Comparing Act 2 Scene 3 and Act 3 Scene 1 of Much Ado About Nothing by William Shakespeare

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Comparing Act 2 Scene 3 and Act 3 Scene 1 of Much Ado About Nothing by William Shakespeare

In Act 2 Scene 3 and Act 3 Scene 1 Beatrice and Benedick are both

separately being tricked into falling in love with each other by their

friends. To compare the two scenes we must first consider the symmetry

between them; the initial thing we notice as an audience is that all

of the characters in Act 2 Scene 3 are male, and that all of the

characters in Act 3 Scene 1 are female; this gives the effect of the

two sexes battling. Both scenes are riddled with deceit and trickery,

and the lengths too are also similar. As we know both parties have the

same purpose and after reading the play we know that there is a

similar outcome from both groups. The two scenes are theatrically

similar, and they both offer phenomenal opportunities for a creative

director.

In Act 2 Scene 1 Don Pedro is discussing marriage with Beatrice; we

already have learnt at this point that both Benedick and Beatrice are

contemptuous of love, although it is obvious from the moment Beatrice

walks on stage that secretly she does want a husband. It becomes known

that Beatrice's forte is covering her inner feelings. Beatrice turns

down Don Pedro's mockable marriage proposal, and so he promises to

find her a husband "Lady Beatrice, I will get you one", Hero also

wants to help and although Beatrice protests the game begins. The two

scenes both have the same purpose and involve a lot of deceit, in the

first Leonato, Don Pedro, Claudio and Balthasar are tricking Benedick

into believing that Beatrice loves him; and in the second Hero and

Ursula are tricking Beatrice into believe Benedick...

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really described at all. When Beatrice hears the women talking about

her she is portrayed in a very feminine way, she is even hiding in a

more feminine way than Benedick. Benedick is high in the tree tops

above everyone, and Beatrice is close to the ground scuttling about.

The women are also more catty about Beatrice's capricious attitude

towards men "if fair-faced she would swear the gentleman should be her

sister". A harsher tone was used with Beatrice than Benedick received

from Leonato, Hero was more spiteful but only because she knew this

would have the desired effect on Beatrice.

In each case the plotters work in a similar way, one criticized and

the other praises. This is to promote emotion in Beatrice and

Benedick. The two scenes are on the whole very similar; they only

differ in tactics and language.

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