Several characters seem to be obsessed with the idea that a man has no way to know if his wife is faithful and that women can take full advantage of this. Don John plays upon Claudio's pride and his fear of cuckoldry, which leads to the disastrous first wedding. Many of the males easily believe that Hero is impure, and even her father readily condemns her with very little proof. This motif runs through the play, often referring to horns (a symbol of cuckoldry).