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Renaissance and its impacts on society
Renaissance and its impacts on society
Renaissance and its impacts on society
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Much Ado About Nothing is a tale of two very different relationships. The relationship between Beatrice, the niece of the Governor of Messina and Benedick, a close friend of the Nobleman Don Pedro and that of a young soldier called Claudio and The Governor’s young and beautiful daughter Hero. Beatrice and Benedick show their apparent distaste for each other right from the first scene. Beatrice mocks Benedick to the Governor of Messina, claiming that she always beats him in a battle of wits and the last time they crossed paths Benedict’s “five wits went halting off, and now is the whole man governed by one” (1,1,50). Clearly relishing resuming their ‘merry war’, Beatrice cuts Benedick down at the first opportunity, telling him “I wonder that you still will be talking, Signor Benedick, nobody marks you” (1,1,105). Incredulously, Benedick retorts, “what my dear lady distain! Are you yet living?” (1,1,95). So, the dynamic of the two is set and it goes on from there in the same vein. Yet, the reader, even at this early stage may ponder if the lady doth protest too much. Shakespeare’s introduction of the other couple in question is in stark contrast to the way in which Beatrice and Benedick were introduced. Claudio and Hero are amorously receptive to one and other from the very start. Upon laying eyes on Hero, Claudio remarks of her to Benedict “is she not a modest young lady?” (1.1.125). Clearly, by having Claudio express his fondness of Hero to Benedick, the playwright directly compares the older and more cynical to the more young and naive, allowing the reader to see the contrasting personas of the two men. This is reinforced by Benedick, who after finishing listening to Claudio’s rhetoric on the charms of the young Hero (“in m... ... middle of paper ... ...ut Nothing is an extremely fast paced and witty play, Shakespeare very much has love as his central theme. There are two very different, yet equally compelling relationships that are explored in depth. They run through the play concurrently, allowing the reader to compare and contrast the different facets and complexities between the two. The playwright’s rich understanding of relationships, and particularly his understanding of the fact that love is not always as formulaic as many a writer would have us believe, makes for a fascinating read. In fact, by directly comparing a realistic couple, full of real world self doubt and a fear of rejection with a very stereotypical love-at-first-sight type of relationship, Shakespeare is possibly making the point that love and relationships have more depth than is often given credit.
Beatrice and Benedick seem to have had some relationship before the beginning of the book that ended badly. This suggests that the initial situation between Beatrice and Benedick was one of mutual attraction, not of the overt hate they seem to flaunt at the beginning of the play. Scorn of this magnitude is rare among people who dislike each other from the start, and seems very unlikely in a broken up couple. In addition, both Beatrice and Benedick turned out to be very willing to abandon their smear campaigns as soon as they are convinced the other is aching for them. It is ridiculous that one would abandon one's own principals to bail out a hated enemy in trouble. This makes clear that their attitude toward each other is an act. If this is so, what is the purpose of the act...
Benedick’s attitude towards love, marriage and women changes drastically throughout the Much Ado About Nothing. Benedick transitioned from a smooth-talking swordsman to a sensible man who no longer harboured an aversion to marry. Benedick no longer regards marriage as something to be averted or something that is a burden or mistake, instead finding that he would do anything for one woman. Benedick is also no longer misogynistic, and became a changed man by the end of the
?You must not, sir, mistake my niece: there is a kind of merry war betwixt Signor Benedick and her: they never meet but there?s a skirmish of wit between them? This tells you straightaway that there is a connection between the two, but so far we do not hear more. So far, Beatrice has spoken a lot and Hero we have only heard from once to correct the name Beatrice gives to the messenger. Beatrice teases the messenger boy about Benedick, until Beatrice?s uncle tells the messenger about the ?merry war?. It seems that Beatrice is an example of how a women shouldn?t behave around men where as Hero is showing how to be a ?proper? lady by keeping quiet until asked for. Beatrice is presented as a very passionate person, whilst Shakespeare has presented Hero as a meek, timid woman, in fact Hero only speaks one line.
