Wednesday, February 27, 2013
"A Kind of Merry War"
In the first scene on Much Ado About Nothing Leonato describes the relationship between his niece Beatrice and Benedick as "a kind of merry war . . . They never meet but there's a skirmish of wit between them"(1.1.59-62). Later in the play Benedick himself comments on his feelings about Beatrice, " . . . I stood like a man at a mark with a whole army shooting at me. She speaks poniards and every word stabs" (2.1.242-5). These metaphors and similes suggest a comparison between war and love -- or at least the relationship between the sexes (or at least Benedick and Beatrice's relationship). What do war and love have in common? What is the goal or purpose for each? What is the method? What is the value? Does this comparison provide an optimistic take on the eventual union of Beatrice and Benedick -- or suggest something more problematic?
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Love and war have a lot of things in common and their relationship with Much Ado About Nothing is a rather complicated one. Love and War are both primal instincts that are inevitable. They both, especially war, are a struggle for dominance. It would be easy to make the argument against this for love, saying that love is a mutual attraction and not about dominance, however, let’s not get into that. In both love and war you see stubbornness, mistrust, and in the end, reconciliation (hopefully). However, what is the value of this in Much Ado About Nothing? There are many characters in this play that encounter love, war, or both! Don Jon and Don Pedro are brothers who went to war with each other. Don Jon ends up losing the battle and returns to Don Pedro bitter and upset. Love can easily tie into this war because, in the end, they are still brothers. However, probably the most important comparison between love and war is seen in Benedick and Beatrice. Benedick is a soldier whom Beatrice “hates” with all her might. She constantly is making fun of him as well as being extremely rude to him. She taunts, “ Scratching could not make it worse an ‘twere such a face as yours was.” (1.1.134) Clearly Beatrice does not like Benedick at all, and for Benedick, the feeling is mutual. He finds her just as repulsive as she does him when he states to/about Beatrice, “What, my dear Lady Distain! Are you yet living?” (1.1116). These two characters are at war with each other. However, what does this competitiveness and hatred lead to? Love. Although they might have been tricked into loving each other, there has to be some feelings or else it wouldn’t work out. While how they do end up together is a bit strange, the once problematic set up turns out to be an eventual union of the two. To me, this shows that there is a value to the connection between war and love and that the two are a built upon the same theme.
ReplyDeleteI very much agree with everything that Kate has said in her comment above. I have a bit of a rather different take on the interaction because I believe that is their fury and underline passion for upholding their egos that brings them together in a sort of mutual bond. They both love to fight and be right, especially when it comes to feuding with each other. Leonato says that there is "a kind of merry war . . . They never meet but there's a skirmish of wit between them"(1.1.59-62). It is almost as if their wit and passion bring them together on mutual grounds. It was almost essential that the deception of their relationship take place, or else they would not have known the love that they would eventually, or hopefully, find with each other. When Claudio, Leonato, and the Prince are making their scene for deception, he is dumbfounded and questions, "Is 't possible? Sits the wind in that / corner" (2.3.105-106). He cannot believe that the one woman who questions his every thought and action would love him. He goes on to rationalize throughout the rest of Act 3 that Beatrice is "fair; 'tis a truth, I can / bear them witness. And virtuous; 'tis so, I cannot / reprove it" (2.3.233-235). It is a very odd transition to go from hating someone to loving them the next moment. The same situation happens to Beatrice as well, except for being praised this time, her actions are crucified and deemed unladylike. I think that they were both drawn to each other by the mutual ground of passion for intelligence and their overpowering egos, but I also think that they both had something to prove. Benedick had to prove that he wouldn't "die a bachelor," (2.3.245) and accept Beatrice's love. And Beatrice had to prove that she wasn't as cold as Hero and Margaret said she was. She needed to prove to everyone that she could be a fit wife for Benedick. This draws me to the conclusion that their relationship is not directly parallel but has some kind of relationship to the saying, "All is fair in love and war."
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ReplyDeleteLove and war are closely tied together in the lives of Benedick and Beatrice. At first, they seem to hate and despise one another. Beatrice especially makes many mean and rude remarks about Benedick. She calls him a “valiant trencherman” (1.1.50), a “stuffed / man” (1.1.57-58), “a disease” (1.1.84-85), and “a very dull / fool” (2.1.135-136). She uses every possible opportunity to make fun of and verbally abuse Benedick. Also, she swears she will never get married until “God make men of some other material / than earth” (2.1.59-60). Benedick, too, is not very fond of Beatrice. He mocks her talkative nature and calls her “my Lady Tongue” (2.1.270). He mentions to the Prince how hurtful Beatrice’s words are. Remembering the time they danced together wearing masks, Benedick says,
ReplyDeleteI
stood like a man at a mark with a whole army
shooting at me. She speaks poniards, and every
word stabs …
while she is here, a man may live as quiet
in hell as in a sanctuary …
So indeed
all disquiet, horror, and perturbation follows her (2.1.242-257).
In this speech, Benedick describes his feelings toward Beatrice and what her sharp remarks mean to him. He sees her as a dangerous woman and believes that the earth becomes like hell in her presence. When he notices Beatrice approaching from a distance, he begs the Prince to assign him some sort of task just so that he can go away and not have to encounter Beatrice. He says, “I will go on the slightest errand / now to the Antipodes that you can devise to send / me on… rather / than hold three words’ conference with this harpy” (2.1.260-267).
