Beatrice: O that I were a man for his sake! or that I
had any friend would be a man for my sake! But
manhood is melted into courtesies, valour into
compliment, and men are only turned into tongue, and
trim ones too: he is now as valiant as Hercules
that only tells a lie and swears it. I cannot be a
man with wishing, therefore I will die a woman with grieving.
Beatrice: A dear happiness to women: they would else have been troubled with a pernicious suitor. I thank God and my cold blood, I am of your humour for that: I had rather hear my dog bark at a crow than a man swear he loves me.
had any friend would be a man for my sake! But
manhood is melted into courtesies, valour into
compliment, and men are only turned into tongue, and
trim ones too: he is now as valiant as Hercules
that only tells a lie and swears it. I cannot be a
man with wishing, therefore I will die a woman with grieving.
Beatrice: A dear happiness to women: they would else have been troubled with a pernicious suitor. I thank God and my cold blood, I am of your humour for that: I had rather hear my dog bark at a crow than a man swear he loves me.
20 | BEATRICE
Too curst is more than curst. I shall lessen God’s sending
that way, for it is said, “God sends a curst cow short horns,”
but to a cow too curst, he sends none.
| |
| LEONATO
So, by being too curst, God will send you no horns.
| ||
25 | BEATRICE
Just, if he send me no husband, for the which blessing I am
at him upon my knees every morning and evening. Lord, I
could not endure a husband with a beard on his face! I had
rather lie in the woolen.
| |
| LEONATO
You may light on a husband that hath no beard.
| ||
30 | BEATRICE
What should I do with him? Dress him in my apparel and
make him my waiting gentlewoman? He that hath a beard
is more than a youth, and he that hath no beard is less than
a man; and he that is more than a youth is not for me, and
he that is less than a man, I am not for him. Therefore I will
even take sixpence in earnest of the bearherd, and lead his
apes into hell.
| |
35 | LEONATO
Well then, go you into hell?
| |
40 | BEATRICE
No, but to the gate, and there will the devil meet me like an
old cuckold with horns on his head, and say, “Get you to
heaven, Beatrice, get you to heaven; here’s no place for you
maids.” So deliver I up my apes and away to Saint Peter. For
the heavens, he shows me where the bachelors sit, and there
live we as merry as the day is long.
|
In the second example Beatrice is explaining that if a woman is truly happy, that woman does not have an unkind husband. And that she would "rather hear [her] dog bark at a crow than a man swear he loves [her]". Basically she does not want to love or to be loved and that a husband is an impediment as opposed to an aid in life. Therefore she thinks much the same of men in general.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteWomen were supposed to be dismissive and reserved, always deferring to the men around them. Beatrice, on the other hand, is the complete antithesis of this: always questioning and even insulting them. She makes a point of promoting herself as bold and audacious especially when Benedick is concerned.
DeleteAlthough she appears hardened and sharp, Beatrice is, in reality,really vulnerable. Once she overhears Hero describing that Benedick is in love with her, she realizes how important he is to her and goes into a state of 'loveduvyness'.She does this after she has told herself many times that she will not be 'owned' by any man.
Yet she is strong as hen Hero has been humiliated and accused of violating her chastity, Beatrice explodes with fury at Claudio accusing her of such and even gets Benedick to challenge him to a duel.
So, like all of Shakespeare's characters, she has many different qualities and defects and is a very complicated character driven by a few things: the need to revolt against society at the time and eventually love.
(unfinished)
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ReplyDeleteThe quotations given demonstrate that the role of women in Elizabethan times was thought very highly of by women themselves. Perhaps not as much by men, but women personally think very well of their role, they hope happiness for every women and believe in their rights.
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ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteBEATRICE
ReplyDeleteNo, but to the gate, and there will the devil meet me like an old cuckold with horns on his head, and say, “Get you to
Heaven, Beatrice, get you to heaven; here’s no place for you
maids.” So deliver me up my apes and away to Saint Peter. For the heavens, he shows me where the bachelors sit, and there live we as merry as the day is long.
