Much Ado About Nothing is one of Shakespeare's most popular comedies. Set in Messina, Italy, it depicts the life of a young couple about to be married in parallel with another couple more reluctant to marriage at first but who will finally succumb to cupid's arrows. This essay will lean on the Kenneth Brannagh' s film version of the play to emphasize three major themes: marriage, deception and gender power.
             There are two visions of marriage in the play: the first one, characterized by Hero and Claudio, is a positive vision: Although their story is supposed to be the main plot of the play, they are two passive characters in love, ready to get married to one another without any misunderstanding. The second aspect the matrimonial institution takes, is characterized by Benedick and Beatrice. Their relationship is a lot more complex since they both have very strong personalities and they both fear marriage will trap their identities. Beatrice would "rather hear my dog bark at a crow than a man swear he loves me."(I,1.123); and Benedick " will not be sworn but love may transform me to an oyster..." (II, 3. 22,23). In Brannagh's film it is more this second vision of marriage that is emphasized. A lot of Hero's text has been deleted, which makes her appear even shallower than she already is. Benedick and Beatrice's use of words is extremely clever and witty, which makes the reader (viewer) take part of their story a lot more than Hero and Claudio's. The climax of the play can be described as what Carol Neely calls "broken nuptials", Claudio puts an end to the wedding, the day of the ceremony, transgressing the holiness of the institution. The theme of honour is strongly linked with the one of marriage. Claudio is a man of honour and he is humiliated when he thinks he sees Hero in a compromising situation with Borachio. He had wooed her in public therefore he had to take a public revenge to save his honour. The actual scene in the film is...