Throughout Act one and two, Benedick repeatedly says that he will never love a woman or get married. At some stage in the duration of the play his mindset changes. In the end he is head over heels in love for Beatrice whom he once quarreled with habitually. The turnabout in his behavior was brought about by the deceiving Claudio and Pedro who indirectly told Benedick that Beatrice loved him. 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. When Benedick hears that Claudio has fallen in love for Hero, he is enraged. He thought that Claudio would live a bachelor’s life like him. Benedick tells him that men who are in love are not masculine. Near the end of Act IV, Benedick’s complete change is evident when Benedick chooses love over friendship. Benedick challenges Claudio, previously his closest friend in the world, to duel to the death over Claudio’s accusation as to Hero’s unethical behavior. After Beatrice complains to him about Claudio’s mistake, Benedick gives in, “Enough, I am engaged. I will challenge him.” At this point, there is no doubt that Benedick has switched his allegiances entirely over to Beatrice. But then again, Benedick was relieved that Hero was proved guilty so he would not have to fight his close friend Claudio. On the “second” wedding day of Hero and Claudio, Benedick showed maturity by not fighting Pedro and Claudio when they teased him about loving Beatrice.
The difference between Beatrice,Benedick,and the other two Claudio and Hero though is that, these two are very headstrong characters with a different outlook on love, but have very much love for one another. Benedick believes in just being a bachelor and spending the rest of his life messing with as many women as he pleases, well as for Beatrice she believes there is no man good enough and willing to show her the love she wants so she much rather be left alone. But the fact that they honestly want to believe what they say is what makes this get way more interesting. What they don’t know is that they are going to soon become curious trying to figure out what they truly feel for one
Benedick’s attitude towards love is that he does not love anyone and that it is a stupid idea to fall in love with someone. Then he further explains himself in, “Then is courtesy a turncoat. But it is certain I am loved of all ladies, only you excepted; and I would I could find in my heart that I had not a hard heart, for truly I love none” (Act 1, scene 1, lines 122-125). In this quote Benedick says that the woman’s courtesy is a traitor and that all ladies love him, except for Beatrice. He also states that it is too bad that he is so hard-hearted, because he really doesn’t love anyone. Beatrice’s attitude towards love is that she does not want to be married to a man that swears to love her, because she finds that very stupid. She then further explains herself by stating in, “A dear happiness to women. They would else have been troubled with a pernicious suitor. I thank god and my cold blood I am of your humor for that. I had rather hear my dog bark at a crow than a man swear he loves me” (Act 1, scene 1, lines 126-130). In this quote Beatrice is saying that Benedick would make a nasty suitor for women and that they both feel the same way about love. She also states that she would rather hear her dog bark at a crow than hear a man say that he loves her. And I find their courtship more appealing
After Claudio blew up at the wedding and slandered Hero, Benedick stayed to comfort her. Unlike the other men, he knew that Hero didn’t cheat and Don ]ohn was behind this plan. As Bendick states, “And if their wisdoms be misled in this the practice of it lives in Don John the Bastard” (Shakespeare 71). When he believes Hero has nothing to do with this, Beatrice wants it to challenge Claudio. Bendick has changed from a person who never wanted to get married, to a person in love. Driven by this love, he is willing to go against his friends for Beatrice. Ironically both these characters’ attitudes have been
` Benedick and Beatrice hated each other at first. In the beginning of the play Beatrice makes a statement of “...will happily go to hell with Benedick.” This proves that Beatrice does not like Benedick, more hate. There is clearly tight tension in between them, and some background hatred as well. At the beginning of the play, Benedick and Beatrice had a hateful relationship.
We can tell from the start of the play that Beatrice and Benedick are perfect for each other, simply by their matching characteristics and a similar level of intellect, which is a perfect basis for marriage. They are both shrewd evident through their skill of twisting other people’s words, loyal shown through Benedick not killing Claudio and Beatrice never doubting Hero,...
