Tuesday, January 29, 2008

The 2 characters who would win a battle of wit

Write a blog about a character you find either interesting or appealing. Think of characters from other stories who have something in common and explain the similarity. Think of a real person you are reminded of and explain why.
The Characters that most interest me in Much Ado About Nothing are Benedick and Beatrice. Some moments of the play may lack some amount of exitement, but when these two hit the stage, it is like lightning. You just can't ignore them because it is so entertaining to listen to them. Especially in the first half of the book the two characters are hateful of each other and get into such funny word battles that you don't want to stop reading. A short but good example is this little bit from one of their conversations.
BEATRICE
I wonder that you will still be talking, SigniorBenedick: nobody marks you.
BENEDICK
What, my dear Lady Disdain! are you yet living?
BEATRICE
Is it possible disdain should die while she hathsuch meet food to feed it as Signior Benedick? Courtesy itself must convert to disdain, if you comein her presence.
This is almost like listening to a conversation on a high school campus. Two people involved in a conversation and then one makes a witty remark to the other. It is almost even worse than listening to high schoolers because they act like little kids at first. The only part that enables you to know they are actually really smart is the words they use. Even though they are bickering at each other, it is a very entertaining form of conversation. Each line they say to the other is like stabbing a metaphorical knife in the others back, but in reality they are just having a battle of the brains.
I think it is awesome that they are set up together because they really are so good at arguing against each other, that they would make a good team. I can truly say I would not want to debate against them even if my partner was Mr. Guthrie. They would most likely take so many personal stabs at anyone they debate that you would not want to be near them.
Another thing I thought about was how cool their child would be. I can imagine their child being good at everything and being a really good debater. It would be like putting both Beatrice's and Benedick's wit into one person. I would definately want to be friends with the Benedick family because I would not want to put up with all of the word battles. Plus, I am not as fast as either Benedick or Beatrice when it comes to a response to something someone says to you.

1 comment:

LCC said...

Ryan--yep! Benedick and Beatrice are so much more interesting than any of the other characters, it makes me wish the plot revolved around them more than it does.

You also said, "I would definately want to be friends with the Benedick family because I would not want to put up with all of the word battles." Sort of a variation on what the messenger says to Beatrice in the beginning of the play.