Male Bonds in Much Ado About Nothing and Othello

Abstract

The theme of love dominates Shakespeare’s comedies, as well as select tragedies; however, the marriage bond between lovers is not the only form of affection understood and addressed by Shakespeare. As Janet Adelman writes,

We do not move directly from family bonds to marriage without an intervening period in which our friendships with same-sex friends help us to establish our independent identities; and marriage is notoriously disruptive of these friendships and sometimes of the identities based on them.¹