Honor has never been easy to obtain. It's the characteristic that everyone aspires to. It is an ambiguous measure of value and is only authentic in the eyes of the beholder. Throughout the play Much Ado About Nothing, honor is relentlessly pursued by all the characters, each in their own unique way. Moral losses in the pursuit of honor appear to be a direct result of the motivations of those pursuing it. Claudio and Don Pedro have an extrinsically motivated honor drive. They just want recognition, to wear like a badge to show off their accomplishments. Benedick is intrinsically motivated, what he aspires to is internal satisfaction, not recognition. Through wit, charm, altruism, and intrinsic motivations, he earns honor without causing chaos. While Benedick proves to be the golden standard for a man of honor, Claudio and Don Pedro also emerge as men of honor, however their trail of moral dilemmas will tarnish their reputations forever. Claudio and Don Pedro's pursuit of honor is nothing short of hateful. . All their efforts are public and have a serious effect on someone, and that's no accident. Such a self-centered approach is typical of all extrinsically motivated honor seekers and the consequences of their actions are commonplace. By making all their efforts public, their seemingly honorable actions will be rewarded, regardless of the true effects. Since Claudio and Don Pedro are so concerned with the superficial results of their actions, it is not surprising that dramatic misadventures occur. When Don Giovanni suggests to Don Pedro and Claudio that "...[the Hero] has been talked about for too long, the lady is disloyal" (III,ii,89-90), they find themselves faced with a decision. Trusting Don... middle of paper... being ostentatious. By trying to quantify this internal characteristic, honor loses all its meaning. In a society where lavish ends justify any means, doing the right thing falls by the wayside. Benedict continued his pursuit of honor in the right way, he did not destroy, he only built and is the golden standard for a man of honor. Don Pedro and Claudio were selfish, their extrinsic motivations prevented them from doing the right thing, the moral destruction they caused will remain with them forever. Benedick, Claudio, and Don Pedro all earned the honor, but how they earned it is what sets them apart. Claudio and Don Pedro's extrinsic motivations have caused so many moral dilemmas that they will always be despised. Honor is the characteristic that everyone aspires to, but only when intrinsically motivated can it be truly achieved.