The relationship Benedick and Beatrice
The relationship Benedick and Beatrice have is unusual throughout the play, particularly as deception plays a major role in bringing the pair together. Firstly they are deceiving themselves into believing they feel nothing for each other, and wage a ‘merry war’ trading witty insults, then both are tricked into believing the other is enamoured of them. The result of this is the positive resolution of their relationship: an emotional declaration of true love, and finally a sincere and very open relationship, all ironically caused by deception.
At the very first mention of Benedick in the play, in Act 1, Scene 1, Beatrice begins a witty assault, and the audience soon realises that she is deceiving herself about the nature of her true feelings towards Benedick. Her reference to Benedick challenging Cupid pokes fun at Benedick’s supposed image of himself as ‘loved of all ladies’: she argues he is arrogant and that this is unlikely. However, this early reference linking Benedick to Cupid is a hint to the audience of their love to come. Although Beatrice’s remarks are ruthless, the fact that they are so witty, and said by Beatrice in an amusing, not a sour tone, shows us that she doesn't really mean them. The audience can see this, and Shakespeare reinforces this idea using the character of Leonato to explain the ‘merry war’ between Benedick and Beatrice. Therefore the audience is able to watch with anticipation and amusement when we see this merry war in action. Benedick enters, and Beatrice soon strikes up their conversation with the merciless remark, ‘I wonder that you will still be talking, Signior Benedick: nobody marks you’. We can instantly see how similar the pair are as Benedick retorts immediately, clearly possessing just as much wit as Beatrice: ‘What, my dear Lady Disdain, are you yet living?’, teasing her about her age and the fact that she is notorious for her scornful character. The conversation continues as each play upon the words of the other to form a
At the very first mention of Benedick in the play, in Act 1, Scene 1, Beatrice begins a witty assault, and the audience soon realises that she is deceiving herself about the nature of her true feelings towards Benedick. Her reference to Benedick challenging Cupid pokes fun at Benedick’s supposed image of himself as ‘loved of all ladies’: she argues he is arrogant and that this is unlikely. However, this early reference linking Benedick to Cupid is a hint to the audience of their love to come. Although Beatrice’s remarks are ruthless, the fact that they are so witty, and said by Beatrice in an amusing, not a sour tone, shows us that she doesn't really mean them. The audience can see this, and Shakespeare reinforces this idea using the character of Leonato to explain the ‘merry war’ between Benedick and Beatrice. Therefore the audience is able to watch with anticipation and amusement when we see this merry war in action. Benedick enters, and Beatrice soon strikes up their conversation with the merciless remark, ‘I wonder that you will still be talking, Signior Benedick: nobody marks you’. We can instantly see how similar the pair are as Benedick retorts immediately, clearly possessing just as much wit as Beatrice: ‘What, my dear Lady Disdain, are you yet living?’, teasing her about her age and the fact that she is notorious for her scornful character. The conversation continues as each play upon the words of the other to form a