The Character of Bendick in Much Ado About Nothing Essay

"By my own spirit; for I should flout him, if he writ to me; yea

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:

Benedick’s attitude to love & marriage in ‘‘Much Ado About Nothing’’ In the play ‘‘Much Ado About Nothing’’ by William Shakespeare, the character of Benedick shows mixed emotions towards loves and marriage throughout. In the two extracts we studied, Benedick shows a large contrast of opinions: In Act 1 Scene 1, Benedick portrays strong feelings of contempt towards love and marriage, whereas by Act 2 Scene 3, Benedick has completely changed his views and he is prepared to make the commitment and marry Beatrice, a woman he appeared to dislike in the beginning of the play and who seemed to have mutual feelings towards Benedick. Act 1 Scene 1 portrays that Benedick has a very negative attitude towards love and marriage. When conversing with

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?’

In the play of Much Ado About Nothing, the characters of Benedick and Beatrice have a love-hate relationship. On the surface, it appears that their relationship is built on a war of wits and insults. However, in Benedick’s soliloquy, the reader discovers that at the core of their insults actually lie the true feelings of love. It is also apparent that Benedick even sees loving each other as a competition, in that he wants to love her to a point of outdoing her love for him. Not only is Benedick constantly warring with Beatrice, but he is also undergoing an internal struggle, which is made quite apparent in Benedick’s soliloquy in Act 2 Scene 3.

Beatrice is also very sociable with other people and seems to be a shrew just when talking about Benedick and other males. Not unlike Katharina, who was told she would marry Petruchio (2.I.260-268),  Beatrice does not consent to marry Benedick directly.  Beatrice has to be entrapped with the love sonnets that Hero stole from her pocket (5.IV.88-90).  Even at the conclusion of the play, it seems as though Beatrice will not change her attitudes, just her status as an unmarried woman.

The change in Benedick's character is accompanied by the change in his relationship with Beatrice, as they move from 'merry war' and 'skirmish of wit' to become lovers, though Benedick does still protest that he 'love thee (Beatrice) against my will'.

Although Benedick is now head over heels, and has converted to a man of love, he is far from transformed. His descriptions of men in love equate to that of a senseless man; a man who has given up on his life and turned completely from his old self, but this is definitely not the case with Benedick. His witty and sarcastic nature is burned into his personality even after he changes his outlook on love and begins to “see with these eyes”, (2.3. 19 20) the eyes which he so clearly mocked not long ago. His opinion changed to such a caliber that he went to the alter with Beatrice. “How dost thou, Benedick, the married man?” (5.4. 98) Here we see Don Pedro sitting back and admiring his accomplished plan. He became a match maker and wed the two people

Needless to say, Benedick and Beatrice are the antithesis of each other, for Beatrice is reasonable which means she is always trying to come up with a reason for what somebody has done or for what she is going to do, but Benedick is irrational which means he never needs a reason for what he does. Beatrice is crying because her cousin, Hero has just been slandered and killed by Claudio. Which is why she is asking Benedick to kill Claudio. Benedick laughs it off like it´s a joke the first time she asks. But, then he realizes that she is serious. ¨ As I have a thought”, “That’s enough for me”, “I’ll challenge him”, “I’ll kiss your hand”. This impacts the

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

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.

By using the intense phrases like ‘I lose more blood’ this could also convey that love is something he knows he may be hurt by. Similarly Beatrice states that no man is good enough for her and then also declares her intentions of remaining bachelor. However Beatrice’s confident chatter can be just a cover of her inner insecurities. She may talk as if she definitely will not marry when really she is afraid of this as her age is rapidly increasing; this is a feeling of desperation. Overall, the similarity between their views and feelings sparks a kind of sweet compatibility between them. This shines through their obstinate attitudes reflecting the idea that a love relationship has the potential to evolve. However, this is also makes the end (where they are indeed in love) more surprising therefore presenting their relationship as quite volatile.

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

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.