Comparing and Contrasting the Relationships of Beatrice...

In Shakespeare’s play, Much Ado About Nothing, written in the early 15th century, the relationships between Benedick and Beatrice and Hero and Claudio are the key to the play and create a lot of tension and comedy. The two relationships are interesting in different ways, and this essay will explore this in terms of the language used, the plot, characterisation and how the two relationships stand thematically. Beatrice and Benedick are interesting due to Shakespeare’s use of language. Confusion is created as to whether they love or hate each other owing to their snide comments, such as Beatrice’s response â€Å"A bird of my tongue is better than a beast of yours† (1.1.104), notably continuing the reference to animals, after Benedick†¦show more content†¦Through this use of language in their banter and witty exchanges, they would be more interesting to the audience as they are a unique couple who are ‘just them’ and their exchanges would fuel much speculation about their life, whether they love each other or hate each other. On the other hand, the infrequent dialogue between Hero and Claudio could be seen as less interesting in terms of language. Hero doesn’t speak much – in fact she only speaks one line in the opening scene where she is present throughout- â€Å"My cousin (Beatrice) means Signor Benedick of Padua† (1.1.35) - this is to help the messenger understand what Beatrice has just said. It is also significant due to the fact that Hero only speaks in relation to Beatrice and Benedick, as can be seen by the quotation above.. Although it can be argued that the silence creates interest in the couple and that Hero’s silence is typical of traditional Elizabethan courtly love, this can be seen as unoriginal and stereotypical. Another part of the play that shows this is in Act Four, during her wedding. The number of lines she speaks is minimal, and where she does it is mysterious and can be seen in many ways. â€Å"One Hero died defiled, but I do live, and surely as I live, I am a maid.† (5.4.63).ThisShow MoreRelatedWilliam Shakespeare s Much Ado About Nothing1550 Words   |  7 Pagesin Much Ado About Nothing is very different depending on which character or relationship one focuses on. Benedick and Beatrice show their love for each other like a school boy, who picks on his crush to show he likes her. In contrast, Hero and Claudio’s relationship is much more innocent and simple. Shakespeare shows the themes of love, the difference between appearance and reality, and deception, through Hero, Claudio, Beatrice, and Benedick and their relationships with each other. Benedick andRead More Differences between Beatrice and Hero in Much Ado about Nothing1203 Words   |  5 Pagesbetween Beatrice and Hero in the early scenes of Shakespeare’s play ‘Much Ado about Nothing’ Shakespeare’s play ‘Much Ado about Nothing’ has two main female characters, Beatrice and Hero, who are cousins. Both appear to be completely different in the beginning of the play but, as things progress and their characters develop, there are also some very obvious similarities between them. Hero and Beatrice have a very close relationship; they are best friends. Leonato is Hero’s father but Beatrice hasRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s Much Ado About Nothing1608 Words   |  7 PagesIn Shakespeare s play, Much Ado about Nothing, many contrasting views on the subject of love are dramatised in the relationships presented, particularly those of Benedick and Beatrice, and Claudio and Hero. These views help to shape the play into a comedy, due to the severe differences. Benedick s slightly misogynistic views of love at the start of the play contrast heavily with his views by the end, as they change so drastically. He claims, in Act 1 Scene 1, that he is loved by all ladiesRead More Classical Imagery in Shakespeares Much Ado About Nothing Essay3559 Words   |  15 PagesClassical Imagery in Shakespeares Much Ado About Nothing The romance of history has lured many of the worlds greatest authors to search for their subject matter in the pages of time. 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Leonato is Heros father but Beatrice has no parents, whichRead MoreEssay about Film Versions of Shakespeare Comedies2208 Words   |  9 Pagescinematic context – to decide how to interpret the play and which elements are privileged and which are suppressed. This variance in interpretation is exemplified in comparing two of the more recent cinematic adaptations of Shakespeare’s comedies, Trevor Nunn’s Twelfth Night and Kenneth Branagh’s A Much Ado About Nothing [‘Much Ado’]. Although both films can to an extent be seen as comedies with serious, almost tragic aspects inherent throu ghout, Nunn’s film deals with these serious facets as central