In Elizabethan society, men were usually socially dominant compared to women. Men were assumed to be superior to women. Wives were assumed to be their husband’s legal property. ‘Much Ado about Nothing’ shows Beatrice and Benedick in constant competition with Beatrice mostly winning, which would be unusual in a society where men were socially dominant. Beatrice rebels against the unequal status of women in Renaissance society: ‘I cannot be a man with wishing, therefore I will die a woman with grieving’. Beatrice does succumb to love but immediately assumes a dominant male role in demanding Claudio to be killed. This shows powerfulness in her character. However men are dominant in the play: Claudio in war and romantic love and Benedick in war and the conquest of Beatrice.
The plot of ‘Much Ado About Nothing’ is based upon deliberate deceptions, some spiteful and others kind. Deception occurs in both scenes where Benedick and Beatrice are tricked into falling in love with each other. They are fooled into thinking that each loves the other, and they actually do fall in love as a result. ‘Much Ado About Nothing’ shows that deceit is not initially evil, but it is something that can be used for either good or bad reasons.
The plot where Benedick is deceived involves Don Pedro, Claudio and Leonato discussing how Beatrice is madly in love with Benedick, but does not dare tell him. Luring Benedick into this trap, Leonato ironically rejects the idea that perhaps Beatrice’s desire for Benedick is false. Don Pedro claims, ‘her spirit had been invincible against all assaults of affection’. This gives the audience an image of love and war, which is effective because it represents Beatrice and Benedick’s relationship and the contrasts it holds. Leonato says, ‘… Benedick and Beatrice between the sheet’. This is ambiguous as it could mean a sheet of paper or bed linen, which would have been said to tease Benedick. Benedick is then left alone after hearing what has been said about him.
Benedick claims, ‘this can be no trick’. This line is contrasted with when Benedick called Claudio a fool for falling in love and now believes Beatrice’s affection. This whole soliloquy shows dramatic irony, which is effective and humorous for the audience, as they know the truth. The rhetorical language he uses is comical because it tells the audience he is not quite sure about what he feels. He argues with himself, ‘when I said I would die a bachelor I did not think I should live til I were married’, which shows he is confused. He is arguing with his feelings and tries to convince himself that a change of mind is acceptable. ‘Doth not the appetite alter?’ he asks himself about if people can change. It appears in the final lines that he has changed because when he sees Beatrice he claims, ‘she is a fair lady, I do spy some marks of love in her’. Benedick has allowed himself to acknowledge his love but has not yet come to terms with his feelings. The soliloquy is in prose, which displays Benedick’s struggle to come to terms with his new way of thinking, which contradict his old beliefs. The convention of a soliloquy is very effective as it allows this character to show his true feelings. However, as the audience are used to seeing Benedick performing for others, it is hard to tell whether he has been in love with Beatrice all along, or if he suddenly falls in love with her.
Benedick is feeling very insecure at this point in the play. The struggles with his new self are shown when Don Pedro questions if he will ‘make a trust or transgression?’ Don Pedro intended this to mean does Benedick think trusting in someone completely is a crime. The two words give alliteration with the same ‘tr’ and ‘s’ sounds. This is effective because the sound of the ‘s’ gives a sound of a snake, indicating evil and the ‘tr’ sound is more positive and calming. This technique Shakespeare has used is effective because the contrasted meanings of trust and betrayal are portrayed through the writing technique. This is significant of Benedick, showing his personal confusion.
Beatrice enters after Benedick’s soliloquy, which is humorous. She does not know that Benedick knows about her love for him, if there is any love for him at all. The last time they met, Benedick called Beatrice a ‘harpy’, so she must be feeling angry with him as she collects him for dinner. His change in mood must confuse her. Benedick states, ‘You take pleasure then in the message’, to which Beatrice replies, ‘just so much as you may take upon a knife point’. Benedick’s change in personality may confuse Beatrice, as much as Benedick may be confused by Beatrice’s treatment of him. He may think that Beatrice is playing games by continuing their ‘merry war’ of wits but never does he suspect it was a trick. The audience of ‘Much Ado Abut Nothing’ have the luxury of being better informed than any of the characters, with the exception of Beatrice. Therefore, the scenes are much more comic because of the dramatic irony, as the audience feel much cleverer than those on stage.
The plot to trick Beatrice is planned by Hero. Beatrice has been told by Margaret that Hero and Ursula are talking about so her, so she walks in to eavesdrop into what is being said. They say that she is very particular about men, ‘so turns she every man the wrong side out’. Once she hears Hero describing that Benedick is love with her, she opens herself to the strengths and weaknesses of love. They plan to tell Benedick things about her to ‘empoison likening’. Ursula claims ‘she’s limed’, meaning trapped, which again gives the audience imagery of hunting. Hero states;
‘If it prove so, then loving goes by haps,
Some Cupid kills with arrows, some with traps’.
