Much Ado About Nothing Group

Question:

emenace
emenace
Student
High School - 9th Grade

Why do Beatrice and Benedick talk about loving each other according to "reason" (Act 5, Scene 4)?

How does the gender of the characters play into this?

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Posted by emenace on Tuesday January 8, 2008 at 6:30 PM and tagged with beatrice, benedick, much ado about nothing, reason.

Answers:


  1. amethystrose Teacher
    High School - 9th Grade

    When confronted with the fact that both Beatrice and Benedick were led, via the "noting" of planned conversations among their friends, to believe that each was in love with the other, they felt embarrassed at being tricked into admissions of love.  Both are proud characters and neither wanted to be the one to say "I love you" first out of a fear of rejection.  When each is asked about loving the other and both respond, "No more than reason", they mean "no more than any one human being should give a hoot about any other human being".  This demonstrates their pride in not being willing to admit their true feelings.  However, both Claudio and Hero produce written confessions of love that they have confiscated, and Beatrice and Benedick are forced to admit the truth.

    Sources:
    http://www.enotes.com/muchado

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    Posted by amethystrose on Tuesday January 8, 2008 at 6:54 PM

  2. bubble10pop
    bubble10pop Student
    High School - 9th Grade

    they talk about loving to reason because they claim that they dont love eachother with a passion and until they are proven wrong they are more than happy to deny their love for eachother

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    Posted by bubble10pop on Tuesday May 6, 2008 at 10:45 AM