Characters
What, my dear Lady Disdain! are you yet living?
— Benedick
Behind the line May contain spoilers.
Our reading
An editorial interpretation.
The affectionate opening clashes with the mocking title 'Lady Disdain'. Asking whether she is still alive turns a greeting into a barb, with exaggerated surprise replacing ordinary politeness. The line's playful hostility comes from addressing someone warmly while immediately needling them.
Context reviewed