While they are conversing, Beatrice plainly states that she wants Benedick to “kill Claudio...a villain, that hath slandered, scorned, dishonoured [her] kinswoman (Shakespeare 74-75).” Beatrice makes very bold actions, and she is not afraid of doing so. This shows how Beatrice and Hero are foils of each other because Hero takes actions that are safe and pleasing to others, while Beatrice does what she wants and doesn’t care about what others think of her actions. Another example of this occurs during the Masquerade Ball. Beatrice talks with Don Pedro and is quoted to have said, “My cousin tells him in his ear that he is in her heart (Shakespeare 27).”
He is foolish for putting up a town notice to challenge a love god, and he is selfish for taking advantage of a jester. Through lines like these, Beatrice is quickly revealing her hate for Benedick, but staying true to her character, she only does so whilst speaking in a tongue of
(2.3.231) The next scene is the final part of their plan, to convince Beatrice that she is in love with Benedick. Hero, Margaret and Ursula talk together while Beatrice is listening. Their conversation is fairly similar to the one the guys had. After the girls are done deceiving Beatrice and leave Beatrice comes to the realization that maybe she does love Benedick after all.
Beatrice calls him a jester, saying that only men with no morals find him funny. She speaks badly about Benedick because her pride gets in the way of her speaking kindly about him since she is known to dislike him, and with Beatrice’s pride, she won’t change her mind about how she feels. This is especially harmful to Benedick because she is
Well written post! I agree I do think they had both character confess their love to draw more drama to the play. During the story you would think that they could never be together by the way both character express negativity to each other all the time, however when they both were setup to fall in love, you can sense that was coming ( flirting is the 1st step). During the story there was a lot of deceptions some character played a role to be a person that they are not. Such as hero being lied on- perceive as a horrible person, benedick pretending to not like woman “ I love none” (act 1,125), Beatrice deceive Benedick just so she can see if he really loves her, etc.
In Much Ado About Nothing, the relationship between Benedick and Beatrice develops throughout the course of the play. As their relationship develops from hatred to friendship to romance, these characters are forced to make sacrifices in order to make room for the new love in their lives. Benedick, in particular, makes a sacrifice out of love that shows the powerful impact of love on his life. Benedick’s willingness to sacrifice his friendship with Claudio for Beatrice demonstrates the emboldening, life-changing impact that love has on a person’s values and loyalties. Benedick’s loyalties completely shift from his fellow soldiers to Beatrice after he and Beatrice profess their love for each other.
Therefore, he clearly considers Beatrice as a potential life partner and lover. By not fighting for his love, Don Pedro sacrifices his probable content future with Beatrice to appease her. This shows that Don Pedro will not pursue his own happiness if it interferes with someone else’s. Don Pedro comes to a conclusion after interacting with both Beatrice and Benedick; the conclusion is as he says, “She would make a good wife for Benedick” (II, i, 295). Setting up Beatrice and Benedick together would satisfy Beatrice’s want of a suitable husband.
This is shown with their views on marriage. Hero is willing to marry whoever her father asks her too and when Leonato finds out that Don Pedro seeks marriage with Hero, he encourages Hero to marry and says to Hero, “Daughter, remember what I told you. If the prince does solicit you in the kind, you know your answer” (II.i.57-58). Beatrice, however rebels completely against marriage and says “If he send me no husband; for the which blessing / I am at him upon my knees every morning and evening” (23-25).
When one is in love, they can be hurt by the words, and actions of their special someone. For example, becoming a cuckold because of your special someone. This was something Benedick was always afraid of, as shown when says, “Friar, I must entreat your pains, I think… to bind me, or undo me, one of them -” (5.4 18-20) Much Ado About Nothing. This quote was said by him around the end of the play where he had already came into terms with his love for Beatrice, however this quote shows that even now he knows the
This juxtaposes Claudio and Hero’s relationship is based on purely on physical looks, which are not always truthful. In an opposing manner, Benedick and Beatrice’s relationship was not started from a completely dishonest place. Over years they had built a relationship through passive aggressive remarks rather than physicality, thus ensuring that they would know each other at their core. Therefore in order to move the relationship along it only took light coaxing of the small truths to progress their love. For instance, in Act One Beatrice and Benedick’s “merry war” of arguments is viewed as a type of flirting instead of actual anger or annoyance towards each other (1.1.50-54).
Benedick finally expresses his love for Beatrice when he said, “With no sauce that can be devised to it. I protest I love thee.” (4,1,297-298). Benedick also confesses his love to Beatrice. They got closer and closer together and everyone can tell by the way their conversation
Before Benedick and Beatrice decided to marry each other or start a relationship at all, they took a period of time to ponder their feelings and realize the best solution, something Claudio and Hero completely ignored. Once they decided to finally start a relationship, their joking nature didn 't change, displaying their friendship and love for each other as a main component that has not wavered. Even when announcing their relationship, a serious matter, Benedick joked, “But by this light, I take thee/ for pity”(5.4.92-93). It is obvious that Benedick does not actually think Beatrice is ugly, but their relationship is so strong that he can jokingly insult her. In contrast, Hero and Claudio had to remain respectful towards each other in order to not risk the marriage.
Benedick spent quite a while saying that he would never get married; he even went as far to say that he would “die a bachelor,”(II.iii.25). But, after overhearing Don Pedro, Claudio and Leonato discuss Beatrice’s love for him, his perception on the idea of marriage changed, which they were quite aware of. While commenting on Benedick’s appearance, Claudio states, “I hope he be in love,”(III.ii.28) to which Benedick replied, “ I have the toothache,”(III.ii.28). It is clear that Benedick was trying to change the subject to avoid discussing his interest in Beatrice out of embarrassment for his feelings. Despite believing that Claudio, Don Pedro and Leonato do not know of his love for Beatrice, it was they who planted it in his mind that Beatrice loved him first, but they play along to make him feel
It was a set up marriage and she would just try to make the male proud. Relationships, in the modern day, are more egalitarian than they use to be. This allows Benedick and Beatrice to represent more of a modern time ideal couple, than Claudio and Hero. A great quote about relationships is “ Respect is as important as love in a relationships”
Through the experiences and trickery Benedick and Beatrice experience together, they create a bond. This bond formed through their unique experiences with each other allows them to appreciate and enjoy the other’s company until it turns into a simple desire to be with them. This enjoyment of experience boils down to the capability of loving someone. Sometimes it takes a push to prove your love, “[BENEDICK] With no sauce that can be devised to it. I / protest I love thee. /
