Good Margaret, run thee to the parlour;
There shalt thou find my cousin Beatrice
Proposing with the Prince and Claudio:
Whisper her ear, and tell her, I and Ursala
Walk in the orchard, and our whole discourse
Is all of her; say that thou overheard’st us,
And bid her steal into the pleached bower,
Where honey-suckles, ripen’d by the sun,
Forbid the sun to enter; like favourites,
Made proud by princes, that advance their pride
Against that power that bred it. There will she hide her,
To listen our propose. This is thy office;
Bear thee well in it and leave us alone.
Good Margaret, run you to the parlour; There shalt you find my cousin Beatrice Proposing with the Prince and Claudio: Whisper her ear, and tell her, I and Ursala Walk in the orchard, and our whole discourse Is all of her; say that you overheard’st us, And bid her steal into the pleached bower, Where honey-suckles, ripen’d by the sun, Forbid the sun to enter; like favourites, Made proud by princes, that advance their pride Against that power that bred it. There will she hide her, To listen our propose. This is your office; Bear you well in it and leave us alone.
Good Margaret, run you to the parlour; There shalt you find my cousin Beatrice Proposing with the Prince and Claudio: Whisper her ear, and tell her, I and Ursala Walk in the orchard, and our whole discourse Is all of her; say that you overheard’st us, And bid her steal into the pleached bower, Where honey-suckles, ripen’d by the sun, Forbid the sun to enter; like favourites, Made proud by princes, that advance their pride Against that power that bred it. There will she hide her, To listen our propose. This is your office; Bear you well in it and leave us alone.
good margaret run you to the parlour there shalt you find my cousin beatrice proposing with the prince and claudio: whisper her ear and tell her i and ursala walk in the orchard
I’ll make her come, I warrant you, presently.
I’ll make her come, I warrant you, presently.
I’ll make her come, I warrant you, presently.
i’ll make her come, i warrant you, presently.
Now, Ursula, when Beatrice doth come,
As we do trace this alley up and down,
Our talk must only be of Benedick:
When I do name him, let it be thy part
To praise him more than ever man did merit.
My talk to thee must be how Benedick
Is sick in love with Beatrice: of this matter
Is little Cupid’s crafty arrow made,
That only wounds by hearsay.
Now, Ursula, when Beatrice does come, As we do trace this alley up and down, Our talk must only be of Benedick: When I do name him, let it be your part To praise him more than ever man did merit. My talk to you must be how Benedick Is sick in love with Beatrice: of this matter Is little Cupid’s crafty arrow made, That only wounds by hearsay.
Now, Ursula, when Beatrice does come, As we do trace this alley up and down, Our talk must only be of Benedick: When I do name him, let it be your part To praise him more than ever man did merit. My talk to you must be how Benedick Is sick in love with Beatrice: of this matter Is little Cupid’s crafty arrow made, That only wounds by hearsay.
now ursula when beatrice does come as we do trace this alley up and down our talk must only be of benedick: when i do name him
Hero is often read as a passive character — the woman things happen to rather than the one who makes them happen. But in 3-1, Hero is the director, the tactician, and the most verbally precise person in the scene. Her description of Beatrice — 'disdain and scorn ride sparkling in her eyes, misprising what they look at' — is arguably sharper than anything Beatrice says about anyone else in the play. She knows exactly where the knife needs to go: Beatrice's pride, her self-enclosure, her habit of critical distance. She doesn't just mock her cousin. She diagnoses her. And she's right — which is what makes the speech land so hard on Beatrice herself. Hero is doing what Beatrice does to everyone else: seeing clearly through someone, and saying it precisely. For one scene, the student becomes the teacher.
The pleasant’st angling is to see the fish
Cut with her golden oars the silver stream,
And greedily devour the treacherous bait:
So angle we for Beatrice; who even now
Is couched in the woodbine coverture.
Fear you not my part of the dialogue.
The pleasant’st angling is to see the fish Cut with her golden oars the silver stream, And greedily devour the treacherous bait: So angle we for Beatrice; who even now Is couched in the woodbine coverture. Fear you not my part of the dialogue.
The pleasant’st angling is to see the fish Cut with her golden oars the silver stream, And greedily devour the treacherous bait: So angle we for Beatrice; who even now Is couched in the woodbine coverture. Fear you not my part of the dialogue.
the pleasant’st angling is to see the fish cut with her golden oars the silver stream and greedily devour the treacherous bait: so angle we for beatrice who even now is couched in the woodbine coverture fear you not my part of the dialogue
Then go we near her, that her ear lose nothing
Of the false sweet bait that we lay for it.
