Coursework Outline

A comparison of four couples and the roles of men and women in their own historical context

Much ado about nothing and Pride and Prejudice are very similar stories set in very different points in history, roughly 200 years apart. Shakespeare wrote Much ado when England was a very male dominated society. Women’s role was at home with the children – to be seen and not heard. Therefore his character, Beatrice, was controversial for the time. Austen’s similar character, Elizabeth, was created in the early stages of the feminist movement. The differences in time directly result to why Elizabeth is the main character and Beatrice has a supporting role. Even with the different contexts the texts were written in, both authors produced incredibly similar content.

The main relationships in both the play and the novel represent two complete opposites in love and society. At one end of this spectrum is, Jane and Mr. Bingley, and, Hero and Claudio. The women being uncommonly beautiful yet conservative and the men being boyish and naïve, but as a group accomplish the general cliché of romantic literature; love at first sight.

Whereas, at the other end we have, Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy, and, Beatrice and Benedick. Who have the alternative more modernistic path to love which begins with hate. The characters down this end of the scale all have their flaws but they counteract them with their wit, all of these characters bring the comedic relief to the texts. With the exception of Mr. Darcy as Austen was mistrustful of male wit until her later novels, but he is continually the butt of the joke and in conclusion, there to be laughed at.