In this quote the character Beatrice is portrayed as a woman who is only interested in finding a man to marry and love. It shows that even though she has independence and freedom she will happily swap all of that for love, empowerment and matrimony. It shows that she is not happy being single and free and that she’d rather have a man and empowerment. In this quote some people may think that she is talking to a woman because she says ‘get you to heaven, Beatrice, get you to heaven’ It sounds like she is talking to a woman because it doesn't sound like she would happily say that to a man. When she says ‘He shows me where the bachelors sit, and there we live as merry as the day is long’ It shows us that she is ready for a husband and that she wants one, it is also saying that if she doesn't have a husband she will go to hell and that if she has one then she will go to heaven and live with all of the bachelors that went to heaven.
In Elizabethan times , women were tutored at home , they didn't have school so they didn't get to mingle with other girls and boys. Wives were seen as the husbands property. Some women feared marriage because possibly they didn't want children or to run the household and they did not want to be tied down to a husband, they wanted to be independent. Although every woman expects to be married. Women must either marry or be a burden to their families. Beatrice says in the play, ''If he send me no husband, for which blessing i am at him upon my knees every morning and evening''. This suggests that Beatrice does not wish to have a husband, she does not wish to marry at that time and it would not bother her if she was not sent a husband and expected to start a family. She may fear marriage. It seems she does not wish to have a husband with her all the time and at her knees all day long, she wants to have time to herself. Elizabethan women were bought up to believe that they should marry ,then run the household and have children to create a family.
ReplyDeleteUsually the man wishes to marry or at least realizes that he should marry. Elizabethan men had all the authority. They were expected to be the head of the household and expected to be obeyed. The men was expected to look after his wife and their family. Although in the play Beatrice overpowers leonato so this shows its not always the man who is overpowering, sometimes it is the women.
Beatrice is trying to be the dominant character within the play. She says ''For the heavens, he shows me where the bachelors sit, and there
live we as merry as the day is long'' this shows that she wants to sit with the bachelors in heaven and she would have a good time with them and she would enjoy it. She doesn't care if she doesn't marry or is a maid, a virgin. She may not have wished to not stay a virgin, she may feel that because she was a bit older than some of the girls , she believed that she was too old now and her chance had gone so she will die a virgin and a single independent women.
Jasmine Burton. 9MAS
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ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteBeatrice in herself is a very strong independent women, she shows that by the language and stubbornness she conveys when she speaks to Benedick. It is unlikely that women in the Elizabethan times would not be so open and arrogant to men. Men had always been seen as the ruler of women. When Benedick and Beatrice find out that they love each other they start to flirt in a very odd way, they are more sarcastic with each then complimentary because the stubborn personality’s they both have will not allow them to come across so easy to get. The men of Elizabethan England had all the authority, were expected to be the head of the family, and expected to be obeyed, but at the time a women was Head of State. Even though there was an unmarried woman on the throne in Elizabethan England, the roles of women in society were very limited. The Elizabethans had very clear expectations of men and women, and in general men were expected to be the breadwinners and women to be housewives and mothers. Although men were told to follow the Bible and to love and care for their wives they still did beat them. We saw this in “Much Ado” when Claudio thought that Hero had cheated on him, he pushed Hero on the floor in hatred and she fainted on the ground, people said she was dead but Claudio didn’t even care and walked out of the wedding. It wasn’t until he found out that Hero was innocent that he broke down and started to care about her so called death.
ReplyDeleteShakespeare portrays women with wide strong and different personalities, as the women characters throughout this play aren’t the true role of a female stereotype. As in the second example Beatrice shows a strong and incredibly stubborn in everything she says and in all the scenes she portrays a women that comes across very head strong and witty.