Then go we near her, that her ear lose nothing Of the false sweet bait that we lay for it.
Then go we near her, that her ear lose nothing Of the false sweet bait that we lay for it.
then go we near her that her ear lose nothing of the false sweet bait that we lay for it
But are you sure
That Benedick loves Beatrice so entirely?
But are you sure That Benedick loves Beatrice so entirely?
But are you sure That Benedick loves Beatrice so entirely?
but are you sure that benedick loves beatrice so entirely?
So says the Prince, and my new-trothed lord.
So says the Prince, and my new-trothed lord.
So says the Prince, and my new-trothed lord.
so says the prince, and my new-trothed lord.
And did they bid you tell her of it, madam?
And did they bid you tell her of it, madam?
And did they bid you tell her of it, madam?
and did they bid you tell her of it, madam?
Beatrice's closing speech is structured around falconry: 'taming my wild heart to thy loving hand.' A wild hawk (haggard) must be trained before it will return to the falconer's glove — it takes patience, gentleness, and time. What Beatrice is describing is not the sudden arrow-love of Claudio for Hero but a love that requires her to change. She will become capable of tenderness. She will train herself. This is a very different kind of romantic comedy ending point than 'I saw her and was immediately lost.' It implies work, transformation, and self-knowledge. Compare this to Benedick, whose conversion speech ends with 'I will go get her picture' — the immediacy of desire. Beatrice is already thinking about what kind of person she needs to be to deserve what she's deciding to want.
They did entreat me to acquaint her of it;
But I persuaded them, if they lov’d Benedick,
To wish him wrestle with affection,
And never to let Beatrice know of it.
They did entreat me to acquaint her of it; But I persuaded them, if they lov’d Benedick, To wish him wrestle with affection, And never to let Beatrice know of it.
They did entreat me to acquaint her of it; But I persuaded them, if they lov’d Benedick, To wish him wrestle with affection, And never to let Beatrice know of it.
they did entreat me to acquaint her of it but i persuaded them if they lov’d benedick to wish him wrestle with affection and never to let beatrice know of it
Why did you so? Doth not the gentleman
Deserve as full as fortunate a bed
As ever Beatrice shall couch upon?
Why did you so? does not the gentleman Deserve as full as fortunate a bed As ever Beatrice shall couch upon?
Why did you so? doesn't the gentleman Deserve as full as fortunate a bed As ever Beatrice shall couch upon?
why did you so doesn't the gentleman deserve as full as fortunate a bed as ever beatrice shall couch upon
O god of love! I know he doth deserve
As much as may be yielded to a man;
But Nature never fram’d a woman’s heart
Of prouder stuff than that of Beatrice;
Disdain and scorn ride sparkling in her eyes,
Misprising what they look on, and her wit
Values itself so highly, that to her
All matter else seems weak. She cannot love,
Nor take no shape nor project of affection,
She is so self-endear’d.
O god of love! I know he does deserve As much as may be yielded to a man; But Nature never fram’d a woman’s heart Of prouder stuff than that of Beatrice; Disdain and scorn ride sparkling in her eyes, Misprising what they look on, and her wit Values itself so highly, that to her All matter else seems weak. She cannot love, Nor take no shape nor project of affection, She is so self-endear’d.
O god of love! I know he does deserve As much as may be yielded to a man; But Nature never fram’d a woman’s heart Of prouder stuff than that of Beatrice; Disdain and scorn ride sparkling in her eyes, Misprising what they look on, and her wit Values itself so highly, that to her All matter else seems weak. She can't love, Nor take no shape nor project of affection, She is so self-endear’d.
o god of love i know he does deserve as much as may be yielded to a man but nature never fram’d a woman’s heart of prouder stuff than that of beatrice disdain and scorn ride sparkling in her eyes misprising what they look on
Sure I think so;
And therefore certainly it were not good
She knew his love, lest she make sport at it.
Sure I think so; And therefore certainly it were not good She knew his love, lest she make sport at it.
Sure I think so; And therefore certainly it were not good She knew his love, lest she make sport at it.
sure i think so and therefore certainly it were not good she knew his love lest she make sport at it
Why, you speak truth. I never yet saw man,
How wise, how noble, young, how rarely featur’d,
But she would spell him backward: if fair-fac’d,
She would swear the gentleman should be her sister;
If black, why, Nature, drawing of an antick,
Made a foul blot; if tall, a lance ill-headed;
If low, an agate very vilely cut;
If speaking, why, a vane blown with all winds;
If silent, why, a block moved with none.
