’s role contrasts with Hero, as Hero is a very quiet character, whereas Beatrice is loquacious and opinionated. It shows the complete opposite of how Hero is presented due to the lack of respect she gives to other characters, even including when she’s talking in front of her uncle Leanato.

“For it is said God sends a curst cow short horns, but to a cow too curst he send none”
Beatrice is using the imagery of tamed animals to explain that if she does not get married, she would not get any horns meaning that if she does not get married, she won’t cheat on her husband, whereas if she did, she would.
Beatrice is very open when she’s telling sex jokes in front of her elders. Due to her behaviours it does show that she is not following the social norms in society and that is respect and modesty towards others, which is essential for ideal women.

“It is my cousin’s duty to make curtsy and say, ‘Father, as it pleases you.’
Beatrice has an ironic tone when saying this and also mocks the idea of Hero following her duties by listening to her father and doing as she is told. From this the audience can infer that Beatrice believes in the idea of making a decision that makes oneself happy, one does not need to take the elders advice in consideration.

But through what Hero doesn’t say presents clearly as her being a ideal women.
“Well, niece I trust you will be ruled by your father”
This quotation has connotations of hierarchy because it shows that as Leanato is the father of Hero, it is her duty to listen to her master, which is what Antonio is saying to Hero. He has belief that hero will fulfil her duties of a daughter. However, even when Antonio is saying this to her, hero remains silent, and through her silence the audience can see that she is obeying her father because she wants him to be happy.

“If the princes do solicit you in that kind, you know your answer”
This quotation clearly shows that Hero has been told what answer to give by her father Leanato, even though that’s probably not what she wanted to say, but has to obey it and get married to a person her father has chosen for her as it is her duty to fulfil her responsibility of a daughter. Hero still remains silent and gives no opinion or consent on what she wants.

“Speak, cousin”
Hero is constantly kept silent, even when Beatrice demands her to speak up, as someone else was taking a significant decision of her life. Thus you can see that no matter what circumstance it was Hero kept her patience and remained silent to fulfil her duties of an ideal women.