Beatrice And Benedick example essay topic

When I first saw what I had to write about for this essay I was very scared for two reasons. First, it was due on July 7! and, second, the topic was asking me to make a determination on who is smarter, Beatrice or Benedick. Intelligence is an extremely difficult thing to approach. I believe that there are many different kinds of intelligence. For example, when comparing a doctor and a carpenter, one would probably presume that the doctor is more "smart". However, that might not be the case, the carpenter could be Mr. Popularity, being very skilled at reading people where the doctor might not.

The doctor might have to hire someone to change a light bulb. However, I wouldn't feel comfortable receiving a physical from a carpenter, so who's smarter? One method of gauging intelligence is the standardized test, but Shakespeare neglected to provide IQ tests for Beatrice and Benedick. Though Beatrice and Benedick both exhibit intelligence and clever wit, Benedick is smarter, as he handles situations well, and has better people skills than Beatrice.

Beatrice is strong-willed, opinionated, and often thrusts her opinion on people (whether they want to hear it or not). In her first line of the play (Act 1, Scene 1) she interrupts a conversation between her uncle Leona to, and a messenger. Not only does she interrupt, but her disruption is loaded with sarcasm and acerbity. Beatrice takes charge of every conversation, and fails to understand that her wit and scathing sarcasm are wasted on the messenger.

Although her remarks (especially those regarding Benedick) are clever and witty, she is telling them to someone who isn't in her "merry war" and most likely couldn't care less about hearing her opinion. In Act IV, Scene 1, Beatrice's reaction to Claudio's accusation of Hero is unreasonable, and shows a lack of reflection. After Claudio's merciless allegations Beatrice remarks to Benedick, "O God that I were a man! I would eat his heart in the marketplace". Her immediate alacrity to resort to violence (if she was of a different sex that is) demonstrates her lack of reasoning. She neglects to ponder why it is that Claudio would challenge his future wife's fidelity.

Benedick has a more calm and cool reaction, not wanting to believe it's true. Beatrice reacts most strongly to the accusations of Hero, and unwisely attempts to drive Benedick into hasty and stupid action. Beatrice asks Benedick (now her love) to kill his loyal friend Claudio, thinking that killing the accuser will solve everything. Beatrice cruelly uses Benedick's love of her to its' fullest advantage, saying, "Kill Claudio... You kill me to deny it". (Act IV, Scene 1).

Beatrice does everything within her power to get Benedick to act on her dumb idea, and illustrates her poor people skills by using her love as a weapon. Beatrice also shows a lack of intelligence in her reluctance to let down her protective wall of sarcasm and belittlement. Though she has previously been hurt by Benedick, she continues her contrariness even after he has professed his love to her. In Act V, Scene 2, after both Beatrice and Benedick have admitted love to one another, Benedick uses the romantic pronoun "thee" or "thou" whereas Beatrice, always reluctant to show her feelings uses the more ordinary "you", as when Benedick says. ".. for I love thee against my will". and Beatrice says "In spite of your heart... ". Also, in Act V, Scene IV Benedick asks "Do not you love me?" to which Beatrice replies, "Why no, no more than reason".

Her little gibes are hurtful, and so used to saying them, she almost seems to say them without thinking. Even in agreeing to marry Benedick, she can't resist a last little jab, saying "I would not deny you. But... I yield upon great persuasion, and partly to save your life, for I was told you were in a consumption". (Act V, Scene IV). Her lack of control over her sarcasm is a weakness, and not smart.

Throughout the play Benedick displays keen intelligence, and common sense. He makes clever use of language in his "merry war" with Beatrice. When he experiences a change in his attitude towards women and commitment, he wisely says, .".. doth not the appetite alter? A man loves the meat in his youth, that he cannot endure in his age". (Act II, Scene 3). Benedick shows more control over his emotions than Beatrice, and unlike Beatrice he doesn't hold a grudge for a long period of time.

Benedick shows himself to be more intelligent than Beatrice by; having more common sense, having control of his feelings, and being able to express his feelings without bitterness and sarcasm. Although Beatrice's strong personality would have been uncharacteristic of the time, it does not make her smart, but memorable. WORDS: 812 (please excuse the extra twelve words, I could find a way to cut them out I'm sure, but the overall quality of the essay would suffer, and I'm hoping you " re not an absolute stickler on the 500-800 words).