Merry War or Marry Me
September 19, 2016
Merry War or Marry Me
Help Received: None
Matthew Penaranda
William Shakespeare is widely regarded as one of the most capable as well as influential masters of the English language. Much Ado About Nothing is a play in which Shakespeare’s linguistic proficiency is showcased through the dialogues of clever and dynamic individuals, namely Benedick and Beatrice. This essay will consider how the character Beatrice depicts the problems human beings are often faced with when attempting to communicate with each other. This essay will compare and contrast the conversations between Beatrice and other characters in order to emphasize the influence of the use of language in such ways that contribute both to the comedic and tragic events of this play.
The play opens with a conversation between Leonato’s family and a messenger informing them of the Don Pedro’s successful endeavors on the battlefield and him being en route with the intention to take leave in Messina with his comrades of which include Benedick and young Claudio. Unlike traditional gender representations of women as particularly passive victims of patriarchal precedence, Beatrice exemplifies the “emancipated Elizabethan woman” with the exceptional capacity to accept or deny potential suitors “(Draper, 140). Perhaps being inspired by Queen Elizabeth who held him in her favor and in her own right an active figure of authority, Shakespeare’s Beatrice is a refreshingly authoritative female perspective whose independence is capitalized by an outspoken command of the English language. Beatrice prefaces Benedick’s arrival, foreshadowing their inevitable quarrels, with insults and clever plays on words including comparing him to woman saying he is a “good soldier to a lady” after the messenger said he is “a good soldier too, lady” (1. 1. 49-50). With this quip, the first of the paper bullets of the merry war is shot between the two before Benedick enters the stage. Shakespeare’s simple wordplay in this instance is testament to the complexity of language depicted by the duality of the spoken words “too” meaning as well and “to” in an old English context meaning “compared to” as pointed out in the footnotes of The Pelican publication of this play. Though this scene provides a comedic twist in dialogue, this sort of duality of meaning is a recurring use of language that if not recognized might result in miscommunication. As the play develops, most of the plot develops from deceptions dependent on misunderstandings often the product of miscommunication.
Claudio and the lot are easily disenchanted with Hero, Leonato’s daughter, through the conspiracies of Don John and his loyal Borachio. I will confess that at this point I was still more interested in the romance between Beatrice and Benedick because of the mutual interest and participation in their relationship reflected in their use of language compared to the much ado about nothing so to speak surrounding the less developed, in both age and overall characterization, Claudio and Hero. The wit fueled crossing of metaphorical swords through words between Beatrice and Benedick is the balance achieved between reason and passion. Unlike the Romeo and Juliet, ““love” at first sight,” narrative reincarnate through Claudio and Hero, Beatrice and Benedick are in control of their courtship on their own terms and together despite the circumstances. Notwithstanding their self-aware soliloquys confessing their love for the other to themselves, the two recognize and approach the idea of love without completely abandoning their grasp of logic and reason as reflected in their enduringly intelligent, if not misconstrued, attempts to woo each other initially.
The climax of their merry war is the confessions of love to each other following the accusations against Hero that Claudio was duped into believing. Not satisfied by the passion of her newfound love, Beatrice demands Benedick kill Claudio to prove his love. Though this seems very much an act of passion, this request seems very just and fair in an old English context. Mercutio drew his sword over petty insults towards his Romeo and Tybalt oft’ drew his sword for lesser trivialities, but God forbid a woman be scorned and desire vengeance. Beatrice’s loyalty to Hero supersedes her love for Benedick and having the resolve to request Benedick kill Claudio when any other Juliet would have simply swooned further empowers Beatrice unlike any other character. Similarly loyal to Claudio as Beatrix is to Hero, Benedick initially exclaims refusal to draw his sword at his friend. Beatrix eventually overcomes Benedick’s dissonance by forcing him to make a decision between his prior loyalties and their love in the following exchange:
Benedick: Tarry, good Beatrice. By this hand, I love thee.
Beatrice: Use it for my love some other way than swearing by it.
(4. 1. 322-325)
Beatrice’s wit is used to distance as well as connect and appeal to other characters at will. Beatice’s exceptional orations afford her “awareness and the ability and act discerningly” more than any other character (McCollom, 168). In the face of uncertainty in terms of their feelings for each other as well as the deceptions and misunderstandings throughout the play, Beatrice responds with what appears to be Shakespeare himself vicariously speaking through her with an unmatched wit. Meaning “blessed” in Latin, Beatrice was truly blessed with prowess of language that made possible both the comedy of love revelation as well as the tragedy of miscommunication. Perhaps, the absurdity of this roundabout story is that sometimes we make something out of nothing and everything really Much Ado Without Nothing.
Works Cited
Draper, John W. “Benedick and Beatrice.” The Journal of English and Germanic Philology 41.2 (1942): 140-49. Web.
McCollom, William G. “The Role of Wit in Much Ado About Nothing.” Shakespeare Quarterly 19.2 (1968): 165-74. Web.
“Online Etymology Dictionary.” Online Etymology Dictionary. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Sept. 2016.
Shakespeare, William, and Peter Holland. Much Ado about Nothing. New York: Penguin, 1999. Print. The Pelican Shakespeare.