Benedict's Relationship In Much Ado About Nothing

Benedict at the end of Act 5, scene 4, lines 120-123 is most definitely cheerfully embracing the very kinds of things he feared in reference to a relationship with a woman. His relationship with Beatrice and marriage to her is in direct contradiction to his beliefs at the beginning. At the beginning of the play, Benedict and Claudio are discussing Claudio’s affections towards Hero. Benedict obviously does not approve. Don Pedro joins the conversation, and Benedict wonders why those around him are getting married, “Shall I never see a bachelor of threescore again?” (1.1, Line 192). In this particular passage he likens marriage to the trappings of a yoke for a man, “Go to, I’faith; an thou wilt needs thrust thy neck into a yoke..” (1.1, Line

Benedict fears in reference to the yoke comment, that marriage is like a burden. Like the burden the yoke is to the ox that carries it. He also in this passage references his idea of how women are very likely to cheat. “..hath not the world one man but he will wear his cap with suspicion?” (1.1, Lines 189-190). He also makes something of a promise to Claudio and Don Pedro in result to Don Pedro’s statement, “In time the savage bull shall bear the yoke.” (1.1, Line 250.). Don Pedro believes that Benedict will not always reject marriage as he does now. That eventually every man will “bear” marriage. He makes it seem inevitable, even for someone as adamantly against it as Benedict. In response, Benedict implies in passage 1.1, Lines 251-256 that if he were to get married, he would be a fool. That they should hang a sign around his neck, labeling him as a married man. Out of these many statements it is clear that Benedict thinks he will never marry. But this is clearly false, as Don Pedro in the end is almost mocked by Benedict, “Prince, thou art

This doesn’t even bring up that the woman he ends up marrying is Beatrice. Their verbal battle of wits is something that is very heated and strenuous. From that sort of verbal war that can be found several times throughout the play, it is amazing that things do turn out as well as they do, even due to trickery. What is definitely interesting here, that love causes Benedict to throw any reservations to the wind, kind of as Don Pedro implied would happen “I shall see thee, ere I die, look pale with love.” (1.1, Line 194). That he definitely does, he does not fight love in the end at all. Even with all of his fears of earlier. He allows himself to fall into love with Beatrice and even show her affection in front of all of his friends. As he mentions in 5.4, Lines 122-123, “There is no staff more reverend than one tipped with horn” that marriage is favorable, topped off with another horn joke. That Don Pedro should get a wife because it is a favorable result. This is itself shows that Benedict’s earlier fears about marriage are acknowledged, but because he loves Beatrice he’ll go with it