Benedick has been known to change his “best friends” multiple times, “Who is his companion now? He hath every month a new sworn brother.” (Shakespeare 1.1.69-71). Benedick and his attitude towards his friendships can flip depending on the situation. The fact that Benedick will change friends and style all willy-nilly means something. He needs something stable in his life to hold him down to earth instead of trying to fill the empty void in his heart. When the time comes and Beatrice wants him to duel Claudio, he is willing, “ Enough, I am engaged. I will challenge him. I will kiss your hand, and so I leave you. By this hand, Claudio shall render me a dear account.” (Shakespeare 4.1.346-58). It is shocking seeing Benedick so willing to go after his “best friend” all for Beatrice and her love for him. He has now found something that can keep him grounded and down to Earth and he will do anything to keep things like that. Together with all of Benedick’s behavior he has gained experience and developed the one of the major themes power of love( and how it drives
Benedick and Beatrice despise each other in the beginning. Beatrice is speaking about Benedick and states “Lord, I could not endure a husband with a beard on his face. I had rather lie in the woolen”(II, i, 29-31). Through this it describes
The pair’s metamorphosis as a couple helped strengthen their relationships with friends and halted their egotistical attitudes from annoying their friends with their derogatory jokes and metaphors. Not only are many of the characters more at peace due to the status of Beatrice’s and Benedick’s relationship, but the storyline has become more intriguing; even the worst of enemies can eventually love each other. Once Benedick thought Beatrice was in love with him, he openly expressed his love to her despite Beatrice’s apparent resistance, “Against my will I am sent to bid you come in to dinner”, with Benedick responding “Fair Beatrice, I thank you for your pains” (2.3.201-202). Benedick’s change of heart is elucidated by the way he treats Beatrice. After she realized he loved her, Beatrice accepted his love and began respecting him a lot more than she did when they were nearly enemies. Although Beatrice’s and Benedick’s relationship is not pristine, it’s apparent that the two will be together whether they like it or not due to their persistent attitudes. Benedick’s tone toward Beatrice is only getting nicer; he is very calming toward her even when she’s distant and moody “What offense, sweet Beatrice” (4.1.272). The pair’s new, not bickering words toward one another put almost every character at ease and enticed others to poke fun at
In Beatrice and Benedick’s case, Beatrice and Benedick had both formerly stated how they would never settle down and fall in love. Due to their pride, once they had fallen in love, they would not be have been able to confess their love to one another without the help of others. Benedick proclaims, “ that one man Is a fool, when he dedicates his behaviours to love, will after he hath laughed at such shallow follies in others become the argument of his own scorn, by falling in love.” (2.3.7-10) Later on, Hero states that Beatrice would willingly never find a good man, explaining how she would “swear a fair faced gentleman to be her sister.” Beatrice later confesses her pride in realization as she reflects, ”stand I condemned for pride and scorn so much?”(3.1.108) Beatrice tricked into loving Benedick in act 3 by Margaret, Hero and Ursula, and Benedick is tricked into loving Beatrice by Don Pedro, Claudio, and Leonato. Hero and Claudio are also put into their relationships by other people as due to the fact that Claudio is too timid, he has Don Pedro mask himself at the masquerade and woo Hero in the place of
Benedick is a soldier who has been fighting with Don Pedro. Beatrice is the niece of Leonato and the cousin of Hero. Beatrice uses her mockery to teases people and she very verbal towards them as well. Benedick uses mocks people for his amusement,he is very arrogant and he is against marriage. (Beatrice)”He is the Prince's fool and a very dull fool at that. (Benedick) But it is certain that I am loved by all the ladies,only except you.The quote that Beatrice stats is showing her mocking Benedick and teasing him by calling him a fool. The quote bendeick says proves thate he is very conceited and arrogant. He is saying that he all women love him. Even though Benedick and Beatrice often smacktalk each other with their own personal traits it can still happen with traits they both inherit.
