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Benedick And Beatrice In William Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing

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William Shakespeare’s classic comedy Much Ado About Nothing follows the story of the two famous pairs of young lovers; Claudio and Hero, and Benedick and Beatrice. Although mainly following the first pair throughout the text, the relationship between Benedick and Beatrice is followed throughout the text with less attention from the reader, not noticing love forming between the two. Shakespeare sets his text in Messina, a town located on the island of Sicily in Italy. The play mainly takes place at Leonato’s estate, the Governor of Messina. Kenneth Branagh’s film is based on Shakespeare’s play Much Ado About Nothing. By using facial expressions, tone of voice and body movement, Branagh’s film successfully employs visual comedy that is …show more content…

Through the character of Beatrice and the sarcastic characteristic used, Branagh successfully uses visual comedy in Much Ado About Nothing to interpret Shakespeare’s version of the text.

Branagh uses Benedick’s character during the second scene to add visual comedy to Shakespeare’s text. This begins when Benedick is alone in the garden when he hears Don Pedro, Leonato and Claudio walking towards him. He quickly hides in the garden hoping to not be seen. A quick motion that is non-existent when reading Shakespeare’s text. However, Branagh uses the character of Benedick to create a sense of humour within the scene. While Don Pedro, Leonato and Claudio know that Benedick is hiding from them in the garden. They decide to plot against Benedick in the hopes of him falling in love with Beatrice. They begin to talk about Beatrice, and how she is apparently in love with Benedick, according to her cousin Hero of course (Branagh 38:36). They pretend that they have no idea that Benedick can hear what they are saying but continue to emphasise words and exaggerate what they are saying to ensure Benedick, in fact, hears everything that they say. This can be interpreted when Don Pedro states “Leonato, what was it you told me of today, that your niece Beatrice was in love with Signor Benedick?” (2.3.94-96), which makes Benedick

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