8/17/2019 Much Ado About Nothing Character Analysis

1/3

In Much Ado About Nothing, Beatrice is known for her sharp

tongue. She uses her quick with to hide her vulnerability,

especially involving men. She is known amongst the characters

in the play to be the one to never marry. When Beatrice is the

character with the most growth and the largest arc.

At the start of the play Beatrice swears that she has no

interest in men. owever, what she really feels is a di!erent

story. In the second act she tells her "ncle, #eonato, $Adam%s

sons are her brethren, and truly I hold it a sin to match in my

kindred&. 'ne can also (nd her denouncing marriage when

speaking to ero in the same scene. By comparing $wooing,

wedding, and repenting& to $a scotch )ig, a measure, and a

cinquepace& she tries to convince ero that marriage is boring

and predictable.

It appears as thought Beatrice%s disdain for men comes from

her belief that she has no use for one. At the start of Act *wo, she

says, $e that hath beard is more than a youth, and he that hath

no beard is less than a man+ and he that is more than a youth is

not for me, and he that is less than a man, I am not for him.&

Beatrice spends most of the time speaking in prose for most

of the play. *his works, considering the way she tends to present

8/17/2019 Much Ado About Nothing Character Analysis

2/3

herself. She is not one to $gloss over things& or make them

sound pretty. She is straight to the point without any question.

At the top of Act *hree, however, she changes for a bit. Spending

most of the time eavesdropping on ero and "rsula, Beatrice is

dying to speak for most of the scene. *he two purposefully talk

about the relationship between Beatrice and Benedick. It is quite

obvious to everyone that the two belong to each other+ accept for

the actual two involved. When "rsula and ero leave Beatrice to

mull over their conversation, Beatrice%s speech is unlike how it is

the rest of the show. er monologue is the only one in verse.

 *his is where she admits her love for Benedick for the (rst time.

 *his is the (rst time that she epresses ecitement over the idea

of a man loving her.

#ater in the act, -argaret pushes Beatrice%s buttons about

Benedick. -aragaret, like all other in the play, is aware of

Beatrice%s feelings and does what she can to get Beatrice to

admit them. Beatrice is again, unlike herself in this scene. She

does not have quick or smart comebacks for the remarks that

-argaret is throwing her way.

In the start of Act our, Beatrice and Benedick profess their

love for each other, however Beatrice applies conditions. She is

8/17/2019 Much Ado About Nothing Character Analysis

3/3

o!ended and hurt from how her cousin, ero, was dishonored.

 *his is one of the only times that Beatrice loses her cool.

Benedick%s hesitance in killing his friend only o!ends Beatrice

even more.

When the play reaches the (fth act, Beatrice and Benedick

are quite obviously playing a game with each other. Although

they end up open about the love they have for one another, they

still continue to play games. Beatrice picks on Benedick by

saying she is only taking him because she knows that he is so

consumed by his love for her.