Thursday, February 24, 2011
Benedick and Beatrice Throughout the Ages
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Presentation (Feb 2011)
-- Part One --
-- Part Two --
A presentation for my troupe of actors for whom this blog is designed. I am explaining the importance of their role as actors portraying, and the duty that rests with them in bringing Bill Shakespeare's words to life! I'm fascinated by the varying meanings that can be brought out of words depending on the way they are said, especially with regard to the relationship of Benedick and Beatrice. We know Shakespeare had originally intended to title the play with their names, so clearly they play an integral role in the story of Much Ado; the way their relationship is played will cause the audience to feel a certain way about the show as a whole (since they're just so important) -- perhaps boredom at the simple, base humor that is their flirtation, perhaps excitement at their correct suspicion that the two would wind up marrying, perhaps complete shock at that outcome.
Youtube links: Part One, Part Two
Critical Introduction to "Much Ado About Nothing"
Much Ado About Nothing
William Shakespeare
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Introduction
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To my dear actors and actresses:
We are here to put on a theatrical production of William Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing, perhaps one of the greatest comedies that renowned playwright would ever set down in words. As you know from my extended involvement in film and stage versions of many of Shakespeare’s plays, I hold the utmost respect toward Mr. Shakespeare and his work. I believe it to be our noble duty to perform his words with integrity. Yet, as an actor, I cannot deny that one of the most exciting aspects of performing a play is deciding how to portray a character’s personality and role in a storyline. It is in this decision that our creativity and passion for theatre can flourish; this is where we can bring together talent and original ideas and show the audience a certain side of each personality on stage. That’s the fun of it; there are so many options and so many directions in which to go. Each affects the meaning of individual lines, delivers a particular message to the audience, and gives a different feeling to the show overall. It may sound obvious, but you, the actors, are essential to this message and feeling and to the level and type of comedy we present, therefore determining our success as performers and in bringing Shakespeare’s words to life.
I have read many of Shakespeare’s plays over the years, ranging the romances, comedies, tragedies and histories, and I have consistently been struck by the ambiguity of words and phrases. An annotated version of the play might list the meaning of a word as one thing, but another version might have translated it to something completely different. Between Quarto and Folio versions, huge discrepancies are sometimes very obvious when texts are compared, causing major changes in the plot, character relationships, or personalities. Other times discrepancies are not so drastically significant, yet they are there; a phrase might imply one meaning in one version and something entirely different because of the change of a single word in the other. But it isn’t only these tangible reasons that cause the meaning of a phrase to change. The thespians who bring the words to life, those words that present the meaning, determine how that meaning is shown or at what angle that meaning is brought to light. It could be sincere and direct, it could be satirical, it could be ironic or have a double-meaning…the list goes on. As actors, we can bring out certain themes that run through the plotline, playing them up and making them more obvious by the way we act out our parts. Discrepancies may play a part in changing meaning, but it is the human element that truly determines how words are brought to and interpreted by an audience.
It is not difficult to find examples of the many ways one can play and therefore interpret certain lines or scenes throughout all of Shakespeare’s plays, and Much Ado is not excused. While the theory can be applied to any and likely all of the various couples and relationships of this story, that of Benedick and Beatrice is particularly useful in presenting an example. Before delving into that exploration, however, I feel it is important to give you a brief background on this well-loved Shakespearean couple.
For centuries, readers and audience members have been captivated by the story of Benedick and Beatrice. Clearly they are meant to be; their names tell it all. Benedick’s name derives from “benedict,” meaning, most relevantly to this play, “blessed, benign, salutary,” or “one who is blessed” (OED, Miola). Beatrice, conversely, means “one who blesses” - quite fitting to the situation, as she both blesses Benedick in marriage and also blesses nearly every conversation with some form of humory (Miola). It seems, in fact, that Shakespeare originally intended for the complicated relationship between Benedick and Beatrice to be the center of the plot, not that of Hero and Claudio, whose story is essential to the movement of the play but is arguably just a side tale to the more enjoyable or even more intriguing story of the anti-marriage, witty Benedick and Beatrice. Evidence shows that the play may have been known as Benedick and Beatrice to some, as it is referenced by that name in a 1640 edition of the sonnets published after Shakespeare’s death. King Charles I of England’s bound book copy actually has the words “Benedick and Beatrice” penciled in on its cover with the original title crossed out! Even the opera version of Much Ado, by Hector Berlioz, is titled Béatrice et Bénédict (Mowat). The story of these stubborn lovers has captured hearts for hundreds of years, leaving its mark on audiences and writers alike; one can find their influence in many a novel or film (keep an eye out and I promise you you’ll find them more and more often) (Mowat).
