How the characters in Much Ado About Nothing learn to loveThe title of Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing has sparked academic debates about its meaning for centuries. Some say it is a play on the term “noting,” focusing on the theme of all sorts of deceptions under all sorts of appearances (Rossiter 163). Others argue that it has more to do with the fact that everyone makes a fuss about things that later turn out to be false, so nothing (Vaughn 102). Regardless of these speculations, there's something pretty profound in the play that's worth making a big deal about: Four characters in the play learn about love and, ultimately, how to love. The four characters who learn the art of love are Beatrice, Benedetto, Claudio and Hero. From the first viewing/reading of the work, Claudio and Hero seem to be the center of attention. However, looking more deeply at the entire work, and/or reading some studies on Much Ado About Nothing, the truly fascinating plot involves Beatrice and Benedick. The main difference between these two couples is how they learn the art of love. At the beginning of the play, Claudio is the first of all the lovers to express his affection for someone else; however, he seems to have the weakest understanding of the concept of love compared to everyone else. Claudio hints at his growing feelings for Hero when he asks Benedick what he thinks of her (Ii161). Benedetto, who despises marriage, is not much help to Claudio. However, he manages to get the reason for his question out of Claudio: "In my eyes, she is the sweetest woman I have ever seen" (Ii188). This first look at Claudio's heart mostly reveals superficiality. His first words... middle of the paper... General identity and masculinity in Much Ado About Nothing” Upstart Crow 16, (1996): 31-47.Much Ado About Nothing. Directed by Kenneth Branagh. Samuel Goldwyn Company and Renaissance Films, 1993. Much Ado About Nothing. Shakespeare's Riverbank, 2nd ed. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co., 1997. 366-398.Prouty, Charles A. The Sources of Much Ado About Nothing. New York: Books for Libraries Press/Yale University Press, 1950. Ranald, Margaret Loftus. “'As Marriage Binds, and Blood Breaks': English Marriage and Shakespeare” Shakespeare Quarterly 30, (1979): 68-81.Rossiter, A.P. “Much Ado About Nothing.” Comedies and novels by William Shakespeare. Ed. Harold Bloom. New York: Chelsea House Publishers, 1986.Vaughn, Jack A. Shakespeare's Comedies. New York: Frederick Ungar Publishing House, 1980