Explore and compare the romantic relationships in the play; Beatrice and Benedick, Claudio and Hero

All throughout the beginning of the play, both Beatrice and Benedick use sarcasm and hide their true feelings for each other, which is the first example of tricky in their relationship. Both of them have vowed never to marry anyone; Benedick stating: "Because I will not do them the wrong to mistrust any, I will do myself the right to trust none; and the fine is, for the which I may go the finer, I will live a bachelor." (1.1.232–35), while Beatrice says, "No, uncle, I'll none. Adam's sons are my brethren, and truly I hold it a sin to match in my kindred." (2.1.59–60.) Their friends see that they are the perfect match for one another, and plan to trick them into confessing their love for each other. When Benedick is in the orchard, he overhears Don Pedro, Claudio, and Leonato talking about how Beatrice is in love with him but is afraid he will mock her if she tells him. Benedick believes them, saying, "This can be no trick." (2.3.217.) He then goes on to say, "I will be horribly in love with her." (2.3.230–31.) Later, Beatrice hears Hero and Ursula talking about how they can't tell her that Benedick loves her because she is a scornful person. After Hero and Ursula leave, Beatrice states:

In Shakespeare’s play, Much Ado About Nothing, written in the early 15th century, the relationships between Benedick and Beatrice and Hero and Claudio are the key to the play and create a lot of tension and comedy. The two relationships are interesting in different ways, and this essay will explore this in terms of the language used, the plot, characterisation and how the two relationships stand thematically.

On the other hand Benedick and Beatrice’s relationship is different; their relationship is not superficial but deeply rooted within them. They enjoy insulting each other as Benedick says to her ‘what my lady disdain! Are you yet living?’

Throughout the play, Benedick's relationship with Beatrice is an important mark of his character. In the first scene

Like Ruth, Beatrice was hurt by someone who she thought she could trust but was proven wrong. When talking to the Messenger in Act 1 she learns that Claudio “[has] caught the Benedick, [and that] it will cost [Claudio] a thousand pounds [to] be cured” (Shakespeare, 1.1.74-75). Although Beatrice is talking about what Claudio has gotten himself into it sounds as if she is talking from experience and that she too had been “caught” by Benedick and fallen in love with him only to be thrown to the side as he does with his partners and friends. Beatrice is very on edge when she is talking with Benedick when he comes into the scene at this point of the play, being very rude and snarky toward him with good reason. Later in the play Benedick does redeem himself and he and Beatrice end up falling in love, sadly there is no happy ending for Ruth and her father; Ruth does not make up with her father nor does she forgive him for what he did and he ends up shunning her from the family when she does find love with someone who cares for her.

The Love between Benedict and Beatrice is a strong love hate relationship after their previous ties had failed between each other. Heros plan is to trick Beatrice into entering the orchard and overhearing their conversations about her. Through their conversation Hero, Ursula praises the virtues of Benedick and to point out the flaws in herself(Act 3 Scene 1). By doing this Hero is able to convince Beatrice to her love of Benedick. However the same time Claudio and Don John are talking of Beatrice's secret love for Benedick. After this occurred both characters realize their true feelings and began to fall for one another through the deception played out by Hero and

Beatrice and Benedick, however, in much contrast to Hero and Claudio are the ideal couple who are both equal in the relationship. Beatrice is an opinionated and stubborn woman who will have no one if she doesn't have the one she wants, which she makes clear throughout the play by refusing to marry lightly and by the conversation in Act One between her and Pedro. She chooses

Benedick, a melodramatic character of the play, is worthy of receiving Beatrice’s love due to his noble qualities and actions. Although Benedick is first described bitterly by Beatrice and appears to be a light-hearted bachelor, he proves to be honorable, loyal, and loving. During the garden scene

In Much Ado About Nothing, William Shakespeare depicts both Benedick and Beatrice as characters with one major flaw: both are full of pride. With the use of the masquerade scene, as well as the orchard scenes, Shakespeare allows the characters to realize their awry characteristic. By realizing their erroneous pride, Benedick and Beatrice are able to correct this and not only become better citizens, but fall in love.

In this Shakespearean comedy ‘Much Ado about Nothing’ two similarly obstinate characters of Beatrice and Benedick are presented between the rather normal relationship of characters Hero and Claudio. Shakespeare presents Beatrice and Benedick’s obstinacy towards the rather obligatory act of marriage and also their particularly similar personalities that cause reason for their familiar act of squabbling; he does this whilst also presenting two characters that are completely interested in marriage and who are hardly intellectually capable of squabbling in a similar manner. As the play unfolds both characters remain combative with one another but as love becomes the better of them, they begin to reveal that somewhat secretive sensitivity

Although Beatrice and Benedick are not yet shown as in love, a Shakespearian audience would not have thought it usual for a woman like Beatrice to be speaking as she was about Benedick. However, today it is perfectly normal for Beatrice to be talking like she is, so at the moment, the two relationships are more satisfying to the different audiences. Beatrice and Benedick's relationship has another problem. They both like to use their wit and intelligence to try and outsmart people, and mainly themselves.

Like many of Shakespeare's other heroes, Benedick has a comic and serious side. I think he combines everything Shakespeare seems to like in a character; he is amusing (his witty banter with Beatrice is where most of the humour in this play revolves around) and he is also able to laugh at himself- he takes in good humour like the teasing of his friends about his cynicism about matrimony. He is loving too, (an example of this is his poem to Beatrice) and also deadly serious is his love for her- he renounces his male comradeship to "kill Claudio" as she demands- he is prepared to give up his current, enjoyable way of life for her. He is also loyal to the prince, in that he despises Don John, but he is most loyal to the one he loves, something the majority of Shakespearean heroes personify (even those who go astray eventually return to their love- Romeo never wavers from his purpose in loving Juliet). His relationship with Beatrice is another ideal held up to us by the playwright. Beatrice chooses Benedick, she pleases herself, not her family, and as a result, their relationship is much more equal and evenly balanced. It is this relationship, and not the other, quite stereotypical romance, which Shakespeare makes the main thread of this drama.

Beatrice and Benedick are two of the most critical people in this play, and they hold many of the comedic points. Also, their idealistic love is what makes the play so successful even though they aren't the main characters. As we know him, Benedick is a stubborn male figure who is against unrequited love at the beginning of the play. He never listens to other people's suggestions or conversations and always ends in a "Jades Trick" quoting Beatrice in Act one. Thinking marriage will ruin the quality of a man's life; this is why Benedick is against the thought or breath of marriage. Beatrice has a similar view towards the marriage life as well; her character is a soft-hearted lady but does not show this type of demeanor at all towards

Enhancing the romance in the play and signifying a transformation in Beatrice. Indeed by the end of Act 3 scene 1, Beatrice and Hero are showing certain similarities. They are now both in love and as we see in Act 3 Scene 4, Beatrice has become

At first glace, it would appear that the relationship between Benedick and Beatrice was one that would only lead to disaster. “I pray you, how many hath he killed and eaten in these wars? But how many hath he killed? For indeed, I promised to eat all of his killing” (Much Ado I.i.4-5). These teasing words of Beatrice are of the first to come from her mouth within this play. Throughout the first half of the play Beatrice or Benedick say not one positive remark in regard to love, relationships or marriage. They both continuously mock these ideas of love as though it amuses them. The witty banter of Beatrice and Benedick shows that they are both very intelligent, yet reluctant to expose their true emotions. Even though they both bombard each other with insults and wit, Beatrice is still apparently the only female Benedick thinks about, as is Benedick to Beatrice. It could appear