How does Shakespeare present Beatrice and Benedick's relationship in scenes 1.1 and 2.1?
How relevant is the relationship to a modern day audience?
Beatrice talks about Benedick, and she is saying that she would not bear the thought of marrying a man with a beard on his face, for example Benedick.
"I could not endure a husband with a beard on his face."Shakespeare's intention is could be to suggest that Beatrice really is always thinking about Benedick, as she is always talking about him. Shakespeare might want us to think that people who have the same thoughts and feelings and is always speaking or thinking about one another are a good match. Shakespeare's way of expressing love and romance are still relevant today.
After being insulted many times by Beatrice, Benedick feels hurt and compares her words as a sharp blade, that puts him down.
"She speaks poniards and every word stabs." Shakespeare could be showing how Benedick admires Beatrice's wit and quick tongue as this clearly shows how far below Benedick is from her discerningly. Benedick's respect for Beatrice at first is clouded by dread and confusion, not only by her appearance but by her soul and inner beauty. A modern audience would find it confusing as it is hard to understand their complicating relationship, but would still find it relevant.
Beatrice speaks about Benedick and Don John. She is saying that a perfect husband for her would be mid-way between Benedick and Don John.
"He were an excellent man that were made just in mid-way between him and Benedick." Shakespeare could be suggesting that Beatrice is still carried away by Benedick because she really cannot stop talking about him, she is always commenting about what he says, what he looks like or what his feelings are. A modern audience would find Shakespeare's points of love important today.
Beatrice, still infatuated about Benedick says that she will never fall for him again as she already did once, and got