Much Ado About Nothing Group

Question:


freshman
Student
High School - 11th Grade

In Much Ado About Nothing, what is Benedick's impression of Beatrice and vice versa?

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Posted by freshman on Friday October 5, 2007 at 4:53 AM and tagged with beatrice, benedick, characters, first impression, much ado about nothing.

Answers:


  1. amy-lepore Teacher
    High School - 12th Grade

    They are equally matched in wit and sharp tongues.  They pretend not to be attracted to one another, but secretly, they are intrigued by the strength in the other (we might call this stubbornness or sarcasm) and look forward to the next time they will meet.  They enjoy the banter between the two of them, and play tricks with words to see who can come out on top of the "word war".  Later on in the play, they realize they are made for one another and begin to date.

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    Posted by amy-lepore on Friday October 5, 2007 at 7:40 AM


  2. sagetrieb Teacher
    Doctorate

    There is a suggestion in the text that these “two bears” were once in love with each other (2.1.280-82). Shakespeare does not say why the relationship broke down, but each other is obsessed with and continually talking about the other in a manner which makes it clear that their animosity is a cloak for feelings of a very different kind.  That is why they can be tricked with such ease.  For all of their gaiety, their scorn of the married state, Beatrice and Benedick are essentially lonely people.  They have set themselves up to be imprisoned for life within a set of attitudes and social responses (about the opposite sex, each other, and marriage) which, though witty, are inhibiting and sterile. Neither can break thee self-imposed fetters without help form the outside (the tricks their friends play on them).  When this help arrives, they turn joyously to one another with a freedom and depth of engagement lacking in the relationship of Hero and Claudio.

    Sources:
    http://www.enotes.com/much-ado

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    Posted by sagetrieb on Saturday October 6, 2007 at 5:21 AM


  3. dchbowen4life Student
    High School - 11th Grade

    They were once In Love but they act as though they hate each other and often battle with strong words?

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    Posted by dchbowen4life on Thursday December 6, 2007 at 7:56 PM