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 no addition to her wit—nor no great argument
of her folly, for I will be horribly in love with her.
(II.iii.204–208)
Benedick has just overheard Claudio,
Leonato, and Don Pedro discussing Beatrice’s fabricated love for
him. Alone on the stage, he ponders this news and concludes that
the best thing for him to do is to return this love: “for I will
be horribly in love with her” (II.iii.208).
This line produces a comical effect, as it seems preposterous that
someone would fall “horribly” in love with another person after
simply weighing that person’s virtues. The choice of the word “horribly”
accentuates the comic aspects of Benedick’s decision. Not only does
he return her love, but he does so to the point of overthrowing
her, and all others in his midst, with love. The choice of “horribly”
could also echo a bit of the merry war Beatrice and Benedick have
been fighting with their wits. There has always existed an element
of competition between them. It is not enough for Benedick to reciprocate
Beatrice’s passions; he must outdo them, perhaps in order to unseat
her and win the competition. The actor playing Benedick has a number
of choices in performing this soliloquy: he can reveal that he has
always been in love with Beatrice but is in denial about his true
feelings and therefore must go through the motions of weighing the
pros and cons of loving her in a rational manner. Or he can simply
treat this moment as one more parry in the thrusts and blows of
their “merry war” and conclude that the only way to win is to surpass
her, even in love.