Much Ado About Nothing Act 3 (Again)
CLAUDIO: If I see anything tonight why I should not
marry her, tomorrow in the congregation, where I
should wed, there will I shame her.
PRINCE: And as I wooed for thee to obtain her, I will
join with thee to disgrace her.
DON JOHN: I will disparage her no farther till you are
my witnesses. Bear it coldly but till midnight, and
let the issue show itself.
Act 3, sc 3, lines 116-123
Following the rumor of "Hero" being unfaithful, Claudio and the Don brothers discuss what should be done if it is found to be true. All three men comment on how they will confront and disgrace her at the wedding.
Honestly, this just made me mad. Claudio hears that his bride might be cheating on him and instead of choosing to confront her privately, he says "No, I'm going to publicly humiliate her on her wedding day." And then his "buddies" Prince Don Pedro and Don John say that they will support him and join him in disgracing her in public rather than do anything about it privately before. I know that this is a play and things are dramatic, but I wouldn't put it past real life men to do this same thing. It makes it worse that Claudio goes further than verbally berating her at her wedding to physically throwing her around (at least in the Globe production). They don't even allow her to defend herself truly, as when they ask if it is true, they really just want her to say it is and don't accept her words. Truly, this just made me hate Claudio and hate men (more).