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Relationship In William Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing

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Manipulation in a relationship almost always ends badly. People lie, cheat and someone always ends up getting hurt. But what if it didn’t end that way? What if it actually helped a relationship? In William Shakespeare’s play, Much Ado About Nothing, this is exactly what happens between the two characters, Beatrice and Benedick. Their relationship starts off with insults and banter, warding each other off like the plague. Though their friends and family see this and other subtle hints, and believe that the two are meant to be together. So, they devise a plan to bring them together. The first part was to trick Benedick into thinking that Beatrice loves him, but would die before she would ever say anything. This was to be done by Claudio, a fellow soldier, Leonato, Beatrice’s uncle, and Don Pedro, his superior in the war. Benedick would over here them talking about her, how she loves him, and all her good qualities, and they were sure he would fall for her; which he did. The second part was to do the same thing, only in reverse, to Beatrice. This part of the plan was to be performed by Hero, her cousin, and Hero’s waiting lady, Ursula. And Beatrice, too, fell for Benedick. At the end of the play the two marry. But was it right for Claudio, Leonato, Don Pedro, Hero, and Ursula to manipulate Beatrice and Benedick’s relationship? Many would say that manipulation, no matter the outcome, should not be used in any way in a relationship. But, being the friends and family of the

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