Benedick and Beatrice engage in witty batter every time they meet. They are both witty, like to argue, stubborn, and are spirited. Their exchanges could be seen as public displays of their hate for one another, but they act as if something happened between them before. They both preach that they will never get married, but their friends and family suspect that they are hiding their feelings from themselves and one another. Hero, Beatrice's cousin, proposes a plan to trick Beatrice into believing that Benedick is hopelessly in love with her. When Beatrice was out in the garden, Hero tells her maid, "My talk to thee must be how Benedick / Is sick in love with Beatrice. Of this matter / is little Cupid's crafty bow made, / that only wounds by hearsay" (3.1.20-24). Hero's deception of Beatrice results in Beatrice thinking that Benedick is in love with her. Beatrice is forced to contemplate about her relationship with Benedick and her feelings for him. She finally realizes that her feelings for Benedick have always been there, but she never bothered to look. Hero wants to see Beatrice happy and she perceives that Beatrice is exuberant when she is around Benedick. Hero was obligated to use deception to achieve Beatrice's happiness because it was the only way that Beatrice could realize that she loved Benedick. Hero's deception revealed that hidden feelings in
Even though both characters proclaim that they must amend their ways and give up their pride, Beatrice's short response is full of emotion, even exclamation points, such as "Contempt, farewell!" (III.i.111). In contrast, Benedick's much longer speech shows us that he must spend more time reasoning his way into his new situation. Beatrice becomes convinced that she should requite Benedick's love simply by hearing Hero and Ursula praise Benedick, showing us that, despite her protests, Beatrice already thought highly of Benedick. Beatrice's quick acceptance of Benedick in her short little speech show us that she is very emotionally responsive. We especially see Beatrice's emotional responsiveness when she proclaims that she should love Benedick because others think he deserves it, as we see in the lines, "For others say thou dost deserve, and I / Believe it better than reportingly" (III.i.117-118).In contrast, Benedick takes a much longer time to reason through Beatrice's attributes. He must examine every merit both Claudio and Don Pedro said Beatrice has, as we see in his
Benedick and Beatrice both believe that love and marriage is a lie, and they would prefer to be without it. Prince devises a plan to get them to fall in love with each other by tricking them into believing they love each other. Prince, Leonato, and Claudio catch Benedick in a garden where they talk about Beatrice’s horrible love for him where Claudio says “ Hero thinks she will die, for she will die if he love her not, and she will die ere she make her love known”(2.3.179-181), leaving Benedick to think that she loves him so much it might be the death of her. This scene starts the love between Benedick and Beatrice because after hearing this news of Beatrice’s “love for Benedick, Benedick feels he must in turn love her back. While at the same time, Hero and her Gentlewomen catch Beatrice by herself and speak about Benedick’s “love” for her to which she has the same reaction that Benedick does and feels she must love him too. This use of trickery leads to both Benedick and Beatrice, who once scoffed at the idea of love and marriage, to fall in love with each
At the beginning, Benedick’s attitude is negative towards women in general. He swears he will never marry, as he is very critical of women and does not trust any of them not to cheat on him. He seems to oppose with Beatrice in a competition to outwit, outsmart, and out-insult each other. Obviously he has been in some sort of past relationship with Beatrice because when he meets her at the masked ball, she describes him as a selfish pig. We can infer that Benedick has some kind of deep feelings for her because after she insults him he is hurt and says, “Will your grace command me any service to the world’s end? I will go on the slightest errand now to the Antipodes that you can devise to send me on. I will fetch you a toothpick from the furthest inch of Asia . . . do you any embassage to the pigmies, rather than hold three words’ conference with this harpy” (II.i.229–235). This blatantly means that he does not wish to talk to her.
Beatrice is gifted with wit, humor, and strength uncommon in Shakespeare’s time. One can tell Beatrice’s drollness is at its best when speaking about or to Benedick. When Benedick greets her as “Lady Disdain” (I.i.109), she snaps, “Is it possible that disdain should die, while she hath such meat to feed it as Signior Benedick? Courtesy itself must convert to disdain, if you come in her presence” (I.i.110-113). Instead of taking offense, she welcomes the name and essentially tells Benedick that she acts contemptuously only because she’s talking to him.
The main difference between these two couples involves how they learn the art of love. At the beginning of the play, Claudio is the first one out of all the lovers to express his affections for someone else; however, he seems to have the weakest grasp on the concept of love compared to everyone else. Claudio hints of his growing feelings for Hero when he asks Benedick what he thinks of her (I.i.161). Benedick, who has a disdain for marriage, is not very helpful to Claudio. However, he does manage to draw out of Claudio the reason for his inquiry: “In mine eye, she is the sweetest lady that ever I look’d on” (I.i.188).
Relationship of Beatrice and Benedick in Act Four Scene One of Much Ado About Nothing