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| Character | Benedick | |
|---|---|---|
| Gender | Male | |
| Age Range(s) | Young Adult (20-35), Adult (36-50) | |
| Type of monologue / Character is | In love, Descriptive, Talking to the audience | |
| Type | Comic | |
| Period | Renaissance | |
| Genre | Comedy | |
| Description | Benedick changes his mind about love | |
| Location | ACT II, Scene 3 | |
Summary
The play takes place in Messina at the house of Leonato, a wealthy nobleman. He lives with his daughter Hero, his niece Beatrice and his brother Antonio. Leonato welcomes at his house some friends who are returning from a war. They are Don Pedro, a prince, Claudio, a shy nobleman, Benedick, a witty and playful character, and Don John, Don Pedro's illegitimate brother. Claudio instantly falls in love with Hero and Don Pedro decides to help him court her at a masked dance that will take place the same night. Benedick and Beatrice, on the other hand, swear they will never marry and that love is a foolish thing. They seem to hate each other and constantly play games of wit where they insult each other about anything.
With the help of Don Pedro, Claudio wins Hero's heart and they decide to marry in a week. To pass the time before their wedding, they decide to play a game, that is to get Benedick and Beatrice to fall in love with each other.
When they see Benedick alone in the orchard, Don Pedro, Leonato and Claudio pretend that they don't know Benedick can hear them and talk about how Beatrice has desperately fallen in love with Benedick and is afraid to confess it to him. They decide Benedick is not worthy of her love.
In this monologue, at the end of ACT II, Scene 3, Benedick expresses to himself his surprise about Beatrice's love for him. He decides to love her back and court her.
With the help of Don Pedro, Claudio wins Hero's heart and they decide to marry in a week. To pass the time before their wedding, they decide to play a game, that is to get Benedick and Beatrice to fall in love with each other.
When they see Benedick alone in the orchard, Don Pedro, Leonato and Claudio pretend that they don't know Benedick can hear them and talk about how Beatrice has desperately fallen in love with Benedick and is afraid to confess it to him. They decide Benedick is not worthy of her love.
In this monologue, at the end of ACT II, Scene 3, Benedick expresses to himself his surprise about Beatrice's love for him. He decides to love her back and court her.
Written by Administrator
| Excerpt |
|---|
| BENEDICK [Coming forward] This can be no trick: the conference was sadly borne. They have the truth of this from Hero. They seem to pity the lady: it seems her affections have their full bent. Love me! why, it must be requited. I hear how I am censured: they say I will bear myself proudly, if I perceive the love come from her; they say too that she will rather die than give any sign of affection. I did never think to marry: I must not seem proud: happy are they that hear their detractions and can put them to mending. They say the lady is fair; 'tis a truth, I can bear them witness; and virtuous; 'tis so, I cannot reprove it; and wise, but for loving me; by my troth, it is no addition to her wit, nor no great argument of her folly, for I will be horribly in love with her. I may chance have some odd quirks and remnants of wit broken on me, because I have railed so long against marriage: but doth not the appetite alter? a man loves the meat in his youth that he cannot endure in his age. Shall quips and sentences and these paper bullets of the brain awe a man from the career of his humour? No, the world must be peopled. When I said I would die a bachelor, I did not think I should live till I were married. Here comes Beatrice. By this day! she's a fair lady: I do spy some marks of love in her. |
