Cupid’s Arrows in Much Ado About Nothing

Mythological figures in plays carry a big role in giving a message about what is happening or going to happen. In Much Ado About Nothing, the use of Cupid becomes a foreshadowing especially for the love of Benedick and Beatrice since he is the god of love. With the theme of love, Cupid’s name and function become a significant choice to describe characters and events. In processing this love theme, the name of Cupid, the Roman god of love, is used 9 times. Beatrice, Hero, and Benedick use the name of Cupid 2 and Don Pedro uses it 3 times in his words. Now, we will focus on how Benedick, Beatrice, and Hero use Cupid and what or whom they are referring to by using it.

At the play's beginning, after the messenger delivers the news of the return of Don Pedro, Benedick, and the others, Beatrice comments on Benedick in witty language, well what can we say? This is her style. She makes fun of Benedick in a way by referring to Cupid. “He set up his bills here in Messina and challenged / Cupid at the flight; and my uncle's fool, reading / the challenge, subscribed for Cupid, and challenged / him at the bird/bolt. I pray you, how many hath he / killed and eaten in these wars? But how many hath/ he killed? For indeed I promised to eat all of his killing.” (Shakespeare 9). Here, Beatrice makes fun of Benedick but she becomes the first one who uses the name of Cupid, the god of love. This word choice by Shakespeare could be a message for us because their love for each other comes to the surface at the end of the play. So Beatrice saying that Benedick has challenged Cupid. The reason why Benedick does something like that is he does not believe in love so he finds Cupid and his arrows function for love meaningless. The irony is Beatrice reveals this kind of information and then takes Benedick as her husband later. 

Benedick uses Cupid in a conversation with Claudio. Claudio is asking him about Hero because he wonders what Benedick thinks about her. He becomes the second person to use the name of Cupid but he is not referring to Beatrice. “Yea, and a case to put it into. But speak you this with a sad brow? Or do you play the flouting jack, to tell us Cupid is a good hare-finder and Vulcan a rare carpenter? Come, in what key shall a man take you to go in the song?” (Shakespeare 17). There is no evidence that Cupid used his arrows to kill hares so this is a joke. By saying hare-finder, I believe that he is referring to Claudio because he thinks Claudio is like a hunter here with his love for Hero. Like Beatrice, Benedick uses witty language here. He is surprised that Claudio is serious about Hero that is why he is not serious with his words. The second time that Benedick uses Cupid is more serious. He is directly referring to Cupid itself and with his words, he reveals that he does not believe in love at all. “With anger, with sickness, or with hunger, my lord, not with love. Prove that ever I lose more blood with love than I will get again with drinking, pick out mine eyes with a ballad-maker’s pen and hang me up at the door of a brothel house for the sign of blind Cupid.” (Shakespeare 21). Here, Benedick has a rough tongue. He is talking with Dan Pedro about love and Dan Pedro tries to be persuasive but Benedick is persistent about his opinions on love. The irony lies in his words like Beatrice because he falls in love with her and instead of ending up at the door of a brothel, he is shot by Cupid’s arrows. 

Hero’s first reason for using the name Cupid is for Beatrice and Benedick. She is making a plan with Ursula and Margaret. Hero and Ursula start to talk about how much Benedick is in love with Beatrice and how he is afraid to tell her, and Beatrice hears it all. In this way, they further implant this love in Beatrice's heart and mind. Thanks to this acute plan, Benedick and Beatrice confess their love to each other and finally get married. “Now, Ursula, when Beatrice doth come, As we do trace this alley up and down, Our talk must only be of Benedick. When I do name him, let it be thy part To praise him more than ever man did merit. My talk to thee must be how Benedick Is sick in love with Beatrice. Of this matter Is little Cupid’s crafty arrow made, That only wounds by hearsay. Now begin, For look where Beatrice like a lapwing runs Close by the ground, to hear our conference.” (Shakespeare 85). Here she refers to Cupid because she turns into Cupid in a way. She uses her words as arrows to impress Beatrice. After Beatrice hears everything, Hero and Ursula end their planned conversation and Hero refers to Cupid again. “If it proves so, then loving goes by haps; Some Cupid kills with arrows, some with traps.” (Shakespeare 91). Here, by saying some with arrows, and some traps, she refers to the power of Cupid and then refers to the power of words. With that trap, they succeed in building love between Benedick and Beatrice. 

Work Cited

Shakespeare, William. Much Ado About Nothing edited by Barbara A. Mowat and Paul Werstine. Washington Square Press New Folger Library. New York, Washington Square Press, 2005. 

-Photos belong to the romantic comedy film "Much Ado About Nothing" (1993) based on William Shakespeare's play of the same name.-