The Shakespeare Book

160

Conrad

Follower of

Borachio

Serving

under

Serving

under

Loves

Claudio

Serving under

Uncle to

Beatrice

MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING

the most perfect of men. If she
learned of Benedick’s love, then she
would “make sport at it” (3.1.59).
Sobered by this criticism, Beatrice is
prepared for “taming my wild heart
to thy [Benedick’s] loving hand”
(3.1.112). Benedick can confirm that
Beatrice is fair, virtuous, and wise,
and Beatrice does not need reports
of Benedick’s merits to know that he
is deserving. It is clear to us that,
unlike Hero and Claudio, Beatrice
and Benedick know each other well.

Language and reality
The play’s language is characterized
by wordplay, banter, and repartee.
Beatrice and Benedick are involved
in linguistic fencing matches from
the moment they meet in the play:
“Benedick: What, my dear Lady
Disdain! Are you yet living?
Beatrice: Is it possible disdain
should die while she hath such
meet food to feed it as Signor
Benedick?” (1.1.112–115).
Conversation between Don Pedro
and his men is predominantly light-
hearted, macho joking, especially

about Benedick’s mistrust of

women and rejection of marriage:

“Don Pedro: ‘In time the savage

bull doth bear the yoke.’

Benedick: The savage bull may,

but if ever the sensible Benedick

bear it, pluck off the bull’s horns and

set them in my forehead, and let me

be vilely painted...‘Here you may

see Benedick, the married man’”

(1.1.243–250). This expresses the

deeply rooted fear in Messina

society of being cuckolded. Even

Leonato jokes about the legitimacy

of his daughter. Where marriage

brings fears of cuckoldry, Don John’s

accusation against Hero is readily

believed. In the wedding scene,

the language switches from jests

to calculated insults as Claudio

uses the very form of the marriage

service to reject and humiliate Hero.

The studied nature of his rejection

is matched in the formal mourning

ceremony at Hero’s tomb. The

readiness with which Don Pedro and

Claudio dismiss the musicians

and leave for a second wedding

can make us wonder how much of

Claudio’s grief is merely “seeming.”

Language is also used as a

means of establishing social

equality. In her conversations with

men, Beatrice uses witty repartee

to meet them on an equal footing.

Both Margaret and Dogberry see

language as having the potential to

bring them level with their masters.

Margaret’s brief conversation with

Benedick (5.2), a dialogue that

But manhood is melted into

courtesies, valour into

compliment, and men are

only turned into tongue,

and trim ones, too.

Beatrice

Act 4, Scene 1

Hero

Father to

True love finds a way

Co-conspirators

of Don John

Loves

Leonato

Governor of

Messina

Friends

Benedick Don Pedro

Prince of Aragon

Margaret

Ursula

Her maids

Bastard brothers

Don John

Follower of