ReplyDeleteWhen Beatrice is saying this quote from the play ‘I had rather hear my dog bark at a crow than a man swear he loves me.’ She saying she doesn’t want love and she wants no man to love her and that she has no need for a husband in life. She would rather be by herself and be an independent woman. Beatrice is also not at all bothered by the dominance of the normal overruling men she feels that she can stand her ground and is just as strong as any other person portraying her true feelings across with strong opinions and views and normally in a witty way.
She may be saying this to Benedict as whenever they seem to talk they constantly flirt but in a strange way and they are trying to fight back at each other, although Beatrice every time seems to constantly fight back and win whatever they calling each other.
The Elizabethan era brought the Renaissance, new thinking to England. Women were portrayed as, in some cases, the stronger gender which is shown in Beatrice's character in the play - Beatrice expresses her emotions on the male gender while showing great wit and knowledge.
ReplyDeleteFor example "A dear happiness to women: they would else have been troubled with a pernicious suitor. I thank God and my cold blood, I am of your humour for that: I had rather hear my dog bark at a crow than a man swear he loves me."
This quote of Beatrice's shows that she has no care of love from men, nor the stereotypical look upon the genders (men being the stronger gender). Beatrice is definitely the most dominant female character in the play, which was difficult for women to do so as the views on their gender in the Elizabethan era where effectively weak ones (despite the fact that a woman was on the throne).
The males on the other hand where perceived as strong, controlling and generally the more powerful gender in the Elizabethan times. Yet in the play, most of the men are over powered by the women as they fall in love; men were meant to have control over the women, but the women had the men ‘wrapped around their finger’. This play didn’t follow the supposed view on women or men, as in a way, there places in society where switched as the women play the greater, and stronger role in the play.
Shakespeare bases this play as a battle of the sexes. However, it still conveys strong relationships, conflict and affection. Women are the main cause in this play and each independent women have a variety of different characteristics and personalities.
ReplyDeleteBeatrice is portrayed as a very witty, and loves to win her argument. Therefore making her controlling, manipulating and independent women.
Throughout the “Much ado about nothing” play, women are known as men’s property. Therefore meaning they were reluctant to obey man’s orders. However some women wanted independence and discouraged the thought of owned. Beatrice was one of these ladies who thrived in independence and being strong and Shakespeare presents this within her character and personality. However she still holds the will to be loved and experience having a family, like every other Elizabethan women wished.
Beatrice then quotes ''For the heavens, he shows me where the bachelors sit, and there live we as merry as the day is long'' which shows she has left her youth and is continuing to age, so she knows she’s running out of time to find her true love and start a family. She would happily be in the Heavens enjoying herself with or without having her family and man because she understands now she’s going to slowly lose her wishes and at least Heaven would be much greater then rushing into love.
The role of women in Elizabethan times was at a minority to men. In 'Much Ado about Nothing', Beatrice played a role much different to a normal Elizabethan woman. She was very minded on choosing the kind of man she wanted, which was very unusual for women of this time. Most women of the time were ruled by men, and it was of the stereotype at the time that a woman needed a man to ‘rule over her’. Women of the time were often not allowed vote, act, be educated or get any positions of power in business.
ReplyDeleteIn fact, most women would not be allowed to work most jobs in the first place. Men were seen as the stronger, more superior gender. Their opinion was almost always the one that shaped . This is implied in the play when Claudio is talking to Don Pedro about Hero: ‘If thou likest her, thou shall have her!’ This phrase expresses that women were seen as a possession to men, and didn’t have much free will of their own.
In the play ‘much Ado about Nothing’, Shakespeare portrays all the women as having a wide range of different personalities to one another. Beatrice appears to be witty and intelligent, which in Shakespeare’s time was not the common perception of women. She frequently plays with words to win arguments or to prove her point. Beatrice seems to be very un-stereotypical; women were viewed as a right to a man and, once married, their husbands property. Shakespeare shows this in play through Hero and Claudio’s relationship.
ReplyDeleteThese quotations show that Beatrice is a strong headed woman whom when her mind is se on as outcome, it is not easy to change.