So turns she every man the wrong side out,
And never gives to truth and virtue that
Which simpleness and merit purchaseth.
Why, you speak truth. I never yet saw man, How wise, how noble, young, how rarely featur’d, But she would spell him backward: if fair-fac’d, She would swear the gentleman should be her sister; If black, why, Nature, drawing of an antick, Made a foul blot; if tall, a lance ill-headed; If low, an agate very vilely cut; If speaking, why, a vane blown with all winds; If silent, why, a block moved with none. So turns she every man the wrong side out, And never gives to truth and virtue that Which simpleness and merit purchaseth.
Why, you speak truth. I never yet saw man, How wise, how noble, young, how rarely featur’d, But she would spell him backward: if fair-fac’d, She would swear the gentleman should be her sister; If black, why, Nature, drawing of an antick, Made a foul blot; if tall, a lance ill-headed; If low, an agate very vilely cut; If speaking, why, a vane blown with all winds; If silent, why, a block moved with none. So turns she every man the wrong side out, And never gives to truth and virtue that Which simpleness and merit purchaseth.
why you speak truth i never yet saw man how wise how noble
Sure, sure, such carping is not commendable.
Sure, sure, such carping is not commendable.
Sure, sure, such carping isn't commendable.
sure, sure, such carping isn't commendable.
No; not to be so odd, and from all fashions,
As Beatrice is, cannot be commendable.
But who dare tell her so? If I should speak,
She would mock me into air: O! she would laugh me
Out of myself, press me to death with wit.
Therefore let Benedick, like cover’d fire,
Consume away in sighs, waste inwardly:
It were a better death than die with mocks,
Which is as bad as die with tickling.
No; not to be so odd, and from all fashions, As Beatrice is, cannot be commendable. But who dare tell her so? If I should speak, She would mock me into air: O! she would laugh me Out of myself, press me to death with wit. Therefore let Benedick, like cover’d fire, Consume away in sighs, waste inwardly: It were a better death than die with mocks, Which is as bad as die with tickling.
No; not to be so odd, and from all fashions, As Beatrice is, can't be commendable. But who dare tell her so? If I should speak, She would mock me into air: O! she would laugh me Out of myself, press me to death with wit. Therefore let Benedick, like cover’d fire, Consume away in sighs, waste inwardly: It were a better death than die with mocks, Which is as bad as die with tickling.
no not to be so odd and from all fashions as beatrice is can't be commendable
Yet tell her of it: hear what she will say.
Yet tell her of it: hear what she will say.
Yet tell her of it: hear what she will say.
yet tell her of it: hear what she will say.
No; rather I will go to Benedick,
And counsel him to fight against his passion.
And, truly, I’ll devise some honest slanders
To stain my cousin with. One doth not know
How much an ill word may empoison liking.
No; rather I will go to Benedick, And counsel him to fight against his passion. And, truly, I’ll devise some honest slanders To stain my cousin with. One does not know How much an ill word may empoison liking.
No; rather I will go to Benedick, And counsel him to fight against his passion. And, truly, I’ll devise some honest slanders To stain my cousin with. One doesn't know How much an ill word may empoison liking.
no rather i will go to benedick and counsel him to fight against his passion and truly
Shakespeare constructs Acts 2-3 as a set of perfectly balanced mirror scenes: the masked ball, followed immediately by the villains' plot; Benedick gulled, then Beatrice gulled; each emerging transformed. The men's scene (2-3) is longer, more comic, more verbal — Benedick gets a full soliloquy and then the comedy of reading double meanings into Beatrice's rude dinner invitation. The women's scene (3-1) is shorter and more concentrated — Beatrice gets a sonnet of self-reckoning rather than pratfalling comedy. The structural contrast is itself a statement: women process emotion more directly; men need more scaffolding. Or perhaps: Hero is a more efficient trap-setter than Don Pedro. Either way, the parallel architecture is one of the play's great pleasures — and watching both scenes together makes you realize this is actually two love stories running simultaneously.
O! do not do your cousin such a wrong.
She cannot be so much without true judgment,—
Having so swift and excellent a wit
As she is priz’d to have,—as to refuse
So rare a gentleman as Signior Benedick.
O! do not do your cousin such a wrong. She cannot be so much without true judgment,— Having so swift and excellent a wit As she is priz’d to have,—as to refuse So rare a gentleman as Signior Benedick.
