Juliet, Ophelia, Gertrude, Desdemona, Emilia: female Shakespearean characters that are only distinguishable by the nuances of their deaths. Across his writing, Shakespeare crafts female characters that are often portrayed as inferior to the male leads. With fewer lines and less influence, the female characters generally reflect the social role of women during the time of Shakespeare’s writing. To provide context of the environment in which the play, Much Ado About Nothing was presented, Jean Howard examines the atmosphere of The Globe Theatre and those who were in attendance. While several of  Shakespeare’s plays, particularly a comedy such as Much Ado About Nothing, were popular among the lower class, there was still a high attendance of upper class individuals, some of who even had the ability to censor the content of the plays. In catering to this diverse audience, Howard suggests that the Shakespearean plays “served the hegemonic interests of the state and dominant classes” by portraying common and  dominant ideologies (164). Although Shakespeare was known to provide some criticism of the ruling elite, generally his plays simply reflected the social structures of the time. In looking at the female characters of his plays, it is clear that women during this time period had a very restricted social role. Most of Shakespeare’s female characters did not have a lead role and were dominated by their husbands or male counterparts, who in most cases were responsible for the deaths of the women. In all, this sheds light on an English social structure that did not provide much liberty or opportunity to women. One character that stands out, however, is Beatrice of Much Ado About Nothing. Having a strong presence immediately in the first scene of the play, Beatrice dominates the plot unlike any other Shakespearean woman. Rather than moving quietly like her counterpart, Hero, Beatrice boldly speaks her mind and has a prominent role throughout the play. Chronologically placed between the presentation of characters such as Juliet of Romeo and Juliet and Ophelia of Hamlet, the significance of  Beatrice’s success in living through the entire play and ultimately achieving her goal of love is heightened considerably. Amid female characters who are dominated by men and unsuccessful in their attempts to achieve or retain love, why is Beatrice the only bold and successful woman? Why does Beatrice not conform to the norm of subservient women? Shakespeare shows that she is primarily successful because of her rhetoric. Beatrice overcomes the societal expectations and gender roles because of the use of prose, her use of wit, and assimilation with the male characters of the play.

In Much Ado About Nothing, Shakespeare breaks from his usual use of iambic pentameter and has the entire play spoken in prose. Immediately, this reduces the formality of the play. In other plays such as The Tempest, The Twelfth Night, The Merchant of Venice, King Lear, and even Much Ado About Nothing, Shakespeare creates a clear fool or clown character (“Shakespeare’s Clowns and Fools”). These characters are not only differentiated by what they say, but specifically how they say it. Usually, and in the previously mentioned plays, iambic pentameter was the common syntax structure used by Shakespeare’s educated characters, as opposed to prose which was reserved for the uneducated fool or clown character. The women in Shakespeare’s plays, having higher status than the fools but not as educated as the men, were generally stuck in the cumbersome middle position and unable to simply default to one particular structure. For this reason, their voice was incredibly limited. In Much Ado About Nothing, however, this divide is rejected. With even the most educated royalty of Don Pedro and Leonato speaking in prose like Dogberry, a more level field is established and women are immediately offered a greater opportunity to speak. Just as the syntax does not meet the expectation of a Shakespearean play, so too will the characterization, particularly the characterization of women, not meet the expectation of Shakespearean society. Without the pressure of determining the appropriate syntax, Beatrice speaks freely and defies the societal expectations and gender roles of the time. By using prose rather than iambic pentameter, the speech in Much Ado About Nothing has the “salience of wit rather than the ambiance of poetry” (McCollom 165). The structure of prose also puts greater emphasis on the meaning and message of the line rather than the rhythm in which it is delivered. In other words, prose proves to be a freer form of speech and a more suitable platform to showcase Beatrice’s use of diction and wit.

