Benedick Soliloquy In Much Ado About Nothing

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William Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing is a classic example of one of Shakespeare’s favorite topics, “battle of the sexes”. Benedick’s “I do much wonder” soliloquy (II, iii, 8-35) concerning his own chauvinistic outlook on love and marriage undoubtedly supports the play’s theme. Benedick begins his soliloquy by expressing his shock at Claudio’s complete conversion from rugged, masculine war-hero to love-sick fool. He goes on, claiming that if he were to ever be transformed into such a fool, it would only be when he falls truly in love. Benedick then specifies his perfect woman by describing the three qualities she must possess: beauty, wisdom, and virtue. The soliloquy obviously adds to the jerk-like ambiance emanated by Benedick. …show more content…

Don Pedro, Leonato, and Claudio, all aware that Benedick is of hearing range, talk about how Beatrice is actually in love with Benedick. This convinces Benedick that it must be true. Leonato says, “But my troth, my lord, I cannot tell what to / think of it but that she loves him what an enraged / affection; it is past the infinite of thought” (II.iii.103-105). At the end of Act II scene III, Benedick says, “…They say the lady / is fair; ‘tis a truth, I can bear them witness; and virtuous; / ‘tis so, I cannot reprove it; and wise but for loving / me; by my troth, it is in no addition to her wit, nor no / great argument of her folly, for I will be horribly in / love with her” (II.iii.226-231), admitting his love for Beatrice while also claiming that she has every quality that he previously had wished for. This breaks down his dominant stance concerning the battle of the sexes theme. Ironically Benedick finds himself in the same situation he had previously mocked Claudio for in his soliloquy, “I do much wonder that one man, seeing how much / another man is a fool when he dedicates his behaviors / to love, will, after he hath laughed at such shallow follies / in others, become the argument of his own scorn / by falling in love; and such a man is Claudio” (II.iii.8-12). The question arises of why Benedick’s such “strong” opinion of love is so easily shifted when he finds out Beatrice’s love for him. We wonder whether he had actually loved Beatrice all along or if he is an easily swayed person. It can be inferred that Benedick had actually loved Beatrice all along, but because he possesses such a hard-headed personality, he wouldn’t acknowledge the feeling until Beatrice had acknowledged her own similar feelings towards him. In the soliloquy, Benedick declares, “…One woman is fair, yet I am well; another is wise, yet I am

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