Much Ado About Nothing Key Scenes

They are consistently brought up throughout the entirety of the play, especially when it comes to Benedick getting married. He himself declares that “if ever the sensible Benedick bears [marriage], pluck off the bull’s horns and set them on [his] head” (Shakespeare), allowing the reader to better see into his mind and thoughts on marriage. Clothing also becomes a symbol to show that Benedick is in love, Claudio telling that “[Benedick even] brushes his hat o’ mornings” to impress Beatrice (Shakespeare). Looks are the only means to determine a woman’s worth (Myhill). Claudio bids Hero goodbye calling her “…most foul, [yet] most fair…” (Shakespeare), declaring that even though Hero is beautiful, she has ruined her beauty with her betrayal, and he now cannot see her as he once did. No one is safe from these changing feelings in the play. Even Benedick and Beatrice went from not being able to be in the same room to being “…the sweet [youths] in love…” (Shakespeare). Looks also helped to prove Hero’s innocence when Friar Francis “[noted] of the lady…a thousand blushing apparitions…a thousand innocent shames…” and were alluded to when Hero’s father (Shakespeare), Leonato, attempted to further

As much as may be yielded to a man, but nature never framed a woman's heart of prouder stuff than that of Beatrice. Disdain and scorn ride sparkling in her eyes, misprizing what they look on, and her wit values itself so highly that to her all matter else seems weak. She cannot love, nor take no shape nor project of affection, she is so self-endeared.” (Act 3, Scene

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.

This statement seems to signify Benedick's apparent state of mind and character at this stage in the play. He makes fun of Claudio for being in love and seeking to marry, which provides opportunity for irony later in the play: his jokes are turned on him by Claudio and Don Pedro when his true feelings for Beatrice are revealed.

"I will be horribly in love with her!” (2.3. 207 08). We see here that he has finally conceded and is beginning his transformation from rouged soldier to a man, not that different from Claudio. “I may chance have some odd quirks and remnants of wit broken on me because I have railed so long against marriage, but doth not the appetite alter? A man loves the meat in his youth that he cannot endure in his age” (2.3. 208 11). His attitude towards relationships has significantly changed. He is starting to “see with these eyes”; (2.3. 19 20) the eyes he so vigorously despised not long ago. The transformation in him is converting him to a man who does not see marriage as giving up all your freedom and throwing your old life away.

“Here as before, never so help you mercy,/How strange, or odd some’er I bear myself,/As I perchance hereafter shall think meet/To put an antic disposition

Characters in this play have experience love in different ways; starting with Claudio that falls in love with Hero from the first time he sees her, and decided to get married. “In mine eye she is the sweetest lady that ever I looked on,” (1,1,168) it would seem that the love Claudio has for Hero is a result of first attraction on looks, however, Claudio’s character seems to be immature and inexperienced. Later in the play, when Claudio is suspicious of her, he instantly forgets the love he had for her, and that love turned to a full of hatred. On the other hand, Hero’s willingness to forgive Claudio is just as disturbing as Claudio’s rejection of her. She does not fight for her pride after what Claudio did to her but instead marries him willingly. “And when I lived, I was your other wife, And when you loved, you were my other husband,” (62, 5, 4) this line shows how forgiving and innocent Hero is as a character.

If Claudio and Hero can be accepted as the perfect models of courtly love, than Beatrice and Benedick's love is easily proven as a flawless example of true love both through an understanding of their characters as well as their interaction.  Benedick, a young lord of Padua, is, like Claudio, a gallant gentleman, but this is where their similarities cease.  Benedick is baffled by the emotions which seize him

Benedick is the willful lord, recently returned from fighting in the wars, who vows that he will never marry. He engages with Beatrice in a competition to outwit, outsmart, and out-insult the other, but to his observant friends, he seems to feel some deeper emotion below the surface.

She throws away her old self, stating "Contempt, farewell! and maiden pride, adieu!"(3.1.109). She also choses not to be so protective of her independence and declares love for Benedick, claiming "I will requite thee, Taming my wild heart to thy loving hand"(3.1.111-112). However, the true change in Beatrice does not show until the first church scene in which Claudio publicly humiliates Hero. Beatrice shows deep concern for her cousin Hero, the first time in the play where Beatrice shows concern for another. She is the first to claim Claudio is a liar and declare "on my soul, my cousin is belied!"(4.1.145). Beatrice then proves once again that she is a better person by demanding justice for Hero is met. Through Benedick, Beatrice plots to right the wrong and asks Benedick to "Kill Claudio"(4.1.290). It is in this scene as well that Beatrice, proving a complete turnaround in behavior, confesses to Benedick that "I love you with so much of my heart that none is left to protest "(4.1.287-288). This shows Beatrice transforming from someone who would scoff at marriage and love, declaring things like "I may sit in a corner and cry heigh-ho for a husband"(2.1.312-313), to someone who easily embraces love from the person she once mocked. But such a dramatic change is seen in her love as well.

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

However, upon hearing of Beatrice’s love for him he is suddenly perplexed and it does not take him long to decide that he will give that affection back in return.  How easily persuaded Benedick is.  This may come from the way Claudio, Don Pedro, and Leonato (Benedick’s associates) depict Beatrice as the most wonderful woman in Messina.  They talk of Beatrice as if she were the most magnificent woman so that Benedick will do exactly what he does indeed do.  When Benedick hears of this he must be thinking of what he has said before about his desire for the perfect woman.  In his speech he says that “the lady is fair . . . / . . . And virtuous. . . / . . . And wise[,]” which is exactly what Benedick demands in the woman that he will choose to be his wife.  However, Benedick only believes these things about Beatrice because of what Claudio, Don Pedro, and Leonato have said about her.  They only said them to convince Benedick that Beatrice was deserving of him and that she loved him with all her heart.  They told Benedick just what he wanted to hear.  It is a scheme made of lies, but it works because Benedick is persuaded and begins to agree with what they have said.  By doing this he is already influencing himself to follow the opposite path from the one that he has adhered to for years.  Here he is already starting to fool himself into believing Beatrice is the one for him

Act 3 in Much Ado About Nothing is most important to developing both the tragic and comedic aspects of the plot. Most importantly, the act has aspects of both comedy and tragedy. In scene 3.3 and 3.5 malapropisms are used with Dogberry and Verges a lot to create humor. Malapropisms are when the author substitutes words that either sound the same but are different words, or when he substitutes a word that is the complete opposite. These are used to show that Dogberry is a fool and out of order.

The piper stands at attention as he plays his solemn, melancholy tune on the gently rolling meadows of Scotland. He remembers those who have fallen at his side on the battlefield and honors them with his song. The cold, bitter wind licks at his face, but he continues playing in honor of his friends. He chokes back tears as he plays and a single tear runs down his cheek, but he regains himself as to not mess up his beautiful tune. The last time he played here was as he was running into battle with his comrades, but that tune was much different. That tune was mighty and fierce, as to inspire and empower his comrades and to strike fear in the hearts of his enemies. The bagpipes are not just specific to Scotland, however. Many people believe that

The climax of the play is the drama that is present for all characters involved. During the wedding, Claudio presents an opposite side of his character. His strong emotions with Hero; leads Claudio to lose her. Hero then makes a connection that she will never be able to live the same after such false statements are made. In reference to the loving couple Benedick and Beatrice, the truth that he loves her starts to emerge when she shows upset feelings. This truth has Beatrice feeling that Benedicks jokingly nature needs to prove to her that this is real and requests him to be off with Claudio. We are at the climax of the play has all the characters have the audience wondering whats going to occur next.