Explore the historical and social context of Much Ado About Nothing

Much Ado About Nothing is a comedy by William Shakespeare which was probably written written in 1598 and/or 1599. The first thing to note is that although the play was written in England, it is actually set in Sicily. Shakespeare based his play on slightly earlier Italian sources. Thus, there are actually two social and historical settings. One is Roman Catholic Italy, in which the play is set, and the other is the Protestant England of Shakespeare and his audience, ruled by the Virgin Queen, Elizabeth I.
In both cultures, chastity is considered crucial for upper-class women before marriage, and the plot concerning Claudio and Hero revolves around this theme. Although this value was shared both in England and Italy, Italian mores were regarded by the English as somewhat stricter than their own.
Although the Benedick and Beatrice plot revolves around the verbal sparring of the lovers, it reflects a model of a slightly stronger, more independent woman and a worry that a woman may sacrifice her integrity and self-determination in marriage, an issue that was important in Queen Elizabeth's arguments about the virtue of her own virginity.