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Examine the differences between the Hero and Claudio relationship and the relationship between Beatrice and Benedick. Throughout lessons we have read one of Shakespeare's well-known comedies, Much Ado About Nothing. The comedy is well known for its tragedies, deception, mischief and love stories. In this piece of coursework I will be examining and comparing the relationship between Beatrice and Benedick and the relationship between Hero and Claudio, the two central couples in Shakespeare's play. During the period when Shakespeare wrote Much Ado About Nothing, love and marriage was looked upon in a different way as it is today. In Elizabethan times it was not rare for arranged marriages to take place: especially within wealthier families.
Marriage was often arranged between people depending on the wealth of both families. Fathers often arranged marriages between two people to gain more money, land or social status. In todays society on the other hand, marriage is mostly based on love between two people not what the families can gain from one another. In Elizabethan times there was a well known phrase called courtly love. Courtly love was invariably adulterous, largely because upper-class marriage at the time was usually the result of economic interest or the seal of a power alliance. The courtly lover, who saw himself as enslaved by passion but fired by respect, faithfully served and worshiped his lady-saint.
Shakespeare is well known for his plays apposed to his poetry. Throughout Shakespeare's comedies he often used comedy lines, love stories and tragedies. Shakespeare's comedies often resulted in a couple getting married. Throughout Much Ado About Nothing, Shakespeare uses a variety of language styles; prose, poetry, wit and imagery. The language is also particularly rich in rhetoric.
When Shakespeare uses poetry throughout Much Ado About Nothing it does not always rhyme but is set out like poetry. We can see an example of this when in Act 4 Scene 1, lines 119 - 121, Leonato accuses his daughter, Hero, of being unfaithful towards Claudio. Wherefore? Why, doth not every earthly thing Cry shame upon her? Could she here deny The story that is printed in her blood? Printed in her blood; shown in her blushes of shame, stamped on her life.
Unusually, Much Ado About Nothing is written in prose, as opposed to blank verse. An example of this is shown when Dogberry, Master Constable of Messina, is talking to Leonato about the prisoners. Moreover, sir, which indeed is not under white and black, this plaintiff here, the offender, did call me ass. Dogberry has a great opinion of him self but an imperfect mastery of the English language, meaning most of his speech is not correct. Shakespeare has most people wondering why he decides to write in a poetry style and in other places in prose. The most likely explanation for this is that higher status characters, such as Beatrice, use poetry in important and more dramatic scenes, whereas prose is mostly likely to be used by the lower status characters, such as Dogberry, in more comical and less important scenes.
At the start of the play, Beatrice is keen to know weather Benedick has survived the war as she secretly care for him. I pray you, is Signor Montanto returned from the wars, or not? Here in Act 1 Scene 1, lines 128 - 29, Beatrice asks the messenger weather Benedick has returned from the wars safely but uses the name Montanto, which confuses the messenger. Beatrice coins the name, with obvious sexual innuendo, form a fencing term for a fencing term for an upward thrust.
After Hero puts the messenger back in the picture he replies that Benedick has returned safely from the wars. When Beatrice hears the news that he is safe she disguises the fact that she was worried about the well being of Benedick as if she did not care weather he was alive or not. Throughout the entire play, Beatrice and Benedick, accompany each other in battles of wit. This is one of the focus points of the play, showing Shakespeare's superb intellect whilst writing. Both Beatrice and Benedick both try to throw one another in believing there is no slight chance of love. Both Beatrice and Benedick vow not to marry.
We can see this from Benedick as in Act 2 Scene 1, line 224, Benedick announces to Claudio and Don Pedro; I will live a bachelor. He tries to fool them into believing that he hasnt any feelings for Beatrice. Throughout Act 2 Scene 1, Benedick is found, continuously, talking about Beatrice. It is now even clearer to the audience that Benedick has feelings for Beatrice. But that my lady Beatrice should know me, and not know me! Here Benedick refers to Beatrice as my lady making me come to the conclusion that Benedick does love Beatrice.
