Much Ado About Nothing Word Play Analysis

Wordplay exploits the ambiguities of words to produce humorous effects. Many subcategories of wordplay, such as puns, anagrams and homophones, prove to be crucial elements of comedic literature. Through careful dissection of the exchanges, wordplay can be found in many places and in many different forms. It is clearly evident in Much Ado About Nothing that William Shakespeare utilizes wordplay through the witty insults between characters.

Throughout the majority of the play, Beatrice and Benedick are relentlessly undermining one another using their witty personas. During the opening scene, a messenger announces the soldiers are coming home from war. Beatrice asks the messenger if “Signior Mountanto”, Benedick, has returned with the rest of

the soldiers. She manipulates the meanings of Mountanto to insult Benedick. With Mountanto as a fencing term, an upward thrust, Beatrice is insulting Benedick’s lack of fencing skills. Beatrice indirectly applies a fencing metaphor to her relationship with Benedick as just like in fencing, the two are always throwing jabs or insults at each other. Because the spelling of Mountanto almost resembles the spelling of mountain, she is using an anagram of the word Mountanto to point out how large Benedick’s ego is and how he is trying to socialize with people who are far beyond his level. Thus, Beatrice expresses her thoughts that Benedick is not a good soldier through anagrams.
Not only does she use anagrams to insult Benedick’s character as a soldier but also uses puns. As to clarify her feelings towards Benedick, Beatrice refers to him as a “very valiant trencherman” with an “excellent stomach” because he helped eat rotten food without stomach problems (1.1.50-51). Benedick is insinuated as more of a gallant eater than a gallant soldier. Clearly knowledgeable, Beatrice plays with the word trencherman. With trencherman termed eater, the sentence reads Benedick joined the war for the sole purpose that there would be free food provided. However, with trencherman described as parasitically dependent, the sentence reads Benedick is someone who takes advantage of others. In addition to trencherman, she is also playing with the word stomach. To have a stomach means to be proud and courageous and have other qualities of a good solider. In Beatrice’s comment, she is using the literal definition of stomach, which articulates that Benedick’s stomach is only good for consuming food. Beatrice reiterates her attitude towards Benedick by using puns to mock his intentions of fighting in the war.
In addition to using puns to insult Benedick, Beatrice uses homophones to make fun of Benedick while speaking to the messenger.

Innocently attempting to counter the insults, the messenger says Benedick “is a good soldier too, lady” (1.1.52). Beatrice, without hesitation, quickly remarks that Benedick “is a good soldier to a lady” and then asks “what is he to a lord?” (1.1.53-54). Benedick performs well while conversing with the ladies, according to Beatrice, but his ability to perform well in battle is questionable. Beatrice applies the literary device homophones, which is when words have the same pronunciation but are spelled differently, to humiliate Benedick. Beatrice is also suggesting that there was a relationship between the two that did not end well, explaining her current hatred of Benedick. Beatrice makes certain that everyone is knowledgeable about her disgust of Benedick through using wordplay.

Vigilant dissection of the banter in Much Ado About Nothing, reveals that wordplay in the form of puns, anagrams, and homophones, truly are essential features of comedic literature. Shakespeare’s writing style parallels and complements the plays’ intricate plot. He deploys the tool of clever, while tricky, wordplay to shine light on the comedic aspect of his

play.