Beatrice’s language is different from other female characters because of this use of wit. According to McCollom, “wit drives the play” Much Ado About Nothing. With Beatrice being the primary instigator and dominator in witty conversation, it can then be said that Beatrice drives the play. She assumes a much different and more powerful role than Shakespeare’s other female characters.  McCollom suggests the use of wit is  “primarily between Beatrice and Benedick” and  “creates a tone of a ‘merry war’”(166). The term ‘merry war’ suggests that the banter of Beatrice is lighthearted and not taken seriously. Beatrice is successful in conveying a tone that is not too bold or offensive because despite speaking freely, she still understands the socially expected and accepted behavior. This is evident in lines such as “yes, faith. It is my cousin’s duty to make curtsy and say, ‘Father, as it please you.’”(II.i.49-50). In this line, Beatrice shows that she understands the importance of being respectful. With everyone around her knowing her genuine and courteous intentions, Beatrice can speak more freely and not be taken as too serious. For anytime there may be a misunderstanding or thought that she has overstepped her bounds, Beatrice clarifies her intention saying, “but I beseech your grace pardon me. I was born to speak all mirth and no matter” (II.i.311-312). Beatrice’s success in presenting this jovial tone is evident in her conversation with Benedick where she breaks her pattern of playful wit to very seriously tell him to “kill Claudio” (IV.i.288). Thinking that Beatrice is speaking out of jest like she normally does, Benedick responds, “ha! Not for the wide world” (IV.i.289). The fact that Benedick defaults to this understand of her tone shows that she was successful throughout the play in balancing respect and bold language. This provides Beatrice with more leeway to speak freely and use her wit more than other Shakespearean women were able or expected to.

With the use of wit that is par, if not superior to Benedick, Beatrice reveals her ability to assimilate with the male characters. Displaying herself as equal to the men,  Beatrice is able to have a greater role than most women of the era or female characters in Shakespeare’s other works. In Much Ado About Nothing, although no other female’s name begins with the same letter as their male counterpart, Beatrice shares the letter B with Benedick, immediately aligning her with the men. But she aligns with the men on more than just the first letter of her name. Beatrice “is as aggressive and guarded as the other men in the play” (Cook 191). Cook states that Beatrice’s “audacious speech might seem a serious violation of Messina’s conventions of gender, but it is significant how little she actually threatens Messina’s men, who regard her generally as rather a good fellow” (191). This analysis shows that rather than being viewed as an opposing threat, the men of the play consider her a companion and part of the group, further solidifying her assimilation. Examining Beatrice’s language on a surface or structural level, her equality with the men is seen in her capability to counter Benedick and mirror his use of language. Bold language was a quality of men at the time, and the fact that Beatrice is capable of mastering it rather than having a minimal voice like other female characters, reveals her masculine qualities. In the first scene alone, Beatrice and Benedick have twelve consecutive lines of witty banter, showing that Beatrice is just as prepared as Benedick to deliver a quick remark. Beatrice even proclaims, “you always ending with a jade’s trick. I know you of old” referring to the fact that it is always Benedick ending the conversation of the two (I.i.138). This suggests that Beatrice is more masculine than even Benedick who backs down from the challenge of witty banter. A closer analysis of her diction also displays Beatrice’s assimilation with men as she uses the same approach as Benedick in her banter. As Benedick renames and “address Beatrice as ‘my Lady Tongue’ or ‘Lady Disdain’”(Slights 174). Complimenting this, Beatrice counters and “renames Bendeck ‘Signior Mountanto’” (174). With this replicated counter, Beatrice not only aligns herself with Benedick, but aligns herself with Adam, who is considered the first male and most significant masculine image. Beatrice elevates herself to the ultimate level of masculinity as she and Benedick, “by exercising the power to create names, not only try to claim dominion over each other but pretend to an Adam-like independence from social control”, a position far superior to the role women were expected to play (175). Beatrice’s diction also reveals her shared qualities with the men that elevate her social role as she “ usurps the masculine prerogatives of language and phallic wit, speaking poiniards as an escape from feminine silence or inarticulate expression of emotion” (Cook 190). In showing that she can assimilate and revealing aspects in which she is equal to the male characters, Beatrice is able to elevate her status and influence despite being a woman.

Beatrice supersedes the gender roles and expectations of women at the time as she does not quietly go through the play controlled by men. Rather, she boldly asserts herself as their equal and is one of the few successful female Shakespearean characters able to rise above the limitations of gender roles and societal expectations of women. She does this through her use of prose, wit, and confidence in assimilating with the male characters of the play.