Benedick 5

Benedick

There is a clear sense of comedy at the beginning of this scene, created through the male characters mockery of Benedick's change of character in the face of his love for Beatrice.

Key line

BENEDICK: Gallants, I am not as I have been.

Mockery

Despite Benedick’s attempt to justify his decision to love Beatrice through the fact he didn’t think he would live long enough to marry, the audience can sense that he is being (deservedly) mocked by his friends.

Comedy

There is a clear sense of comedy here, and this serves the dramatic function of contrasting with the sharp change in mood and atmosphere that follows Don John’s arrival.

Benedick

BENEDICK: I do love nothing in the world so well as you. Is not that strange?

Key line

BENEDICK: I do love nothing in the world so well as you. Is not that strange?

Declarations

Perhaps fittingly as he once “won [Beatrice’s] heart with false dice” (Act 2, Scene 1), it is Benedick who is first to confess his love.

Self-awareness

Shakespeare presents Benedick as being self-aware regarding his feelings for Beatrice.
He describes them as “strange”.

Don Pedro

It is likely that without the help of Don Pedro’s plot Benedick and Beatrice would never have rekindled their relationship.

The truth

To ensure that there are no loose ends at the play’s denouement, Shakespeare has Benedick and Beatrice discover the truth of how they fell in love with each other.
This helps remove any final concerns over the validity of their love - something that the audience may feel is reflected in Benedick’s use of “strange”.

1Key Terminology

1.1Key Terminology

1.1.1Key Terminology

1.1.2End of Topic Test - Key Terminology

2Structure & Form

2.1Structure

2.1.1Structure

2.1.2Acts 1 - 3

2.1.3Acts 4 - 5

2.2Form

2.2.1Tragicomedy

2.2.2End of Topic Test - Structure & Form

3Act 1: Plot Summary

3.1Act 1, Scene 1

3.1.1Summary

3.1.2Key Lines

3.1.3Key Lines 2

3.1.4End of Topic Test - Act 1, Scene 1

3.2Act 1, Scene 2

3.2.1Summary

3.2.2Key Lines

3.3Act 1, Scene 3

3.3.1Summary

3.3.2Key Lines

3.3.3End of Topic Test - Act 1, Scenes 2-3

4Act 2: Plot Summary

4.1Act 2, Scene 1

4.1.1Summary

4.1.2Key Lines

4.1.3Key Lines 2

4.1.4Key Lines 3

4.1.5End of Topic Test - Act 2, Scene 1

4.2Act 2, Scene 2

4.2.1Summary

4.3Act 2, Scene 3

4.3.1Summary

4.3.2Key Lines

4.3.3Key Lines 2

4.3.4End of Topic Test - Act 2, Scenes 2-3

5Act 3: Plot Summary

5.1Act 3, Scene 1

5.1.1Summary

5.1.2Key Lines

5.2Act 3, Scene 2

5.2.1Summary

5.2.2Key Lines

5.3Act 3, Scene 3

5.3.1Summary

5.4Act 3, Scene 4

5.4.1Summary

5.5Act 3, Scene 5

5.5.1Summary

5.5.2End of Topic Test - Act 3

6Act 4: Plot Summary

6.1Act 4, Scene 1 (Part 1)

6.1.1Summary

6.1.2Key Lines

6.1.3Key Lines 2

6.2Act 4, Scene 1 (Part 2)

6.2.1Summary

6.2.2Key Lines

6.2.3Key Lines 2

6.3Act 4, Scene 2

6.3.1Summary

6.3.2End of Topic Test - Act 4

7Act 5: Plot Summary

7.1Act 5, Scene 1

7.1.1Summary

7.2Act 5, Scene 2

7.2.1Summary

7.2.2Key Lines

7.3Act 5, Scene 3

7.3.1Summary

7.4Act 5, Scene 4

7.4.1Summary

7.4.2End of Topic Test - Act 5

8Key Themes

8.1Key Themes

8.1.1Love & Marriage

8.1.2Deception, Appearances & Noting

8.1.3Gender

8.1.4Reputation

8.1.5End of Topic Test - Key Themes

9Recap: Main Quotes

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