Benedick then describes what he considers to be his ideal woman, he says ‘One woman is fair, yet I am well: another is wise, yet I am well: another virtuous, yet I am well: but till all graces be in one woman, no woman shall not come in my grace.’ This shows that benedick will not settle for anything except a perfect woman. He then goes on to say ‘rich she shall be, that’s certain: wise, or I’ll none: virtuous, or I’ll never cheapen her: fair or I’ll never look on her: mild or come not near me: noble, or not I for an angel: of good discourse, an excellent musician- and her hair shall be whatever colour it please God.’ This is a further description of his ideal wife which describes all the main qualities he would want in a woman.
Benedick’s second speech showed a huge change in his views. He says ‘I did never think to marry, I must not seem proud, happy are they that hear their detractions, and can put them to mending.’ This is basically saying that he shouldn’t be stubborn, or proud, but that he should just marry her. He then goes on to justify himself by saying ‘but doth the appetite not alter? A man loves the meat in his youth that he cannot endure in his age’ This is him saying that he has changed as he has got older.’ He then says that he didn’t think he would get old when he says ‘When I said I would die a bachelor, I did not think I would live till I were married’ This is another excuse his is using to reason with himself about falling in love with Beatrice.
His behaviour around Beatrice then changes when he speaks to her when he says ‘Fair Beatrice I thank you for your pains’ This is not the way Benedick would normally act towards her as they usually argue. Beatrice uses this as a chance to use her wit towards Benedick when she says ‘I took no more pains for those thanks than you took pains to thank me, I it has been painful I would not have come.’ This is used as a bit of a put down towards benedick, however it isn’t very servere.
This may then be the main reason why Benedick believed the lies said by Don Pedro, Claudio and Balthasar when they planned to trick Benedick into thinking Beatrice is in love with him by having a loud conversation and pretending they don’t know Benedick is listening, you can see this when Claudio says ‘Oh aye, stalk on, stalk on, the fowl sits.’ This is a reference to Benedick being like a target for a hunter, and that it is certain they will trick him. Don Pedro then describes Beatrice using the same qualities as that benedick had used. He says ‘she’s a sweet lady, and (out of all suspicion) she is virtuous.’ Claudio then says ‘And she is exceedingly wise.’ This is interesting because they didn’t hear benedick describe his ideal woman, and so this shows they know him well. This may be the main reason why Benedick believes them when they say this. Another reason why he may believe them is when they Leonato says ‘She doth indeed, my daughter says so.’ I think this may be another reason why because at the beginning of Benedick’s speech, he says ‘This can be no trick, the conference was sadly borne, they have the truth of this from Hero’ This shows that he has believed it because it has apparently come from Hero.
