Similarly, Hero and Ursula discuss how Benedick is "in love" with Beatrice, while Beatrice herself hides in the trees and listens; she too takes the bait. Beatrice is so easily fooled because she overhears Ursula and Hero accuse her of not being able to love anyone “Nature framed a woman’s heart of prouder stuff then that of Beatrice.” They are saying that she vales herself to highly and that no one would be good enough for her. After they have gone, we realise that this is a turning point in their relationship, as Beatrice becomes more serious “Contempt, farewell; and maiden pride adieu.” She finally admits that she loves Benedick and truly hopes that he feels the same way “And Benedick, love on; I will requite thee, Taming my wild heart to thy loving hand.”
I am going to concentrate on act 4 sc 1 to discuss the dramatic change in Benedick and Beatrice during this scene. Shakespeare uses dramatic tension in this scene as Claudio, Don Pedro have just been tricked, by Don John, into thinking that Hero has had an affair and we know Claudio is about to publicly reject her and tell everyone gathered what he thinks he has seen. This makes the audience feel sympathy for the naïve Hero. She is so distraught with the false accusations that she faints and everyone apart from Hero, Leonato, Beatrice, Benedick and the Friar leave. Benedick does not speak up straight away to defend nor condemn Hero but rather keeps silent and hears what both sides have to say. He is also the first to suspect Don John “The practice of it lies in John the Bastard.” This shows his intelligence, his trust in Hero and his loyalty to his friends. The friar then suggests that everyone should pretend that Hero has died from the shock of the accusations. Shakespeare has used this before in “Romeo and Juliet.” It is a good way to create excitement in the audience, as they know what is going to happen before the characters do. Beatrice and Benedick are then left alone and Benedick sees his chance to comfort Beatrice. For the first time Benedick shows real affection towards his heartbroken love “Lady Beatrice, have you wept all this while?” she then replies with “Yea, and I will weep a while longer.” Even though Benedick is trying to comfort her, Beatrice rejects his comments at first and fires back with her usual wit “I will not desire that”, ”You have no reason, I do it freely.” She is so upset with what has happened Benedick then makes a very bold statement “I do love nothing in the world as well as you. Is that not strange?” This is a brave statement by Benedick because an emotional Beatrice could easily reject him. Beatrice is clearly taken back by this and Shakespeare shows this in her response as she makes “much ado” about “nothing” “As strange as the thing I know no not. It were as possible for me to say I loved nothing so well as you. But believe me not, and yet I lie not; I confess nothing, nor I deny nothing.” She then tries to change the subject back by saying “I am sorry for my cousin.” Benedick takes no notice of this and says, “By my sword Beatrice, thou lovest me.” The conversation becomes lighter and playful again as Beatrice proclaims her love “I love you with so much of my heart that none is left to protest.” Benedick is so caught up in the moment he suggests “Come bid me do anything for thee.” Beatrice then darkly replies with “Kill Claudio.” On these two words the mood of the scene changes from playful tenderness to a serious test of his love. Benedick’s instant reaction is to decline “Ha, not for the wide world.” Beatrice is crushed by this “You kill me to deny it. Farewell.” Beatrice wishes that she was a man so she can challenge Claudio “O that I were a man for his sake” “I cannot be a man with wishing, therefore I will die a woman with grieving. After this and some persuasion Benedick agrees to challenge Claudio “Enough I am engaged; I will challenge him.” Although earlier in this conversation Beatrice seemed very emotional and was letting her heart rule her head, with her request to Benedick it seems as if she was making sure that he really loved her and by almost making him plead for her to love him, then she risks a lot by asking Benedick to prove his for love her by challenging Claudio, she gets what she wants and she is definitely in control. Beatrice realises that physically she would not be a match for the Soldier; she finally admits that she has a weakness and shows a more gentile, fragile side. However mentally she is very strong and manages persuade Benedick into challenging him. Shakespeare manages to create a very emotionally charged scene with a love lost and a love gained. The shock of Claudio’s rejection of Hero makes the bickering between Benedick and Beatrice impossible to continue as their barriers have been swept away. Their confessions of love are made with grave tenderness, with Beatrice slightly withholding. Immediately their love is forged by Beatrice’s demand. The couple make their proclamations of love in simple and plain language. Beatrice, however, breaks out passionately in her outbursts against Claudio and when Benedick challenges Claudio he speaks directly but when he and Beatrice meet again they resume their usual wordplay “tell me for which of my bad parts did you first fall in love with me?” “For all of them put together”. There is a strong theme of irony running though the conversation with Beatrice condemning Claudio for rejecting a marriage, which she openly done throughout the play, and Benedick risking his life for a woman and letting her tell him what to do, something he said he would never do, this highlights the change in their characters.
If I were Benedick I would of found it hard to say no to Beatrice because she is the one he loves. Beatrice’s demands may seem extreme as Claudio truly believes that Hero has been unfaithful but Claudio did choose to publicly shame her instead of talking to her rationally, which if he did they would of soon realised that Don John was behind this.
Near the end of the play in Act 5 all is well and Hero has been proven innocent through a confession by Borachio and is now married to Claudio. However there is still the unresolved relationship of Benedick and Beatrice. When they meet again there is playfulness in their banter. Benedick, who has been mocked more than anyone else in the play, praises himself since no one else would “Thou and I are too wise to woo peaceably.” This sums up their relationship in a lot of ways.
In the final scene neither Beatrice nor Benedick is willing to admit in front of everyone that they love each other. However Claudio and Hero produce two pieces of paper from the couple declaring their love for each other even after this they still wont properly admit it “Come, I will have thee, but by this light thee for pity.” As she finishes her reply Benedick kisses her “Peace, I will stop your mouth.” Benedick dominates the final stages of the play and even overrules Leonato “First of my word, therefore play music. Benedick has changed so much that he is now advising Don Pedro to get married. “Prince, thou art sad; get thee a wife; get thee a wife”
Throughout the play Shakespeare uses puns in the witty exchanges between Beatrice and Benedick. Beatrice uses it so many times that Benedick says, “Thou hast frightened the word out of his right sense, so forcible is thy wit.” Shakespeare also uses oxymoron’s to emphasize conflicting emotions “Thou pure impiety and impious purity.”
In conclusion the play is very witty and the characters are believable. Shakespeare’s imagination is clearly shown. Some of the more obvious themes in the play are that of love, marriage, trust and loyalty. A less obvious theme is that appearances are deceiving, and in “Much Ado About nothing” which is full of deceptions, the truth behind appearances is constantly in question.