“They offer comedy of both character and situation. The “merry war” between them is established in the opening scene: Beatrice piles comic insults on Benedick both before she sees him and to his face, yet there is no mistaking her interest in him, however it may be expressed; and although Benedick declares himself ‘ a professed tyrant to their sex’ (1.1.161) and an opponent to marriage, he tells Claudio that Beatrice ‘an she were not possessed with fury, exceeds’ Hero ‘as much in beauty as the first May doth the last of December’ (1.1.180-2). Beatrice, too, though she says she prays morn and night that God will send her no husband, admits that there is something to be said for Benedick, were it not for his perpetual tattling (2.1.6-26)” (Wells 167).
Something that is displayed greatly throughout the drama is the relationship between Benedick and Beatrice. It is foreshadowed that they would fall in love in the first act of the drama. A small battle of wits is ensued upon Benedick’s arrival at Leonato’s home.
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...
In the beginning of the play, Benedick was very rude to all women and claimed that he would never get married. Not only did he argue with Beatrice, the governor's niece, but he also made fun of her cousin, Hero. Act I scene i Claudio, a young soldier, told Benedick that he was in love with Hero. Benedick responded by commenting on how Hero wasn’t good enough for Claudio: “Why i’ faith, methinks she’s too low for a high praise, too brown for a fair praise, and too little for a great praise. Only this commendation I can afford her, that were she other than she is, she were unhandsome, and being no
From the scene given we can make many assumptions on the Beatrice and Benedick relationship and how it may have grown throughout the previous acts and scenes. We can tell from this small passage that Beatrice and Benedick have a love/hate relationship which may have come from past relationship let downs…
Beatrice's courtship with Benedick greatly contrasts with the courtship of Hero and Claudio. Hero gladly and willingly submitted to marriage, and she accepted the role of the relatively powerless woman. In contrast Beatrice chose her submission after openly criticizing the institution of marriage.
... heart in the marketplace.” (A4; S1; L 315-321). When Hero was wrongly accused is when Beatrice showed this the most. She believed that because of what he had done, Claudio deserved to be dead. She wanted no bad deed to go unpunished and what she seen fit was for Benedick to challenge Claudio to a dule and she didn’t want Benedick to stop until he was dead.
However, this leads into trouble in Act II as Don Pedro's brother, Don John, tricks Claudio into believing that Don Pedro is winning over Hero for himself. Although Don Pedro is Claudio's best friend, he is shockingly quick to believe that his friend is so willing to betray him. Subsequently Don Pedro returns and gives Claudio the news that Leonato supports the marriage, and Hero is happy to marry him. With this happy news on the table, Beatrice makes a comment that she will be single forever, and Don Pedro replies with an offer to marry her. After she rejects him, Don Pedro and his friends devise a plan to ensure Benedick, Beatrice's arch nemesis, and they fall in love together. This works, as Benedick and Beatrice both begin to see that they are not so terrible, and they decide to give the
As shown in this quote ‘I had rather hear my dog bark at a crow than a man swear he loves me’ the character Beatrice does not ever want to be married. Beatrice is a strong-headed women who is sassy, witty and very adamant to prove her point of never wanting to be a married women. The character Benedick is just as strong headed as the character Beatrice, he also does not ever want to get married and is quick to respond to Beatrice’s strong wit. “Well, you are a rare parrot-teacher.” This quote further highlights the character Benedick’s ability to be resilient towards Beatrice’s comments. This is still relevant in today’s society...
...he other hand, Beatrice and Benedick are comedy-makers and Beatrice is not ruled by her father as Hero clearly is. It does take Don Pedro’s benevolent plot to bring Benedick and Beatrice together, however. A modern audience would prefer Beatrice to Hero as she is her own self and admirable. The relationships also differ because Benedick and Beatrice’s relationship slowly grew whereas Claudio and Hero’s relationship was love at first sight. Perhaps it was a little hasty as we see in Act 4 how their love turns sour.