Beatrice's Attitude Towards Men

304 Words2 Pages
In the first extract, Beatrice talks about Benedick. In the second, she talks to Don Pedro, Leonato and Claudio. What does Beatrice's use of language show about her attitude towards the different men in the society in these extracts? Beatrice's attitude towards the men in the society is very unconventional. She does not behave as most ladies were expected to during that time. Rather than being silent and doing as she is told, she speaks her mind. In fact, her very first words in the play show the contrast between her and a typical woman of that time. She refers to Benedick as "Signor Mountanto" showing her lack of respect for him. Whereas most women are quiet and subdued, she constantly insults Benedick in front of others. Her dislike towards him is made quite obvious from the start of the play and she makes this quite clear by voicing her opinion. Beatrice's attitude toward Don Pedro, Claudio and Leonato is different from her attitude towards Benedick, but it is still not the attitude you'd expect from a women towards a man. She is very open with the three men and not at all subdued like Hero. She jokes that Claudio is as "civil as an orange", a pun for the Seville orange. She also rejects Don Pedro's marriage proposal although he only asks her lightly. Beatrice refuses to be dominated by the men in the society and behaves with them not as another woman would, but as a fellow man would. It can also be assumed that she is generally a happy person as she is always telling jokes and rarely gets upset. Like Don Pedro says she "has a merry heart". In addition, she herself claims that she was "born to speak all mirth, and no
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