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Analysis  of  Beatrice’s  Influence  on  Benedick  
 
Beatrice  is  a  powerful  female  character  as  she  has  the  ability  to  influence  others’  actions  
and   events   of   the   play;   this   is   apparent   from   her   first   introduction   as   she   has   the   ability  
to   heavily   influence   the   plot,   as   she   “quickly   shifts   the   play’s   focus   from   Claudio’s   deeds  
of  war  to  Benedick’s  deeds  of  love,”1  by  changing  the  topic  and  referring  to  Benedick  as  
“Signor   Montanto”,   “Montanto”   being   a   fencing   term   meaning   upward   thrust,  
demonstrating  the  bawdy  humour  that  was  typical  of  Shakespearean  plays,  as  the  up-­‐
thrust   of   a   sword   is   an   undeniably   phallic   image;   this   blatantly   bawdy   humour   was  
more   common   of   female   characters   in   Sixteenth   Century   theatre
...
   
Beatrice’s  hold  over  Benedick  is  eluded  to  early  on  in  the  play,  when  he  confesses  that  
Beatrice   “exceeds   her   [Hero]   as   much   in   beauty   as   the   first   of   May   doth   the   last   of  
December,”   he,   however,   cannot   let   Beatrice   be   aware   of   this,   which   is   somewhat   child-­‐
like  behaviour
...
   They  are  
matched   in   wit,   and   engage   in   a   witty   banter,   in   which   they   comically   declare   their  
hatred  for  one  another;  Beatrice  expresses  her  disgust  of  Benedick  with  the  hyperbolic  
metaphor  that  she  would  rather  hear  her  “dog  bark  at  a  crow  than  a  man  swear  he  loves  
me”   which   is   ironic   as   by   the   end   of   the   play,   her   and   Benedick   fall   in   love
...
 Interestingly,  
the  use  of  prose  suggests  that  their  characters  are  of  less  status  and  power  than  others  
who  speak  in  verse,  such  as  Leonato  and  Claudio,  despite  Beatrice  and  Benedick  being  
arguably  more  intelligent
...
  Although   comical,   we   see   that   Beatrice’s   banter   has   the   ability   to   upset  
Benedick   somewhat,   as   he   says   that   she   “speak   poniards,   and   every   word   stabs”  
indicating  that  although  he  puts  on  a  sexist  and  seemingly  uncaring  bravado  in  front  of  
her,  he  does  not  want  her  to  know  how  he  feels;  this  hiding  of  emotion  is  suitable  for  
their   euphuistic   style   of   conversations,   which   is   deliberately   mannered   and   elevated,  
suggesting   that   they   are   hiding   something
...
  Benedick   uses  
antithetical  balance  when  he  tells  her  that  he  is  “loved  of  all  ladies,  only  you  excepted”  
which  is  ironic,  as  Beatrice  does  love  him
...
 However,  when  
Beatrice   declares   that   she   loves   him   with   “so   much   of   my   heart”   it   can   be   seen  

somewhat   as   a   defeat,   as   she   has   succumbed   to   the   expectation   of   marriage   and   we   see  
that   Beatrice   and   Benedick’s   relationship   begin   to   conform   to   the   ideals   of   Courtly   love,  
which   is   initially   displayed   by   Claudio   and   Hero   in   a   comical   juxtaposition   to   Beatrice  
and  Benedick’s  previous  “merry  war”  of  wit
...
 The  fact  that  Beatrice  had  to  get  Benedick  to  “challenge”  
her  “enemy”  for  her  instead  of  doing  it  herself,  displays  the  lack  of  power  women  had  in  
the   Sixteenth   Century   patriarchal   society;   women   were   dominated   by   males   who  
“prescribed   obedience,   chastity   and   domesticity   as   a   strategic   method   of   preserving  
men’s  limitless,  unchallenged  power”4    meaning  that  it  was  very  rare  that  women  were  
in  a  position  of  power,  which  could  be  why  no  female  in  the  play  speaks  in  verse
...
1
...
Gary Waller, 1991
2
...
Comic  Effects
4
...
Honors Projects
...
http://digitalcommons
...
edu/eng_honproj/1

 
 



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