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ReplyDeleteAccording to some sources, they are convinced that Beatrice was using Benedick; they stated that she was tired of him and knew how to manipulate him, which would make sense as she said “he had my heart but misused it” which suggests that she was in love with him once but he did something to her therefore she manipulates him as she wants revenge, although from the quotes given I had the impression that that Beatrice appeared to be weak and controlled by the “stronger gender” and because of this she was irritated. She says “O that I were a man for his sake!” which to me seems like she was saying that if she was a man she could be more useful to whoever “he” was and by saying this it shows that they believed women to be the weaker gender. She also says “I cannot be a man with wishing, therefore I will die a woman with grieving” which could possibly mean that because they believed women to be the weaker gender they weren’t able to have the same opportunities as men, which links in to where she says “I will die a woman grieving” because she may feel that her life has been un fair as she hasn’t been allowed to do the things that she wants too because she was female, which is ironic because at the time Queen Elizabeth 1 was on the throne however this didn’t make a change to how the Elizabethan society thought of women. To me Beatrice appears to be a bit of a feminist and a very strong woman, as she tries to be dominant whist being the weaker gender and also appears that she is disgusted by men. When she says “What should I do with him? Dress him in my apparel and make him my waiting gentlewoman?” it shows that she doesn’t think particularly highly of men, and these two questions could be spoken in a disgusted tone.
ReplyDeleteBenedick appeared to be very fickle as he only wanted perfection in a woman but believed that perfection didn’t exist and swore that he wouldn’t marry although towards the end he agrees to kill Claudio at Beatrice’s request, which shows that he is committed to her, he was also tricked by his friends into thinking that Beatrice loved him which shows that he can be weak and fooled and that he does actually love Beatrice.
The featured quotations demonstrate that women could have a strong character even though everyone thought of them as being the weaker gender. For example, Beatrice is a fairly strong, stubborn and sarcastic character for a woman in Elizabethan times. This is shown through the quote “I had rather hear my dog bark at a crow than a man swear he loves me,” she expresses that she’d rather hear an unpleasant sound than a man saying he loves her. Also she is saying she is tired of hearing men tell women that they love them because she doesn’t believe they actually do. If a man loves a woman she thinks they should do something to show their love, other than just saying ‘I love you’. This could be because men thought women were weaker so if they told them they loved them, women would believe it and become like their possession and do anything for them.
ReplyDeleteMen were also quite strong characters but in this play, they could also be shown as weak. For example, Benedick was tricked quite easily by his friends into thinking Beatrice loved him. This shows he was sometimes weak because of how easily he was tricked. Despite this he could also be stubborn and sarcastic, like Beatrice. In the quote “Do you question me, as an honest man should do, for my simple true judgment? Or would you have me speak after my custom, as being a professed tyrant to their sex?” Benedick admits that he is against women. However, he notes that he’s capable of "simple, true judgment" of particular women.
Sarah and Hannah
BEATRICE
ReplyDeleteJust, if he send me no husband, for the which blessing I am
at him upon my knees every morning and evening. Lord, I
could not endure a husband with a beard on his face! I had
rather lie in the woolen.
These lines represent a strong character who speaks her mind and that won’t be pressured into things. She is saying that she could not tolerate a husband with a beard on his face. She shows that she is not taken by marriage, and suggests that she may not want to get married soon as she had not found the right man. Gender is shown here that she mocks the man that she love. She likes to make jokes and is witty with Benedick; he retaliates but Beatrice often “wins” these “merry wars”. Beatrice jokes that she will never have a husband (ironic that it is in the Elizabethan time!). Wives were represented as to not work, get married and have children quite early in life; they were sometimes not trusted to go outside without a man to guide them so they were often pale. Beatrice, bucking the trend, doesn’t want to marry and have children; she enjoys being independent and not having a man to tell her what to do.
Beatrice: A dear happiness to women: they would else have been troubled with a pernicious suitor. I thank God and my cold blood, I am of your humour for that: I had rather hear my dog bark at a crow than a man swear he loves me.
