Out of all the characters who appear throughout Shakespeare's comedies, I find Benedick from Much Ado About Nothing to be one of the funnier and interesting ones. As the play starts off, we find that the man's reputation proceeds him; Leonato and the Messenger speak well of him, but Beatrice has other thoughts: "In our last conflict, four of his five wits went halting off, and now is the whole man governed with one, so that if he have wit enough to keep himself warm, let him bear it for a difference between himself and his horse, for it is all the wealth that he hath left to be known a reasonable creature." (lines 63-69). When Benedick makes his entrance it does not take long for the two to go at it. Benedick mocks her, crowning her "Lady Disdain! Are you yet living?" (line 116), as she retorts "Is it possible disdain should die while she hath such meet food to feed it as Signior Benedick? Courtesy itself must convert to disdain if you come in her presence." (lines 118-121). Benedick sees himself as a life long bachelor and mocks Claudio when he expresses his liking for Hero. The Prince sums him up pretty well in saying he is "an obstinate heretic in despite of beauty." (line 230). Benedick does not hate woman, as he recognizes that one conceived and raised him, but claims that he will never trust to give his heart away to one. The impression we first receive from Benedick is that of what we might come to expect from a macho soldier, but he is not even the favored amongst the ranks; it is Claudio. Having earned great renown in the war for his heroic actions at such a young age, Claudio makes Benedick pale in comparison, as he is obviously a more compassionate person. It seems Benedick may merely just be jealous of his good friend.
Beatrice is presented in a similar fashion, as she claims she will never marry either, for no one can be fit for her: "Not till God make men of some other metal than earth. Would it not grieve a woman to be overmastered by a piece of valiant dust? To make an account of her life to a clod of wayward marl? No, uncle, I'll none. Adam's sons are my brethren, and truly I hold it a sin to match in my kindred." (Act2,sc1 59-64). The harsh view of love from these two seems to be for no reason, other than a negative disposition, but in lines 273-277 we are given some insight. When the Prince says that she has lost the heart of Benedick, Beatrice says "Indeed, my lord, he lent it me awhile, and I gave him use for it, a double heart for his single one. Marry, once before he won it of me with false dice. Therefore your grace may well say I have lost it." It seems that these two had at one point had a relationship, but things did not turn out well, which would explain the conflicts and hatred for one another. The other characters, in a festive mood for the announced wedding of Hero and Claudio, feel that to re-pair these two would be a good way to pass the week before the nuptial and they feel that it will be a success, for they believe both Beatrice and Benedick are a great match. They devise a plan to convince both parties that the other is madly in love with the other, but that they would never declare it for fear of letting it be known. Don John does not take part in the joy of the others and wants to put an end to all of the happiness and his cronies and him devise plans to ruin both. As we enter the third act its obvious that we are in for an interesting time.
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Benedick and Beatrice are my favorite Shakespearean couple. I too like their witty banter, and I always wonder what will happen next. I like the point you made about Claudio being more compassionate than Benedick. Claudio's compassion tends to make him rash which can be dangerous some times. In the beginning of the play we see that he is instantly in love without even knowing who Hero is. Is he in love with her or in lust with her? A rash decision to say you love someone you don't even know! He is again compassionate when he believes the villainous Don John who tells him that Don Pedro is not wooing Hero for himself. He gets angry and stalks off to sulk and whine about not having Hero (my personal feeling is if you want something done right do it yourself, but maybe that wasn't popular back then). Later in the play he again acts without thinking and ruins Hero's reputation by saying she was having premarital sex. She is never given the chance to explain he simply ruins her reputation without thinking about the consequences. Does his compassionate nature become his downfall? How are we left feeling about Claudio in comparison to Benedick at this point? Perhaps it's not that Benedick is jealous but cautious and more rational. He doesn't seem to simply act on emotion. Even when Beatrice asks him to kill Claudio, he doesn't just act on emotion he tries to find reason for it. I think in terms of maturity and honor I would have to argue that Benedick completely outshines Claudio.
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