Beatrice, Benedick and Love in Much Ado About Nothing William Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing takes place in 13th century Italy. The plot of the play can be classified as comedy or tragicomedy. Villainy and intrigue combine with humor and sparkling wordplay in Shakespeare's comedy of manners. Claudio is deceived into believing that Hero is unfaithful. Meanwhile, Benedick and Beatrice have "a sort of merry war" between them, matching wits in repartee. This article will attempt to present the fact that Beatrice and Benedick are in love throughout the play despite their spiritual rivalries. Their friends' plans lead each to think that the other is in love, which allows for genuine affection between them that leads to the exchange of sacred vows. “They offer both character and situational comedy. The "merry war" between them is established in the opening scene: Beatrice heaps comic insults against Benedick before she sees him and to his face, but there is no doubt about her interest in him, whatever the way. of which it can be expressed; and although Benedick declares himself "an open tyrant of their sex" (1.1.161) and an opponent of marriage, he tells Claudio that Beatrice "and she was not possessed by fury, surpasses the 'Hero' as beautiful as the first of May. made the last of December” (1.1.180-2). Beatrice also, although she says she prays morning and evening that God will not send her a husband, admits that there is something to be said for Benedick, were it not for his perpetual chatter (2.1.6-26 )” (Wells 167).Beatrice and Benedick had been more or less in love for some time, and Benedick had withdrawn: Bene: O God, sir, here is a dish I do not like! I can't stand my Lady Tongue.ExitD. Pedro: Come, the...... middle of paper......reason', she loves him 'but as a friendly reward'; he only takes her “out of pity”, she gives in to him “with much persuasion, and partly to save your life, because I was told that you were consumptive”. As the pipers begin the music for a final dance, we can only agree that they were "too wise to woo peacefully (5.2.65)" (Palmer 119). Shakespeare's interest in action is often merely secondary to his powers of characterization and representation. language. In Much Ado, he creates a confusing relationship between Beatrice and Benedick. It is up to the reader to interpret this relationship as love or “merry war”. Works CitedBloom, Harold. Shakespeare: The Invention of Man. New York: Riverhead Books, 1998. Palmer, John. Shakespeare's comic characters. New York: Macmillan, 1959. Wells, Stanely. Shakespeare - a dramatic life. New York: W. W. Norton, 1997.