Beatrice doesn’t want a man to be untrue or unfaithful to her: “I had rather hear my dog bark at a crow than a man swear he loves me”. “A dear happiness to women” suggests that women were the lucky gender. A ‘suitor’ is a man who is trying to marry with a particular woman, ‘pernicious’ is when someone has a harmful effect. She is suggesting that she is lucky not to be a “pernicious suitor”.
One woman
is fair, yet I am well; another is wise, yet I am
well; another virtuous, yet I am well; but till all
graces be in one woman, one woman shall not come in
my grace. Rich she shall be, that's certain; wise,
or I'll none; virtuous, or I'll never cheapen her;
fair, or I'll never look on her; mild, or come not
near me; noble, or not I for an angel; of good
discourse, an excellent musician, and her hair shall
be of what colour it please God. Ha! the prince and
Monsieur Love! I will hide me in the arbour.
Benedick is suggesting that in the world somewhere there is a perfect women in his eyes; he describes this woman as being fair, wise, virtuous, rich, mild, a good musician and noble. Although Benedick presumes that there is no such thing as his perfect woman. This perfect woman is unrealistic and he thinks highly of himself to expect all of this from one woman; he appears very complimentary of himself. He also doesn’t seem against the idea of marriage but he’d have to find this perfect woman. If she is not rich, he will have none, if she is not fair, he will never look at her, if she is not mild, he will never come near her, if she is not noble, he will not have her even if she if an angel.
ReplyDeleteIn the play, Beatrice is a very strong character. In this particular play the women are strong and some of the men could be seen as weak. Beatrice is the more intelligent individual within the couple: Beatrice and Benedick. She is also the more manipulative. Hero is more innocent and apparently weaker, perhaps because she is younger. When Hero is wrongly accused at the alter Beatrice is the only one who stands by her. Women were shown as strong characters. These women can be more manipulative than the men also.
She says: ‘A dear happiness to women: they would else have been troubled with a pernicious suitor. I thank God and my cold blood, I am of your humour for that: I had rather hear my dog bark at a crow than a man swear he loves me.’
She doesn’t fear men nor does she feel she needs a husband, she says she would ‘rather a dog bark at a crow than a man swear he loves me.’
When Benedick says: ‘They say the lady is fair; ‘tis a truth, I can bear them witness. And virtuous; ‘tis so, I cannot reprove it. And wise, but for loving me. By my troth, it is no addition to her wit nor no great argument of her folly, for I will be horribly in love with her.’
He thinks this sort of woman does not really exist. His expectations are too high, as were most men’s in this time. Men were obviously supposed to be the superior gender, in some cases this is not the case in Shakespeare’s plays. Queen Elizabeth may have had an influence on this as she was a strong single woman.
The female characters in Shakespeare’s plays tend to be different to how women actually were in Elizabethan times. Women in real life were treated as subservient to men, treated as the lesser gender. They had fewer rights than men, and weren’t allowed to do all of the things that males were, like going to university or be involved in politics. Women in his plays were often portrayed as strong. Women such as Beatrice are quite strong willed and possibly smarter than some of the male characters, such as Benedick. In Elizabethan times, unmarried women had to spend their lives in a convent or in a nunnery. The only other alternative was in domestic service.
ReplyDeleteShakespeare has written his characters to go against the stereotype of women being a lower class of person. Men of that time perceived women as reliant of men for love and to take care of them. Characters such as Beatrice are deliberately independent and intelligent, which would make them, for the time at least, surprising and interesting. Beatrice actively dislikes the idea of a husband, “I had rather hear my dog bark at a crow than a man swear he loves me”, which would have been an unusual concept.
What do the quotations demonstrate about gender in Elizabethan times?
