The Character Of Bendick In Much Ado About Nothing

Explore the Development of Benedick's character throughout the play.

The character 'Benedick' changes dramatically throughout Shakespeare's "Much Ado about Nothing". It is the character 'Beatrice' who invokes these changes into Benedick. At the beginning of the play Benedick appears to be an aristocratic soldier who is witty and intelligent. It is clear Benedick has a reputation as a noble soldier and brave man merely from the messenger's comments: "He hath done good service, lady, in these wars". Benedick has a continuing "merry war" of wits with Beatrice, who sees him as chauvinistic and arrogant. However, the attraction is evident as both bring up the other out of the blue. Benedick rests largely on his own judgments rather than the social customs surrounding him, and is very much a dominant male figure, namely for his independence and leadership qualities. Although Benedick is highly respected and has loyal followers of men, by the end of the play, he has altered his loyalty from them to Beatrice.

The very first impressions we get of Benedick are that he is a very powerful soldier who is highly independent and opinionated. Benedick claims that he is a happy bachelor, who wishes to live the rest of his live unattached and free from

However, his frequent mention of 'cuckolding' allows the audience to sympathize with the common fear of rejection and being 'cuckolded' in the Elizabethan period. Benedick's attitudes about love are evident even through others love lives. Claudio looks to Benedick for advice about Hero. Benedick mocks Claudio claiming he: "noted her not, but I looked upon her". Benedick compares hero to Beatrice claiming Hero is no match for Beatrice, in intelligence, wit and beauty. This sudden affirmation of Beatrice makes it clear that there is an attraction between them; she