O! don't do your cousin such a wrong. She can't be so much without true judgment,— Having so swift and excellent a wit As she is priz’d to have,—as to refuse So rare a gentleman as Signior Benedick.
o don't do your cousin such a wrong she can't be so much without true judgment — having so swift and excellent a wit as she is priz’d to have —as to refuse so rare a gentleman as signior benedick
He is the only man of Italy,
Always excepted my dear Claudio.
He is the only man of Italy, Always excepted my dear Claudio.
He is the only man of Italy, Always excepted my dear Claudio.
he is the only man of italy always excepted my dear claudio
I pray you, be not angry with me, madam,
Speaking my fancy: Signior Benedick,
For shape, for bearing, argument and valour,
Goes foremost in report through Italy.
I pray you, be not angry with me, madam, Speaking my fancy: Signior Benedick, For shape, for bearing, argument and valour, Goes foremost in report through Italy.
I pray you, be not angry with me, madam, Speaking my fancy: Signior Benedick, For shape, for bearing, argument and valour, Goes foremost in report through Italy.
i pray you be not angry with me madam speaking my fancy: signior benedick for shape
Indeed, he hath an excellent good name.
Indeed, he has an excellent good name.
Indeed, he has an excellent good name.
indeed, he has an excellent good name.
His excellence did earn it, ere he had it.
When are you married, madam?
His excellence did earn it, before he had it. When are you married, madam?
His excellence did earn it, before he had it. When are you married, madam?
his excellence did earn it before he had it when are you married madam
Why, every day, tomorrow. Come, go in:
I’ll show thee some attires, and have thy counsel
Which is the best to furnish me tomorrow.
Why, every day, tomorrow. Come, go in: I’ll show you some attires, and have your counsel Which is the best to furnish me tomorrow.
Why, every day, tomorrow. Come, go in: I’ll show you some attires, and have your counsel Which is the best to furnish me tomorrow.
why every day tomorrow come go in: i’ll show you some attires
She’s lim’d, I warrant you,
We have caught her, madam.
She’s lim’d, I warrant you, We have caught her, madam.
She’s lim’d, I warrant you, We have caught her, madam.
she’s lim’d, i warrant you, we have caught her, madam.
If it prove so, then loving goes by haps:
Some Cupid kills with arrows, some with traps.
If it prove so, then loving goes by haps: Some Cupid kills with arrows, some with traps.
If it prove so, then loving goes by haps: Some Cupid kills with arrows, some with traps.
if it prove so then loving goes by haps: some cupid kills with arrows some with traps
Stand I condemn’d for pride and scorn so much?
Contempt, farewell! and maiden pride, adieu!
No glory lives behind the back of such.
And, Benedick, love on; I will requite thee,
Taming my wild heart to thy loving hand:
If thou dost love, my kindness shall incite thee
To bind our loves up in a holy band;
For others say thou dost deserve, and I
Believe it better than reportingly.
Stand I condemn’d for pride and scorn so much? Contempt, farewell! and maiden pride, adieu! No glory lives behind the back of such. And, Benedick, love on; I will requite you, Taming my wild heart to your loving hand: If you do love, my kindness shall incite you To bind our loves up in a holy band; For others say you do deserve, and I Believe it better than reportingly.
Stand I condemn’d for pride and scorn so much? Contempt, farewell! and maiden pride, adieu! No glory lives behind the back of such. And, Benedick, love on; I will requite you, Taming my wild heart to your loving hand: If you do love, my kindness shall incite you To bind our loves up in a holy band; For others say you do deserve, and I Believe it better than reportingly.
stand i condemn’d for pride and scorn so much contempt farewell and maiden pride adieu
The Reckoning
This is the mirror scene to 2-3: the women's version of the trap, stripped to its essentials. Hero is sharper here than anywhere else in the play — she knows exactly which words will wound and which will win. Where the men's scene was comic and expansive, this one is swift and concentrated: Beatrice gets the shorter end of the comparison throughout, but what she emerges with is longer: an actual soliloquy of self-reckoning that goes much deeper than Benedick's 'the world must be peopled.' She doesn't just decide to love him. She decides to become someone who can be loved.
If this happened today…
Two women in a yoga studio, audible to their friend who's arrived early and is pretending to scroll her phone behind a pillar. 'She's brilliant — but she's so critical she'd find fault with her own shadow.' 'Did you tell her he's completely in love with her?' 'No — if she knew, she'd make it a joke. He'd be better off not knowing.' 'He's kind of perfect though, isn't he?' 'He really is.' The woman behind the pillar puts down her phone.