MovieChat Forums > Much Ado About Nothing (1993) Discussion > 'against my will' - double meaning?

'against my will' - double meaning?

posted 12 years ago by neo2005
17 replies | jump to latest

Ok, I just have to ask: What the hell was the double meaning that Benedick sensed there?

edit: Maybe to be more precise: Beatrice was sent to fetch Benedick for dinner, after he already heard the staged "Beatrice loves Benedick" conversation. She says something along the lines of "against my will, I was send to fetch you for dinner". After she leaves, he ponders her wording and suddenly realizes "against my will - there's a double meaning in that".

It has always bothered me, what that second meaning is supposed to be. Is it a joke by Shakespeare (i.e. there is no double meaning, but Benedick is so enamoured with Beatrice that his mind plays a trick on him) or am I just not good enough at English to find it?

[–] kristiandoesit 8 years ago

Perhaps the joke "against my will" (if we are to understand that will is in reference to Shakespeare himself) is like the pickup line "if I said you have a nice body would you hold it against me." Thoughts?

[–] Suzume-san 8 years ago

I can't believe that this tiny joke is more than four hundred years old and people still don't get it. Of course there isn't a double meaning - Benedick just wants to think there is. Men were self-deceivers ever.