Masculinity in Act V of Much Ado About Nothing

In many of Shakespeare's works, performances of masculinity from Elizabethan times are common. Demonstrations of masculinity, similar to those in Shakespeare’s works, have been mocked, to a certain degree, in films such as Monty Python and Robin Hood: Men in Tights. I'm referring to masculinity here as a form of male culture that often permits hierarchical attitudes with the goal of dominance to measure a man's worth. In Much Ado About Nothing, the performance of masculinity is prominently featured in Act V when Claudio is almost forced to dual with both Leonato and Benedick!

Frequently, masculinity is upheld through strength and proper age. This is exemplified when Cluadio slightly mocks Leonato's old age by stating, “Marry, beshrew my hand / If it should give your age such cause of fear” (5.1.55-56). However, Leonato responds by stating that with all of his gray hairs he challenges Leonato to a dual (5.1.65). Leonato also makes a distinction between himself, as a man, and Claudio, as a boy, when he says, “If thou kill’st me, boy, thou shalt kill a man” (5.1.79). Antonio also calls Cluadio a boy when he says “Come, follow me, boy. Come, sir boy, come, follow me. / Sir boy, I’ll whip you from your foining fence” (5.1.83-84). Due to these observations, it seems clear that masculinity was often threatened when a man was called too old or too young, and therefore powerless.

There is also interesting masculine banter present, in Act V of Much Ado About Nothing, when Benedick wants to challenge Claudio to a dual. Cluadio speaks to Benedick with a macho tone when he says “What, courage, man! What though care killed a cat, / thou hast mettle enough in thee to kill care” (5.1.132-133). Another example that could fit under the category of mannish banter is when Benedick is trying to sing and says that even though he can't sing very well, when it comes to loving, he's great (5.2.26).

Masculinity is just one part of what is to be noticed in Much Ado About Nothing. There are certainly interesting issues with the female characters in the play and all of this is a magnified view of certain aspects of gender within the play, without encompassing other details of the gender dynamics. With that being said, it does seem positive that the play ends with Benedick and Beatrice being married and talking in such a carefree, witty, and joyous manner to one another. Beatrice jokingly says things like “I would not deny you, but, by this good day, I yield / upon great persuasion, and partly to save your life, for I was / told you were in a consumption” (5.4.93-95); and Benedick says things like “A miracle! Here’s our own hands against our hearts. / Come, I will have thee, but, by this light, I take thee for pity” (5.4.91-92). With so much blatant masculinity being flaunted throughout the play (remember that most of the men in this play are soldiers!) and the threat that women face of being sent into religious life, just because of a poor reputation (4.1.241), Beatrice and Benedick, when together, seem to interact on a more equal playing field where hyper masculinity is somewat worthless and women are allowed to be sarcastic and witty.