Beatrice & Benedict as a True Love Story

By Scott Chastain

                The character's Beatrice and Benedict in Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing strongly represent "true love" as it unfolds in reality, in that they weigh on each other's minds even when absent, quickly admit their love when their friends trick them into thinking that the other has confessed their love, Benedict nearly dissolves a relationship with his best friend for Beatrice's sake, and as a result one could well envision their relationship as enduring.

                Throughout the play Beatrice and Benedict are witnessed in mutual antagonism.  The heavy-handedness with which they unleash their barrage of verbal shrapnel may lead a viewer to conclude that their relationship is based on mutual loathing for one another.

                For example, Beatrice compares Benedict to a horse in Act I, Scene I, claiming his only remaining wit was no different than that found in a horse.  Benedict refers to her as his "dear Lady Disdain," and claims that "all disquiet, horror and perturbation follows her."

                Despite these and similar rebuttals of their opponent's character, each also manages to reveal an undercurrent of admiration for the other.  In Act II, Scene I, Beatrice says this of Benedict, "I am sure he is in the fleet, I would he had boarded me."  Clearly, she at least has some sexual attraction towards Benedict as she wants him to "board her.'  We need look no further than the latter quote of Benedict used herein to find some amorous nerve within him.  He is "disquieted" by her, or so to speak, his mind is forced to dwell on her.  He is in "horror" at his own feelings despite repeated declarations of no future involvement with the female race.  "Perturbation" refers to one thing pulling on another, disturbing its rest.  It is clear that Benedict is "moved" by Beatrice.

                The means by which they finally acknowledge this love is via the trickery of their friends.  Some may conclude that any relationship based on such deceit cannot be real.  However, in truth, the friends only ended Beatrice and Benedict's own self-deception.  Consider how quickly each one folded and confirmed their deep abiding mutual love with the other.  The fact that each of them virtually admitted to themselves of this love when they overheard their friends speaking of how their foe loved them, it leaves much doubt that this love is newly born.  It would seem more sound to assume that this love was already present and quite strong.

                Shortly after this occurs Beatrice charges the love of Benedict with the task of killing his best friend, Claudio.  His refusal to do so may vindicate the viewpoint that this isn't real love.  However, it greatly troubles Benedict, and as a result he does confront and refute Claudio, if only to placate his distraught lover.  Giving some weight to the extreme circumstances surrounding them, that of Claudio falsely charging Beatrice's cousin, Hero, with being unchaste, one can understand why Beatrice thus tested Benedict.  If Benedict had no real feelings for Beatrice, one would not imagine that he would risk destroying his friendship with Claudio for her sake.

                In the end, they have generated a long-lasting relationship.  Years of conflict have given each a deep understanding of the other.  They know one another's weaknesses, namely pride and stubbornness.  Armed with this foreknowledge they can allow for a mutual tolerance that should serve their relationship until the end of their days.