The use of a rhyming couplet finalises the plan, which Beatrice has heard. She includes ‘Cupid’, the god of love, who Hero and other characters involved in the plot could be compared to, as they are acting as matchmakers for their friends with a trap.
Beatrice is left alone and performs a soliloquy, as with Benedick’s soliloquy, it is an effective convention as her true feelings are shown to the audience. She begins with, ‘what fire is in mine ears?’ The ‘fire’ in this line has two meanings. One of these meanings could be her ears are burning because her friends have just been talking about her or it could mean there is a new love inside her, which provides imagery of passion. ‘To bind our loves up in a holy band’ could mean she would like to marry him and create a bond. The speed of her decision might suggests she has always loved him and does not need time to think about what she has heard, unlike Benedick. The soliloquy is in verse, which is the first time Beatrice speaks in verse in the play. The way Shakespeare has changed Beatrice’s speech to verse shows the change to her state of mind. The language is more poetic and romantic, as Beatrice states ‘If thou dost love, my kindness shall incite thee’. The rhyme scheme is a reminder of an Elizabethan love sonnet, but does not have fourteen lines and is not complete. This may signify her love is not quite complete, as she has not yet told Benedick of her love and does not know for sure if what she overheard is correct. The emotion in the speech is also more intense. Beatrice softens her tone in her soliloquy, as she softens to Benedick.
When Beatrice and Benedick are alone together for the first time after learning of each other’s love, Beatrice commands Benedick to ‘Kill Claudio’. The tone of this is very dramatic, and portrays Beatrice in a much more domineering way. Beatrice risks everything by asking Benedick to kill his friend, but in turn, Benedick risks everything also if he would have accepted. This is an essential test of their love, which they overcome. Beatrice tells Benedick, ‘I pray you let me go’, showing Beatrice physically reject Benedick. This provides an inversion of the action and signs associated with the condemnation. When Beatrice tells Benedick to keep his hands off her, it again shows she is dominant.
The play jokes at the imaginary language of love that courtiers used in Elizabethan times. Benedick notes about Claudio’s language, ‘His words are a very fantastical banquet, just so many strange dishes’. Benedick and his companions try to display their perfect social elegances in their behaviour and their speech. This is humorous to the audience, especially the change in Benedick’s language once he admits his love. He claims, ‘I will be horribly in love’, which to him means he will be in love with Beatrice. This contrasts with the ‘old’ Benedick who said someone who fell in love would be ‘the argument of his own scorn’. After they reveal their love for each other separately in their soliloquies, the scenes with Beatrice and Benedick are far more humorous. They start to behave in a way that previously they would find foolish. At the end, Benedick tells Leonato, ‘I do with an eye of love requite her’. This line has a good rhythm that flows gracefully, which contrasts with the anger in the scene before with Claudio and Hero.
It is through Benedick and Beatrice that some Shakespearean conventions are revealed. Through them we see confusion, dramatic irony, comedy, puns, witticisms and insults and although some of these are seen in other characters, I believe that it is the story of their relationship that is the main focal point of the play. The title may even seem to be referring to them. 'Much Ado About Nothing' could be pointing out the delay in them forming a relationship when it is expected from start to finish that it will happen. At one point, Shakespeare had even titled this play, 'Benedicke and Betteris', which shows their relationship is a main focus throughout the play. Without Benedick and Beatrice, I think the play would be short of material and it is their characters and their relationship that make the play successful.
“Benedick: Do you not love me?
Beatrice: Why no, no more than reason.
Beatrice: Do you not love me?
Benedick: Troth no, no more than reason
Benedick: Come, I will take thee; but by this light, I take thee for pity.”
It is clear that marriage will not change their relationship and the audience are left with the ultimate satisfaction that everything is good and the characters have found their correct place in society.
Beatrice and Benedick are destined to last because there are no illusions to be crushed, as they know each other so well. They also have the confidence that they will be able to keep each other entertained with their similar wit. Benedick tells Beatrice, ‘I take thee for pity’, to which Beatrice replies, ‘I yield upon great persuasion, and partly to save your life’. This shows their ability to mock themselves at how they used to act and promises the audience that the ‘merry war’ between them will carry on beyond marriage. The name Beatrice means she who blesses and Benedick means he is to be blessed, which is significant, as it shows they are meant to be together. At the end Beatrice compares marriage to joyful dances, ‘wooing, wedding and repenting is as a Scotch jig, a measure, and a cinquepeace’. By including references to dances, the play presents itself as pure entertainment, which is aware of its own drama.