Shakespeare’s Language

Act 5 Scene 4

The language Shakespeare uses in Act 5 scene 4 shows that the characters are now able to show their true feelings towards each other, now that the sadness of Hero’s predicament has passed. This is shown by Benedick approaching Leonato and asking for permission to marry Beatrice. “To bind me, or undo me, one of these”, shows that he is asking Leonato to make the decision that he sees fit. This is showing that now the predicament of Hero has passed away everyone feels like it is a new begging. This is why I think that Benedick has asked now and not before or later on.

After Benedick asks for the permission to get married he realises that he will need help to win over and get married to Beatrice. He decides that the best person to help him is the Friar, “In which (good Friar) I shall desire your help”. This is clearly showing that Benedick has a idea of what he needs to do but he still needs help from someone else to help him out if something goes wrong.

We then see Benedick expressing his love to Beatrice in public, “Do you not love me?”. This is suggesting that Benedick is still not certain about what he should do to show his love to Beatrice now that this opportunity has arisen.

We also see the side of Beatrice that isn’t sure if this is the man that she should marry, especially after what has been happening, “Why no, no more than reason”. This is showing us that although Beatrice dose love him, she hasn’t quiet decided whether she really loves him.

In the following for lines Benedick and Beatrice revert back to their attitudes and bickering that they showed at the beginning of the play, “Troth, no, no more than reason” and “ They swore that you were almost sick for me”. This is suggesting that there is still an argumentative side to the lovers, which was probably caused by Benedick not being sure about what he should do.

Shakespeare uses repetition to show that Benedick is unsure as to what he should do and say because he copies some of the words Beatrice uses, “Why no, no more than reason” said Beatrice before Benedick said, “Troth, no, no more than reason”. This is showing us that Benedick knows that Beatrice has the upper ground and knows what to say, so he tries to out wit her by altering what she says to his advantage.

It then seems like Benedick has decided that he is happy with getting married to Beatrice and so now doesn’t want her feeling sad so he says, “Peace I will stop your mouth”. This is showing us that Benedick is now ready and really happy about being married and the good he can now do, this is in contrast to the shy and worried Benedick from the beginning of the scene.

During the last few lines of the play, before the messenger enters we see Benedick relishing his new found love, Shakespeare showed this through him teasing the prince, “Prince, thou art sad, get thee a wife, get thee a wife”. This is showing us that Benedick and Beatrice are both very happy about what happened because they both enjoy each other’s company and are now different from everyone else.