9.1.7
Benedick 5
Benedick
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
Key line
- BENEDICK: Gallants, I am not as I have been.


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


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


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


Don Pedro
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
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
2Structure & Form
3Act 1: Plot Summary
3.2Act 1, Scene 2
3.3Act 1, Scene 3
4Act 2: Plot Summary
4.1Act 2, Scene 1
4.2Act 2, Scene 2
5Act 3: Plot Summary
5.1Act 3, Scene 1
5.2Act 3, Scene 2
5.3Act 3, Scene 3
5.4Act 3, Scene 4
5.5Act 3, Scene 5
6Act 4: Plot Summary
6.1Act 4, Scene 1 (Part 1)
6.2Act 4, Scene 1 (Part 2)
6.3Act 4, Scene 2
7Act 5: Plot Summary
7.1Act 5, Scene 1
7.2Act 5, Scene 2
7.3Act 5, Scene 3
7.4Act 5, Scene 4
8Key Themes
9Recap: Main Quotes
9.1Characters Quotes
9.1.1Beatrice
9.1.2Beatrice 2
9.1.3Benedick 1
9.1.4Benedick 2
9.1.5Benedick 3
9.1.6Benedick 4
9.1.7Benedick 5
9.1.8Beatrice & Benedick
9.1.9Beatrice & Benedick 2
9.1.10Beatrice & Benedick 3
9.1.11Claudio
9.1.12Claudio 2
9.1.13Claudio & Benedick
9.1.14Don John
9.1.15Don John 2
9.1.16Don Pedro
9.1.17Hero
9.1.18Leonato
9.1.19Leonato & Messanger
9.2Text Structure - Quotes
Jump to other topics
1Key Terminology
1.1Key Terminology
2Structure & Form
3Act 1: Plot Summary
3.2Act 1, Scene 2
3.3Act 1, Scene 3
4Act 2: Plot Summary
4.1Act 2, Scene 1
4.2Act 2, Scene 2
5Act 3: Plot Summary
5.1Act 3, Scene 1
5.2Act 3, Scene 2
5.3Act 3, Scene 3
5.4Act 3, Scene 4
5.5Act 3, Scene 5
6Act 4: Plot Summary
6.1Act 4, Scene 1 (Part 1)
6.2Act 4, Scene 1 (Part 2)
6.3Act 4, Scene 2
7Act 5: Plot Summary
7.1Act 5, Scene 1
7.2Act 5, Scene 2
7.3Act 5, Scene 3
7.4Act 5, Scene 4
8Key Themes
9Recap: Main Quotes
9.1Characters Quotes
9.1.1Beatrice
9.1.2Beatrice 2
9.1.3Benedick 1
9.1.4Benedick 2
9.1.5Benedick 3
9.1.6Benedick 4
9.1.7Benedick 5
9.1.8Beatrice & Benedick
9.1.9Beatrice & Benedick 2
9.1.10Beatrice & Benedick 3
9.1.11Claudio
9.1.12Claudio 2
9.1.13Claudio & Benedick
9.1.14Don John
9.1.15Don John 2
9.1.16Don Pedro
9.1.17Hero
9.1.18Leonato
9.1.19Leonato & Messanger
9.2Text Structure - Quotes
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