By continuously talking about Beatrice, Benedick makes clear his feeling towards Beatrice, but still tries to disguise the fact that he has feelings for her. Benedick adopts the appearance of being a male chauvinist and Beatrice adopts the appearance of displaying resent towards the male gender. Beatrice also adopts the appearance of being an unconventional woman of the time era with her constant out spoken behaviour and witty intelligence, which presents a challenge to all male characters in the play. The couples background is fairly clear.
We know that Beatrice and Benedick have known each other for a fairly long time. We can see by reading the play that they have a secret passion for one another but that they both fear to speak out about their feelings for one another in case the other does not feel the same way. Both Beatrice and Benedick continue to fight in battles of wit to try to disguise the fact that they both feel the same way towards each other. Beatrice often wins their battles of wit. I think this is because Benedick is sincere towards Beatrice and maybe even lets her win out of respect for her. As the battles continue throughout the play, chemistry starts to grow stronger between them both.
As the play continues, the relationship between Beatrice and Benedick starts to blossom and finally results in the couple revealing their true feelings for each other. The couple finally pluck up the courage to do this with a little will power from other characters within the play. Hero and Ursula deliberately talk aloud about Benedick's feelings for Beatrice, so that Beatrice over hears. After over hearing the conversation Beatrice now feels she can also revel the feelings she has for Benedick, as she now does not fear the thought of rejection. Taming my wild heart to thy loving hand. In Act 3 Scene 1, Beatrice revels aloud that she has feelings for Benedick.
In Act 4 scene 1, Benedick now knows that the feelings are mutual. Now the couple have become closer, Beatrice springs a conundrum on Benedick to kill Claudio or lose her. In Act 4 Scene 2, after hearing that if he does not challenge Claudio to a fight and hearing the consequences, Benedick finally agrees to challenge Claudio to a fight. I will challenge him.
This now shows how much Benedick feels for Beatrice as he is more willing to kill his best friend than lose her. In Act 5 Scene 4, Benedick announces to Beatrice that he is in love with her, whilst at Heros and Claudio's wedding. Heres our own hands against our own hearts. Benedick carries on to ask for Beatrice's hand in marriage. Come, I will have thee. But by this light, I take thee for pity.
Benedick then waits for Beatrice's reply, which is I would not deny you. Beatrice accepts Benedick's proposal and the couple finally get married. Beatrice and Benedick share many similarities. They both vow never to marry at the beginning of the play.
The meaning of Benedick's and Beatrice's name are the same; the blessed one. Another similarity they both share is their very high intellect. We can see from reading the play that Beatrice and Benedick are very intelligent as their intelligence is displayed in their many battles of wit. Another similarity they both share is, is that at the beginning of the play their hate for the opposite sex. Beatrice and Benedick are also very stubborn. This could be down to the fact that they are scared of the idea of rejection.
They both also try to disguise their feelings for one another through trickery but this does not last for long as their feelings are mutual and genuine. Their feelings are not only based on looks, unlike Claudio and Heros relationship, but personality too. I do not think Beatrice and Benedick have any differences. This therefore makes the couple strong and a recipe for success. The type of relationship between Beatrice and Benedick was one of Shakespeare's favourite types to write about. This is because the couple are completely different from a conventional Elizabethan couple.
It was not expected that couples would be out spoken about their feelings and thoughts, like Beatrice and Benedick display, and it was expected of couples to keep personal matters and feelings strictly between one another, not anybody else. Throughout Much Ado About Nothing, there is not much background between Hero and Claudio, one of the couples within this comedy, apposed to Beatrice and Benedick. This is as the couple only meet for the first time at the start of the play at the masked ball at Leonato's house, which happens to also be Heros home. Claudio, an immature and naive character, falls instantly in love with Hero as soon as he sets eyes on her. In Act 1 Scene 1, he immediately starts to think about marriage and a future for them both. I would scarce trust myself though I have sworn the contrary, if Hero would be my wife.
This quote tells us that Claudio is willing to marry Hero even though he knows nothing about her or her personality, only that she is attractive. Also in Act 1 Scene 1, lines 147 - 185, Claudio has a conversation with Benedick about Hero. Claudio asks Benedick about his opinion of Hero. Benedick did thou note the daughter of Signor Leonato? Her Leonato...
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