Now that you’re more acquainted with this pair’s importance historically, let us discuss their relevance to my theory of ambiguity of word and meaning. The most important aspect to understanding the relationship of these lovers, I believe, is the way they interact publicly versus privately. When seen alone, either individually or as a pair, the audience gets a snippet of what each character truly feels for the other at different points in the story. In public, however, for much of the play the audience sees them both throwing clever insults back and forth when together, providing amusement for and certainly catching the attention of those around them, or making fun of the other behind his or her back to friends when the other is not present. However, there are many options for how this seemingly obvious relationship can progress and be portrayed. As actors, we decide how we will portray the characters themselves: the way they seem to think, how they interact with others, and with what sentiment they say their assigned lines. Again, this is where your creativity comes into play, and I have decided that I will not direct traditionally in this respect for the start of our rehearsal period. I want to give you the opportunity to decide how you want your character to be seen by the audience, to decide what themes should be emphasized throughout the show, and to decide what kind of comedy we, as a cast, want to put on (be it slapstick, innocent, satirical, ironic…). After this period of original ideas, we’ll decide what we feel works best. To both jumpstart your imaginations and prove to you how many options you truly have, I am going to share a few past successes in the various ways characters have been played to change the story in slight yet noticeable ways. For the purpose of a clear example, let us stay with the private versus public image of the relationship between Benedick and Beatrice.
Perhaps one reason audiences seem to love the story of Benedick and Beatrice is that their ‘fairytale love story’ has a bit of reality tied in. They are not a Romeo-and-Juliet love at first sight, nor are they ever truly mindless in love; their witty banter is practically always present and their love isn’t entirely developed where the audience can see them interacting one on one together, but rather individually and generally privately. Benedick soliloquizes more often than Beatrice does, and the audience is able to see his thought process in action as he speaks it aloud. As any actor would know, these soliloquies offer the perfect creative opportunity, yet that creativity comes with responsibility and consequence. Because this is where Benedick’s thought process is shown outright, his soliloquies are key to his character development within the show. Therefore, as in one 2002 performance, if Benedick is played as a complete fool or even a total drunk, his private moments of thought processing aloud will serve as comedic relief as the audience watches this foolish man babble on and go from one opinion to the other incredibly quickly (to marry or not to marry, that is his constant question!) (Young). In public among his friends, it is again easy to turn him into a laughing stock; while his lines appear cocky and arrogant when read on the page, if a drunken Benedick were to present them live on the stage they would instantly be taken less seriously – especially all his claims of never marrying, which I see as only foreshadowing to his later ‘doom’ – and he would truly play into the comedy of this comedy. Of course, a drunken fool is only one option; as I mentioned, one can easily play Benedick’s lines up to their cocky and arrogant nature and show him for what he honestly seems to be on paper. Here he would be sassy and conceited, particularly in public, yet when alone with Beatrice, he would take on a softer, more loving edge with his kinder words and sweet names, such as “Fair Beatrice” (II.iii.232) and “sweet Beatrice” (IV.i.288). Also visibly unique to Benedick’s character is his verbal repetition of important words or ideas, almost as if he needs to reinforce his belief in them by hearing himself say them aloud, such as his strong will to stay an unmarried bachelor forever early on in Act II, Scene iii or his later repetition of “I protest I love thee” three times to Beatrice in Act IV, Scene i when the two finally share their love. There is much to work with in choosing the personality traits that go along with Benedick’s character, and these are just a few options to trigger your own ideas.
Of course, in speaking of the relationship between these two lovers, we cannot neglect to speak of the personage of Beatrice. In past performances, the young woman has been played using her witty retorts and sarcastic remarks to cover up her fear of dying an old maid, though rather than remaining hidden behind her remarks, the insecurity still peaks through for the audience and even some of the other characters to see (Kellaway). Yet in many other performances, such as my 1993 film version, Beatrice is portrayed as an intelligent and humorous woman who holds true to her beliefs, yet does (or must) harbor a fear of never marrying deep within, as is evident from her various conversations in Act III at the masquerade. In the end, as we know, she will choose to “bless” a man in marriage, and whether that is out of self-flattery, a true hidden love, or because it is expected of a woman and would be embarrassing to be unwanted, or perhaps even for social gain is up to the actress choosing how she will be played. Again, much like Benedick, there are many personalities to give Beatrice as she reaches her final conclusion to marry.
