What do you learn about Benedicks attitudes to love and marriage in Act I Scene 1 and Act II Scene 3?

How would an audience both then and now respond to these attitudes? Benedick is a character who is very important to the plot. At the beginning of the play, Benedick plays the comedian and is rather conceited. He has very strong views against marriage. At the end of the play Benedick has changed as he marries Beatrice something he would not have considered doing before. The key moment that Benedicks attitudes changed was in Act II Scene 3, when he heard that Beatrice loved him. Benedick first talks about love when he has a strong negative reaction to Claudios wedding plans in Act I Scene 1. He appears not to be interested in women at all. He jokes about being a professed tyrant to their sex implying that he doesnt get on well with women and chooses not to love them. Specifically, he is not impressed by Hero, saying first, I noted her not and then I do not like her. Unlike Claudio, he is not interested in Heros beauty. He refuses to talk about love and jokingly describes Hero as too low for a high praise, too brown for a fair praise and too little for a great praise. A modern audience might be offended by his objectifying women. He suggests Claudio could buy Hero and that even the most beautiful jewel can be bought with a case to put it into. Love and marriage, for Benedick is a transaction, a purchase. A modern audience may also find Benedick negitavely referring to Hero as too brown as being possibly slightly racist, but an Elizabethan audience would accept it. Benedick refers to cuckolding when he says hath not the world one man but he will wear his cap with suspicion? and if ever Benedick bear it, pluck off the bulls horns and set them in my forehead. Benedick does not trust women and believes that wives will cheat on their husbands and make them look fools. Cuckolding is something that an Elizabethan audience would understand much better than an audience from today. Benedick admires men whove stayed a bachelor for a long time, saying Shall I never see a Bachelor of three-score again?. He aims to be one, and is confident that he will remain a bachelor for life, as he says that if he should fall in love then Claudio should hang him up at the door of a brothel house for the sign of blind Cupid . He is implying that falling in love is something to be ashamed of and mocked of, and that husbands should be punished for making such a mistake. Benedick also thinks that married mens social lives are ruined as they will sigh away Sundays. However, Shakespeare does give the audience a clue Benedick harbours some romantic feelings towards Beatrice. He admits she exceeds Hero in beauty, suggesting t hat, in spite of all his misogyny, he may surprise us later by falling in love after all. The second time Benedick discusses love is in Act II Scene 3, when he overhears Don Pedro, Claudio and Leonato discussing Beatrices love for him. He then decides that her love must be requited.

He almost immediately associated love with marriage, as he says I did never think to marry. This shows the difference between the time it was written and today, as love is usually only associated with marriage today after a long period of time. He is also assuming that Beatrice wants to marry him, which is also something different today because women are more independent from men, and as such, do not need to marry as much as they did then. He also starts to think about what other people will says at his sudden change of heart, and realises that he may have some odd quirks and remnants of wit broken on him because he has railed so long against marriage. He starts to come up with excuses to tell people, but maybe also to reassure himself. His numerous excuses involve him changing, saying does not the appetite alter?. Benedick also starts to refer to himself being more mature, as he says that A man loves the meat in his youth that he cannot endure in his age and that when he said that he would die a bachelor he did not think that he would live until he were married. These excuses imply that he thinks marriage is for the older person. He also says that the world must be peopled which refers to the times the play was set in, people would expect them to have children and a modern audience would not see children as such a definite thing. However, Benedick decides that what people think isnt that important as he asks himself if quips and sentences and these paper bullets of the brain awe and man from the career of his humour? showing that he now values love and Beatrice above the opinion of others, and will put up with banter for his priorities. When Beatrice makes an appearance, Benedicks attitude change towards her is evident, as he is polite and kind to her, oblivious to her rather rude attitude towards him. He starts talking in blank verse to be romantic, saying Fair Beatrice, I thank you for your pains however, Beatrice is having none of it and continues talking in prose. A modern audience may find Benedick comment that if he did not love her he was a Jew offensive, as it is a derogatory term. However, an Elizabethan audience would find it acceptable. In conclusion, Benedicks attitudes to love and marriage change greatly from Act I Scene 1 to Act II Scene 3, due to the knowledge that Beatrice loves him. In Act I Scene 1 he is strongly opposed to love and marriage, as he does not get on well with women, believes it will ruin your social life and does not want to be a cuckold. However, he does hint at some desire towards Beatrice. In Act II Scene 3, he shows a change of attitude towards love, as he decides he loves Beatrice, and immediately links love with marriage and children. His main concern is what other will think of him, but he prioritises love and marriage.