Beatrice key quotes

beatrice key quotes from much ado

I had rather hear my dog bark at a crow than a man swear he loves me' - Act 1, Scene 1

•rejecting societal expectations as she doesn't want a relationship

•'dog' - repetition of beast imagery

•'man swear he loves me' - could've been told that by a man before

'I pray you, is Signor Montanto returned from the wars?' - Act 1, Scene 1

•'I pray you' - polite as women were expected to be quiet and meek

•'Signor Mountanto' - bawdy humour that insults Benedick as both a swordsman and lover

•'Mountanto' - fencing term meaning upward thrust - also a sexual innuendo

'Is it possible that Disdain should die while she hath such meet food to feed it' - Act 1, Scene 1

•'Disdain' - personification

•'meet' - pun on meat

•'food to feed it' - continuation of food imagery

'Would it not grieve a woman to be overmastered with a piece of valiant dust?' - Act 2, Scene 1

•Beatrice believes marriage and love is negative and she doesn't want to be forced into it

•'grieve' - marriage like death

•'overmastered' - suggests that women are forced into love

•'valiant dust' - oxymoron suggesting that men are brave but useless - could also be Shakespeare critising men whose live appears to be noble, but have love actually made of nothing (links to idea of deception and courtly love)

"But manhood is melted into curtsies, valor into compliment, and men are only turned into tongue, and trim ones, too." - Act 2, Scene 1

•'manhood' - suggesting that manhood is now a polite thing done for show

•'melted into curtsies' - elaborate displays of courtesy could be Shakespeare voicing his own attitude of the behaviours of men through Beatrice. Beatrice's complaint about the changed attitude of manhood also ties into the theme that appearences must be proven by actions

•'valour into compliments' - men now only compliment each other when they need to be a man

•'men are only turned into tongue' - men only talk of honour, but don't act with honour

'O God that I were a man! I would eat his heart in the market place' - Act 4, Scene 1

•wants to be a man so she can defend her cousin - repetition from earlier for emphasis

•'O' - lamenting due to her frustration that she can't be a man

•'!' - emphasises her anger & is violent

•'eat his heart in the market place' - emphasises her frustration over the fact that women were denied power in society. She wants to get revenge on Claudio in public

•'eat his heart' - animalistic reaction which is shocking from a woman and shows how angry she is as she feels trapped by her gender

'Contempt farewell; and maiden pride, adieu. No glory lives behind the back of such' - Act 3, Scene 1

•reminding the audience that conforming/marriage is crucial to society

•'contempt' - she's aware of her reputation and this shows that she's willing to change & adapt to make this relationship a success

•'maiden pride' - giving up her independence by losing her virginity through marriage

'Benedick, love on, I will requite thee, taming my wild heart to thy loving hand' - Act 3, Scene 1

•'i will requite thee' - immediate response to conforming to the expectation of society

•'taming my wild heart to thy loving hand' - recognises that she must change to become a good wife (marriage is needed for a happy ending in a comedy)

'I love you with so much of my heart that none is left to protest' - Act 4, Scene 1

•builds up empathy for the audience by showing us a softer side of Beatrice - shows real love that's intense and strong

•'that none is left to protest' - she has tried to remain independent & detached from her feelings but her love is too strong

'Kill Claudio' - Act 4, Scene 1

•tone shift - Beatrice has gone from love to hate in an instant. Marks the moment in the play where the misleading appearances & deception could lead to permanent consequences (the death of either Claudio or Benedick)

•'K' & 'C' - jarring harsh plosive sounds - cacophony of harsh, discordant sounds convey the serious nature of this moment

•'kill' - imperative command - commanding a man to test the strength of his love - hearkening back to a 'real' time of honour & chivalry

•'.' - simple statement with no emotion