What’s more, one can use these various personalities as paired with the endless possible personalities of Benedick to bring out, as I have mentioned, particular themes hidden within Shakespeare’s words. For instance, as one critic, Katherine Jacobs, points out, a recurring theme found within the various relationships in Much Ado is marrying for social benefit. It is quite clear that the marriage of Hero and Claudio is based as much on monetary and proprietary gain as it is on love, and that love itself is even based on looks and very few words. Marriage within this group of friends and colleagues seems to revolve around social standing and cementing one’s place within the social circle of important persons such as the prince, Don Pedro, and a wealthy aristocrat, Leonato. Such an idea even stands true between Benedick and Beatrice, should one look closely enough; they each claim to detest the idea of marriage yet they both give into it fairly easily in the end. The theme of socialization is one that can be played up in performing the play, therefore commenting in a slightly satirical manner on the true reason - a rather unromantic one - behind marriage. While this show is a comedy and the ‘romance’ between these two stubborn characters seems to have been designed to be amusing, it’s not hard to see how a troupe of actors can play their roles to put this idea in front of the audience and make what appears to be a lighthearted comedy on the surface a somewhat unnerving commentary on the entire idea of marriage.
The pairing of various Benedick personalities with different Beatrice personalities, whether to bring out certain themes or not, will bring this relationship to life and have an immense impact on how this comedy comes across to our audience. The development of the connection between these two characters is a key story within Much Ado’s plotline and will likely determine many an audience member’s impression of this particular work of Shakespearean art. I want to make that clear to each and every one of you; the way every single character is portrayed contributes to the whole goal, the whole point of our performance. I cannot wait to see the creative ideas you’ve come up with. Until then, I leave you with the following marked-up scene that shows one private interaction between Benedick and Beatrice that can be interpreted and portrayed so as to evoke varying sentiments toward Benedick and Beatrice’s relationship. After that, a few closing remarks. I look forward to working with you in bringing this brilliant story to life in the coming months!
Facing Pages: V.ii
Color Key--
either playful flirty or just clever; something that can be said in different ways for different meanings
clever clever, for the sake of showing off or just something that can be said in a more serious/blunt way
flirty/playful clever
negative word (connotation)
blue/coral = notes & explanations
ACT V. SCENE II. LEONATO'S garden.
Enter BENEDICK and MARGARET, meeting
BENEDICK
Pray thee, sweet Mistress Margaret, deserve well at
my hands by helping me to the speech of Beatrice.
MARGARET
Will you then write me a sonnet in praise of my beauty?
BENEDICK
In so high a style, Margaret, that no man living
shall come over it; for, in most comely truth, thou
deservest it.
MARGARET
To have no man come over me! why, shall I always
keep below stairs?
BENEDICK
Thy wit is as quick as the greyhound's mouth; it catches.#
# either/or -- could be flirty, could be saying what she wants to hear, could be a distracted compliment... (see below for explanation of these colors)
MARGARET
And yours as blunt as the fencer's foils, which hit,
but hurt not.
BENEDICK
A most manly wit, Margaret; it will not hurt a
woman:# and so, I pray thee, call Beatrice: I give
thee the bucklers.
# Sounds conceited, maybe condescending - could be said kindly or bitterly. Many options, all show us more about his character. Here while he is speaking to Margaret, it’s all about how he responds to her flirtatious/playful remarks.
MARGARET
Give us the swords; we have bucklers of our own.
BENEDICK
If you use them, Margaret, you must put in the
pikes with a vice; and they are dangerous weapons for maids.
MARGARET
Well, I will call Beatrice to you, who I think hath legs.
BENEDICK
And therefore will come.
