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| Character | Hero?Ursula?Beatrice?? | |
|---|---|---|
| Scene type / Who are | Friends, Having an argument | |
| Type | Comic | |
| Period | Renaissance | |
| Genre | Comedy | |
| Description | Hero and Ursula make their friend Beatrice believe that Benedick loves her | |
| Location | ACT III, Scene 1 | |
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.
The same way, Hero and Ursula, Beatrice's friends, make Beatrice believe that Benedick is madly in love with her. In Leonato's garden, knowing that Beatrice can hear them, they have a conversation about Benedick being in love with Beatrice and argue wether telling Beatrice or not, considering that she rejects most men that court her. When they leave Beatrice comes out and expresses her surprise about what she just heard. She decides not to reject Benedick's love.
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.
The same way, Hero and Ursula, Beatrice's friends, make Beatrice believe that Benedick is madly in love with her. In Leonato's garden, knowing that Beatrice can hear them, they have a conversation about Benedick being in love with Beatrice and argue wether telling Beatrice or not, considering that she rejects most men that court her. When they leave Beatrice comes out and expresses her surprise about what she just heard. She decides not to reject Benedick's love.
Written by Administrator
| Excerpt |
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| [Leonato's garden] HERO Now, Ursula, when Beatrice doth come, As we do trace this alley up and down, Our talk must only be of Benedick. When I do name him, let it be thy part To praise him more than ever man did merit: My talk to thee must be how Benedick Is sick in love with Beatrice. Of this matter Is little Cupid's crafty arrow made, That only wounds by hearsay. [Enter BEATRICE, behind] Now begin; For look where Beatrice, like a lapwing, runs Close by the ground, to hear our conference. URSULA The pleasant'st angling is to see the fish Cut with her golden oars the silver stream, And greedily devour the treacherous bait: So angle we for Beatrice; who even now Is couched in the woodbine coverture. Fear you not my part of the dialogue. HERO Then go we near her, that her ear lose nothing Of the false sweet bait that we lay for it. [Approaching the bower] No, truly, Ursula, she is too disdainful; I know her spirits are as coy and wild As haggerds of the rock. URSULA But are you sure That Benedick loves Beatrice so entirely? HERO So says the prince and my new-trothed lord. URSULA And did they bid you tell her of it, madam? HERO They did entreat me to acquaint her of it; But I persuaded them, if they loved Benedick, To wish him wrestle with affection, And never to let Beatrice know of it. URSULA Why did you so? Doth not the gentleman Deserve as full as fortunate a bed As ever Beatrice shall couch upon? HERO O god of love! I know he doth deserve As much as may be yielded to a man: But Nature never framed a woman's heart Of prouder stuff than that of Beatrice; Disdain and scorn ride sparkling in her eyes, Misprising what they look on, and her wit Values itself so highly that to her All matter else seems weak: she cannot love, Nor take no shape nor project of affection, She is so self-endeared. URSULA Sure, I think so; And therefore certainly it were not good She knew his love, lest she make sport at it. HERO Why, you speak truth. I never yet saw man, How wise, how noble, young, how rarely featured, But she would spell him backward: if fair-faced, She would swear the gentleman should be her sister; If black, why, Nature, drawing of an antique, Made a foul blot; if tall, a lance ill-headed; If low, an agate very vilely cut; If speaking, why, a vane blown with all winds; If silent, why, a block moved with none. So turns she every man the wrong side out And never gives to truth and virtue that Which simpleness and merit purchaseth. URSULA Sure, sure, such carping is not commendable. HERO No, not to be so odd and from all fashions As Beatrice is, cannot be commendable: But who dare tell her so? If I should speak, She would mock me into air; O, she would laugh me Out of myself, press me to death with wit. Therefore let Benedick, like cover'd fire, Consume away in sighs, waste inwardly: It were a better death than die with mocks, Which is as bad as die with tickling. URSULA Yet tell her of it: hear what she will say. HERO No; rather I will go to Benedick And counsel him to fight against his passion. And, truly, I'll devise some honest slanders To stain my cousin with: one doth not know How much an ill word may empoison liking. URSULA O, do not do your cousin such a wrong. She cannot be so much without true judgment-- Having so swift and excellent a wit As she is prized to have--as to refuse So rare a gentleman as Signior Benedick. HERO He is the only man of Italy. Always excepted my dear Claudio. URSULA I pray you, be not angry with me, madam, Speaking my fancy: Signior Benedick, For shape, for bearing, argument and valour, Goes foremost in report through Italy. HERO Indeed, he hath an excellent good name. URSULA His excellence did earn it, ere he had it. When are you married, madam? HERO Why, every day, to-morrow. Come, go in: I'll show thee some attires, and have thy counsel Which is the best to furnish me to-morrow. URSULA She's limed, I warrant you: we have caught her, madam. HERO If it proves so, then loving goes by haps: Some Cupid kills with arrows, some with traps. [Exeunt HERO and URSULA] BEATRICE [Coming forward] What fire is in mine ears? Can this be true? Stand I condemn'd for pride and scorn so much? Contempt, farewell! and maiden pride, adieu! No glory lives behind the back of such. And, Benedick, love on; I will requite thee, Taming my wild heart to thy loving hand: If thou dost love, my kindness shall incite thee To bind our loves up in a holy band; For others say thou dost deserve, and I Believe it better than reportingly. [Exit] |