ReplyDelete“Too curst is more than curst. I shall lessen God’s sending that way, for it is said, “God sends a curst cow short horns,” but to a cow too curst, he sends none.”-Beatrice
This quote shows that everyone should be thankful for what they have and glad that they don’t have it worse. “Too curst is more than curst” this means that being “too” cursed is worse than being cursed. This may be a way for Beatrice to say that being female is worse than being a male but being a female with a husband is “too curst”. It could also mean that she is “curst” by being a female, but a female in love would be “too curst”. This may be because love in this play seems to be a curse in the way that the characters leave all sense, proven by Claudio and his quick changing of mind over Hero.
“Just, if he send me no husband, for the which blessing I am at him upon my knees every morning and evening. Lord, I could not endure a husband with a beard on his face! I had rather lie in the woolen.” –Beatrice
This could prove that Beatrice is content not to have a husband. “Upon my knees every morning and evening.” This shows that Beatrice is content and may even prove that she prays to never have a husband. “I had rather lie in the woolen.” This shows that Beatrice must think of a husband as more of a discomfort than lying or sleeping on an itchy surface. This may show that Beatrice is reluctant to marry, however it could be that she is scared of a life where she may not be as dominant as she is at the time.
“What should I do with him? Dress him in my apparel and make him my waiting gentlewoman?”
This may show that Beatrice doesn't think very highly of men. The use of “him” is very impersonal and could be spoken in a tone of disgust. Shakespeare could have used “a husband” but that could make the audience understand the line in a more caring address. It may also show that she thinks them stupid or fickle. This may also be proven by the use of “What should I do”, this may show that Beatrice thinks herself superior to men. The use of “I” may show that she is certain she would be more intelligent than any husband she could ever have. Although it could mean that she thinks that other women can have a husband but she will not as it uses a personal pronoun.
“Dress him in my apparel and make him my gentlewomen?” This supports the earlier point but also may suggest that Beatrice accepts that women aren't so highly thought of in society. “Gentlewomen” were girls that accompanied a lady of high social rank. They are often portrayed as women that are quiet and only act to impress or please their lady. This could show that Beatrice thinks of husbands that are fake and pleasant only to please their wives as to keep peace. However the quote may suggest that Beatrice would want to swap societal places with a husband; her becoming the dominant and one in control, her husband, quiet and obedient. This quote may also suggest that Beatrice couldn’t be in control as herself as in society’s eyes, she is too weak and feeble.
In conclusion Beatrice’s character is unlike the renaissance women who were the “perfect” lady of the time. Beatrice is very strong willed whereas her cousin Hero is more of an “ideal” girl, who is obedient and very rarely speaks her mind. Beatrice also thinks herself equal to or better than the opposite sex.
This in Shakespeare’s time would have been rare thought or if a woman did think that, she wouldn’t say so. On the other hand, Queen Elizabeth would have watched Shakespeare’s plays at court. Therefore Shakespeare may have written Beatrice with the Queen in mind or to please her.
In Shakespeare's plays he portrays women as strong characters; in the play Much Ado About Nothing Beatrice is a fine example of this. Beatrice is headstrong as we see from her jibes at Benedick, she is not afraid of men. However this role is in-congruent to that of the role of the actual women in the Elizabethan times that were ruled and owned by men giving women little rights.
ReplyDeleteBenedick has high expectations of how the stereotypical Renaissance woman should be. He doesn’t think a woman like that however is possible therefore he is not in love yet…
“They say the lady is fair. ‘Tis a truth, I can bear them witness. And virtuous—’tis so, I cannot reprove it. And wise, but for loving me. By my troth, it is neither addition to her wit— nor no great argument of her folly, for I will be horribly in love with her.”
In the Elizabethan era, genders were portrayed as vibrant opposites to one another such as the woman was seen as the “weaker sex” in terms of physical strength and endurance. This then led to the conclusion that they would require constant care and guidance throughout their lifetime; actually this powerless trait doesn't apply to all women. Beatrice is a necessity to the feisty section of the female category. This is evident due to the fact that she said "Too curst is more than curst. I shall lessen God’s sending that way, for it is said, “God sends a curst cow short horns”, but to a cow too curst, he sends none". This portrays Beatrice as a fury –fuelled woman whose opinions are not withered by the male dominance; obviously she feels contempt on thrusting her view down on to her audience therefore she must be an anomaly of the female sex. Shakespeare varies his scenes to different countries due to the fact that he feels that by questioning another countries society would lead to the attraction and attention of the remaining British citizens.