Exit MARGARET
**For instance: Benedick can either be flirting with Margaret with legitimate interest (however slight) as a bachelor/conceited flirt, or merely responding to Margaret with words she wants to hear. Say the actor plays him as flirtatious in a giggly sort of way - foolish, almost girlish; the scene could plant some worries in the audience’s mind, or perhaps they would see it as completely harmless and just part of his personality. These could even be the case if the actor’s Benedick was played as a total fool, someone very stupid (in general, this might provide great comedy, especially as his long soliloquies, when we see his mind completely change from one extreme to the other, would be seen in a very comedic light, even as laughable. Depending on how the part is played, the audience will have a different response to Benedick’s character. The might doubt his fidelity to Beatrice and predict an unhappy marriage, or they might see his wit perfectly matched to hers and a happy future marriage, as the other characters do. The story can truly go either way; it's up to you, my dear actors, to play the roles and manipulate the reaction of the audience.
Sings
The god of love,
That sits above,
And knows me, and knows me,
How pitiful I deserve,--
I mean in singing; but in loving, Leander the good
swimmer, Troilus the first employer of panders, and
a whole bookful of these quondam carpet-mangers,
whose names yet run smoothly in the even road of a
blank verse, why, they were never so truly turned
over and over as my poor self in love. Marry, I
cannot show it in rhyme; I have tried: I can find
out no rhyme to 'lady' but 'baby,' an innocent
rhyme; for 'scorn,' 'horn,' a hard rhyme; for,
'school,' 'fool,' a babbling rhyme; very ominous
endings: no, I was not born under a rhyming planet,
nor I cannot woo in festival terms.
** This entire mini soliloquy is a great example of how Benedick may be played a fool; he certainly is blabbering like one. Whether it’s a fool because of love or a real idiot in love, it could be quite amusing. Yet Benedick could be a very frustrated individual here as well, played in a bitter way. Secondly, he is very much in love with Beatrice, which is totally contrary to his stance at the start of the tale. He has changed his mind rather quickly, and that can be easily played up as very comedic, as could the words he is saying here (about rhyming, what he’s comparing himself to, etc.)
Finally, this is Benedick in private. It tells us a great deal about how he sees himself and not how those around him see him (both of which are entirely determined by how he’s played, as you can imagine!).
Enter BEATRICE
Sweet Beatrice, wouldst thou come when I called thee?#
#Is it sarcasm, or is it his love shining through?
**This is a very interesting conversation between the two because of the great difference in their attitudes. Benedick begins with flattery, Beatrice with more straightforward, fairly blunt words. Perhaps she is unhappy, perhaps she is playfully flirting - depends on the actress! But what is quite intriguing is the fact that they are both speaking quite similarly by the close of the conversation. Benedick's words are still somewhat condescending in a sweet way, as you might say something to a child you love dearly yet respect. Beatrice seems to lighten up to some extent, and they both appear to be on the same level. Interesting that they can begin at such extremes and wind up in the same/similar place(s). May be indicative of the future success of their relationship, and why audiences around the world seem to love this couple so. From private conversations like these, it's apparent that they might actually work; it's a realistic love story, heartwarming and pleasant. (Mind you, this is all gathered from simply reading it, not acting it out. Yet again, the conversation and the extremes might seem very different depending on how they're played!). Just wanted to point it out -- could be important for their development, right..?
[Also, this conversation is an obvious example that their witty banter continues in private -- now (from reading) it seems they do it more to impress one another and not to get attention or to poke fun at one another.]
BEATRICE
Yea, signior, and depart when you bid me.
BENEDICK
O, stay but till then!
BEATRICE
'Then' is spoken; fare you well now:# and yet, ere
I go, let me go with that I came; which is, with
knowing what hath passed between you and Claudio.
#Could be presented as a flirt, could be presented as her joking, witty nature.
BENEDICK
Only foul words; and thereupon I will kiss thee.
BEATRICE
Foul words is but foul wind, and foul wind is but
foul breath, and foul breath is noisome; therefore I
will depart unkissed.
**Here is a wonderful line to use as an exercise in saying a line in different ways to imply different meanings. Beatrice could easily be a complete tease, saying these cleverly phrased words as a flirt; if she were to do this, she might be categorized into the group of female Shakespearean characters that embody the stereotype of "woman" as a devilish, seductive, sexually-inclined being who aims only to make her husband a cuckold (going back to the fear that all men have). But if Beatrice were to play this as if she truly believes her witty remarks are a solid argument for why he shouldn't kiss Benedick (a.k.a. in a less silly flirty way and in all serious regarding the Claudio situation), the audience would see her as a strong woman who knows just what she wants and the methods she will use to get there (such as clever and witty remarks). And there are still other ways to play the lines. Any way you go, a different Beatrice is portrayed to the audience and a different match is made of the two who were always meant to be together.
