Animals
Animal imagery abounds in the play. It is usually used as a figurative depiction of taming, subservience, and power, with characters making frequent reference to the "yoke" that wild animals where when they have become domesticated. These references suggest that the characters in the play are wary of the changes that marriage will bring to their sense of power dynamics and autonomy.
Fashion
Throughout the play, references to clothing, apparel, and fashion trends appear as both markers of one's social status and as commentary on the precarious nature of love. The play suggests that love among the characters operates much like a trendy article of clothing – able to be put on and taken off quickly and without much consideration.
War
While the play begins with the arrival of several soldiers and references to war, the majority of martial imagery that appears is figurative, standing in for the "battle" of courtship and romantic pursuit. Characters describe their experiences in love as violent fights, a hyperbolic comparison that reveals the immaturity and self-importance of the young lovers.
Death and Resurrection
At the end of the play, the restoration of Hero's reputation is described with language or rebirth or resurrection, despite the fact that she never actually died (as Claudio thought). In this way, the play emphasizes how, for the characters in this world, one's reputation is as important as their physical body.
