- comic relief
- distraction from a serious point
- Hero is 'uneasy' and Beatrice is 'unwell'. Pre-wedding jitters?
Bawdiness - "be heavier soon by the weight of a man", "heavier for a husband", "a maid and stuffed! There's a godly catching of a cold."
Study Questions
How has Beatrice changed in this scene from her previous behaviour? Identify two sexual jokes the girls make in this scene.
Beatrice's change in personality is particularly evident in this scene. In Act 1, Scene 1, Beatrice's stance against institutionalized love was presented through her treatment of Benedick, "a bird of my tongue is better than a beast of yours." Her refusal to conform to the idealized notion of love is at a stark contrast to what was expected from Elizabethan women, as commented on by Thomas Elyot in 1531, "good nature of a woman is to be mild." However, Beatrice's nature appears to have changed in this scene. Her lack of bawdiness and wit coupled with frustration of Margaret's jokes, "How long have you professed apprehension?" is evidence of Beatrice's conformity with the expectations of women in the time period.
Two sexual jokes within the scene are: "a maid and stuffed! There's a godly catching of a cold." and "heavier for a husband".
What is the Cardus Benedictus referred to in the scene and what does Beatrice think it means?
Cardus benedictus is a thistle plat with healing properties, but Beatrice thinks Margaret is referring to Benedick. It could be taken that Beatrice will be healed of her nonconformity by settling with Benedick.
Are we deceived by Margaret's humour?
The key part of this response is to focus on Margarets deception of the audience. Our once privileged position of knowing more than the audience is undermined here.
ReplyDeleteAgain is Beatrice's 'change' a mirror of Benedicks in the previous scene (see my comment on toothache)