Such a relationship between the two characters does not imply love, but rather war. They engage in skirmishes of wit to see who can stab the other harder. Both of them find faults in each other, and are quick to point them out. Benedick and Beatrice both swear they will never get married, and they especially do not think it possible that they may someday end up together. Because of their strong opposition to one another, no positive relationships seem possible.
However, as the Prince says, “In time the savage bull doth bear the yoke” (1.1.256). In a short while, the deceptive conversations are staged for Benedick and Beatrice to hear so that they may be convinced they love each other. Benedick is shocked when he hears that Beatrice “loves” him, and Beatrice is no less surprised when she learns of Benedick’s “love”. All of a sudden, their feelings toward one another change. Benedick remarks, “Love me? Why, it / must be requited! … I have railed so long / against marriage, but doth not the appetite alter? The world must be / peopled” (2.3.226-245). Beatrice’s attitude changes remarkably as well. After she hears the “secret” conversation, she says “Contempt, farewell, and maiden pride, adieu! … And Benedick, love on; I will requite thee, / Taming my wild heart to thy loving hand” (3.2.115-118). Both agree to abandon their proud nature and strong convictions for the benefit of the other. In an instant, the war between Benedick and Beatrice is over. They now see each other in a whole new light, which will make it easier for them to come together and embark on a lifelong journey as man and wife.
The comparison between love and war could, I believe, be interpreted in a different way entirely: namely, that just as a lover’s conflict can result in a happy ending, so can a war end with peace and reconciliation. As has already been established, the relationship between Beatrice and Benedick is quite warlike, being described as a “skirmish of wit” (1.1.62). However, rather than interpreting this relationship through the lens of war, one could use the lens of this relationship to interpret war. Much Ado About Nothing is set after a war, as Beatrice mentions in one of her slights against Benedick, “I pray you, how many hath he killed and eaten in these wars? But how many hath he killed? For indeed I promised to eat all of his killing” (1.1.41-4). Wars never end quickly: their effects linger for years after. This remains true in Much Ado About Nothing; the impetus for most of the conflict in the play derives from the original conflict of the war – an argument between Don Pedro and his half-brother Don John. As Don Pedro and Don John first arrive in Messina, Leonato greets Don John, saying, “Let me bid you welcome, my lord, being reconciled to the Prince your brother, I owe you all duty” (1.1.151-3). Leonato’s words prove too soon spoken, however; later, in private conversation with Borachio, Don John complains bitterly of his fate:
ReplyDeleteI am a plain-dealing villain. I am entrusted with a muzzle and enfranchised with a clog; therefore, I have decreed not to sing in my cage… That young start-up hath all the glory of my overthrow. If I can cross him any way, I bless myself every way. (1.3.29-32, 64-6)
Not all is well in Messina. Just as the conflict between Beatrice and Benedick continuously ferments, so the strife between Don Pedro and Don John festers.
Ultimately, Beatrice and Benedick resolve their conflict. At the end of the play, having realized that they were tricked by their friends into loving each other, Beatrice and Benedick have the opportunity to resume their quarrel. Nonetheless, the two decide to end their “merry war,” proclaiming their love to all:
BENEDICK: A miracle! Here’s our own hands against our hearts. Come, I will have thee, but by this light I take thee for pity.
BEATRICE: I would not deny you, but by this good day, I yield upon great persuasion, and partly to save your life, for I was told you were in a consumption. (5.4.96-101)
Benedick and Beatrice choose to set aside their differences and love each other, caring deeply about the other’s well-being. Here the play ends, leaving one conflict (seemingly) unresolved: that of Don Pedro and Don John. In the closing lines of the play, a messenger proclaims, “My lord, your brother John is ta’en in flight, / and brought with armed men back to Messina” (5.4.129-30). Don John and Don Pedro now have the chance, like Benedick and Beatrice, to set down their conflict or continue fighting. Resolution seems impossible, but Shakespeare has just shown us something as unlikely: the marriage of two vigorous enemies to one another. Perhaps, he is suggesting, Don Pedro and Don John can also come to terms, bringing about peace.
Love and war have much in common. They are both struggles for dominance; according to Much Ado, both ‘sides’ need each other but can’t admit it. War is a fight for dominance, or to become superior by defeating the opposing army. The same is true in the situation between Beatrice and Benedick. Benedick even states that Beatrice “speaks poniards and every word stabs” (2.1244-245). They are constantly fighting each other for dominance, or superiority, much like in a war. Both love and war are constant competitions and power struggles. For both Beatrice and Benedick, their goal is to harm the others feelings. It is similar to immature displays of affection by hiding one’s affection with sarcasm and rudeness. Their friends use the constant competing to show how Beatrice and Benedick love each other. After some consideration, the two finally come to terms with their true feelings, or the feelings evoked by their friends telling them that the other is in love with them.
ReplyDeleteIn a psychological standpoint, both love and war are primal instincts that all are born with. Love and war are innate instincts, libido and thantos. The libido is the life instincts, one of which would be love; procreation is a natural human instinct. The thantos is the opposite of libido in that it is the death instincts. It is the desire to return to ‘dust’; war is an example of thantos because one is fighting to the death. Benedick and Beatrice exhibit both instincts because they are essential and inevitable in life.