ReplyDeleteThe male gender has been portrayed as the commanding and overruling sex. A typical Man was perceived as being the superior organism in a marriage or relationship which led the assumption that men had to provide daily guidance for safety and general help. This allowed men to belittle and diminish the reputation of a woman by insulting their pathetic traits and little mental strength. Male’s obviously had an advantage over females due to the perception of the typical Renaissance woman. Leonato said “So, by being too curst, God will send you no horns.” This automatically classes Leonato as being a typical dominating male who possess the superiority of expressing his diminishing opinions of the female role.
The women of the Elizabethan era were given education only if they were members of nobility otherwise they would stay at home and run the house, of a woman of noble birth, education meant knowledge of several languages. Elizabethan women were expected to bring a dowry, which could be any amount of money, goods or property to the marriage.
ReplyDelete‘I could not endure a husband with a beard on his face!’
This line shows that Beatrice won’t be taken by any man but one that is up to her standards this means that Beatrice is dominant.
‘He that hath a beard is more than a youth, and he that hath no beard is less than a man; and he that is more than a youth is not for me, and he that is less than a man, I am not for him. Therefore I will even take sixpence in earnest of the bear herd, and lead his apes into hell.’
This quote is saying that Beatrice can’t be pleased by a man with a beard or without a beard so she might not end up with anyone.
“Just, if he send me no husband, for the which blessing I am
ReplyDeleteat him upon my knees every morning and evening. Lord, I
could not endure a husband with a beard on his face! I had
rather lie in the woolen.”
This quote is clearly suggesting that Beatrice is not your average woman. Her morals and views on love are abnormal to those of your average Elizabethan woman. Here she is stating that instead of praying for a husband (which might have been expected from most women in those days) she is instead praying and giving thanks to the lord for him not giving her husband.
Shakespeare portrays Beatrice as an unusual, yet head strong character, which seems to clash rather well with his other head strong and opinionated character, Benedick. Both these characters seem to share similar characteristics, which perhaps shows the equality of both men and women in this play.
“Indeed, my lord, he lent it me awhile; and I gave
him use for it, a double heart for his single one:
marry, once before he won it of me with false dice,
therefore your grace may well say I have lost it.”
In this quote Beatrice explains about how Benedick once won and owned her heart but she states he used it with a false dice. This helps explains Beatrice’s attitude towards Benedick. This also helps prove Beatrice as one of the most dominant female characters of the play. Because of the way Benedick had once treated her, she feels the need to come across as the more dominant character, which I find rather unusual in one of Shakespeare’s plays.
“I had rather hear my dog bark at a crow, than a man swear he loves me.”
I believe this is the first quote that helps open are eyes up to the way of Elizabethan women. This quote in particular shows that Beatrice is a much stronger and independent woman, than those of her time. She states that she wishes to never hear those three little words, whereas most women would be thrilled at the idea. Though she does come across as suborn, she is still portrayed as a fiery spirited woman, much like Queen Elizabeth I.
Even though a woman was on the throne at this, women were still seen as the lower, weaker sex. But Shakespeare still manages to portray one of his main female characters, as strong and as independent as that of his male roles.
Women in Elizabethan times were looked down upon. They were not allowed to vote, act, be educated or enrol for the army of navy. Men were seen as the better sex, the dominant sex. In the play the women seem very confident but slightly toy with the minds of the men; making them believe that they are cute little creatures. In the play benedict refers to women as you “have them” this implies that women are objects. Although benedict says this I still believe that in the play the men were less controlling and demanding of women compared to the typical Elizabethan society. In general I think the characters seem more developed as a society
ReplyDelete