BENEDICK
Thou hast frighted the word out of his right sense,
so forcible is thy wit. But I must tell thee
plainly, Claudio undergoes my challenge; and either
I must shortly hear from him, or I will subscribe
him a coward. And, I pray thee now, tell me for
which of my bad parts didst thou first fall in love with me?
BEATRICE
For them all together; which maintained so politic
a state of evil that they will not admit any good
part to intermingle with them. But for which of my
good parts did you first suffer love for me?
BENEDICK
Suffer love! a good epithet! I do suffer love
indeed, for I love thee against my will.#
#Flirty joke, or could he be serious...?
BEATRICE
In spite of your heart, I think; alas, poor heart!
If you spite it for my sake, I will spite it for
yours; for I will never love that which my friend hates.
BENEDICK
Thou and I are too wise to woo peaceably.
**I believe this line quite honestly sums up their whole relationship. Whatever "wise" may mean coming from the mouth of Benedick, one of the "wise" himself, these two are truly too unique to woo as typical lovers in theatre. Benedick may call it wise, but I see them both as too proud to admit their feelings (or figure out / fact their feelings) to one another, and even to themselves at first, for Benedick convinces himself that he will always be unmarried and chooses his mind quite swiftly later while Beatrice can sometimes sound (or can be played to sound) a bit forlorn when she speaks of marriage and love in the early parts of the play.
BEATRICE
It appears not in this confession: there's not one
wise man among twenty that will praise himself.
BENEDICK
An old, an old instance, Beatrice, that lived in
the lime of good neighbours. If a man do not erect
in this age his own tomb ere he dies, he shall live
no longer in monument than the bell rings and the
widow weeps.
BEATRICE
And how long is that, think you?
BENEDICK
Question: why, an hour in clamour and a quarter in
rheum: therefore is it most expedient for the
wise, if Don Worm, his conscience, find no
impediment to the contrary, to be the trumpet of his
own virtues, as I am to myself. So much for
praising myself, who, I myself will bear witness, is
praiseworthy:# and now tell me, how doth your cousin?
#Quite the arrogant comment as read out on paper, yet, again, one could manipulate it by playing it in a flirty way or anything else you might think of. The quick subject change to a rather serious topic close to Beatrice's heart can be used as evidence of the fact that he may just be being silly or flirting, or that he does can for the woman beside him.
BEATRICE
Very ill.
BENEDICK
And how do you?
BEATRICE
Very ill too.
BENEDICK
Serve God, love me and mend. There will I leave
you too, for here comes one in haste.
Enter URSULA
URSULA
Madam, you must come to your uncle. Yonder's old
coil at home: it is proved my Lady Hero hath been
falsely accused, the prince and Claudio mightily
abused; and Don John is the author of all, who is
fed and gone. Will you come presently?
BEATRICE
Will you go hear this news, signior?
BENEDICK
I will live in thy heart, die in thy lap, and be
buried in thy eyes; and moreover I will go with
thee to thy uncle's.
Exeunt
# The purple text denotes words that have negative connotations or definitions when looked at alone. Benedick and Beatrice actually bring up some deep and dark topics as they speak of their love, which is an example of a theme that can be played up if such words are stressed in some manner. This could bring a very interesting view of their relationship to light; does it have to do with an inner sense of grudging dislike toward marriage that remains deep within them, or could it simply be a coincidence or Shakespeare subtly playing with words and making us think? Yet again, it's your choice to make! How fantastic!
Image from Quarto 1 (George III version) -- this is most of Act V, Scene ii. Can't find much better proof of how words can literally be interpreted differently! Just see how difficult it is so make out certain letters in some sentences. This image of the Quarto pages of the above marked up scene is merely to reinforce that idea visually!
The British Library Board. Much Ado About Nothing; First Quarto 1600 (George III), pg 65.
Digital image. Treasures in Full: Shakespeare in Quarto. The British Library Board. Web.
24 Feb. 2011. <http://prodigi.bl.uk/treasures/shakespeare/record.asp?LHPage=64&LHCopy=46&
RHPage=65&RHCopy=46&disp=s#DispTop>.
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