Benedick listing what he considers good qualities in a woman and then saying that there isn't a woman alive who has all of them and therefore he will never fall in love vs Benedick literally five minutes later describing Beatrice by listing all of those exact same qualities like babes you're not even subtle come on
David Tennant’s performance in Much Ado About Nothing is perfect but specifically his delivery of “For man is a giddy thing, and this is my conclusion.” where he looks straight at Beatrice with all the adoration in the world and it becomes a declaration that she is his conclusion. Beatrice is the whole point purpose and end of all. This moment is the rest of his life laid out ahead of him and he is so completely content with his choice.
It’s such a beautiful bookend because this is a play. Benedick is a character and his marriage to Beatrice is literally his conclusion. It’s the end of his story. But it’s also an assertion of the characters’ love and devotion in a beautiful poetic metaphor, and not only is it one of the lines that solidified the 2011 production as my favorite, but it’s also just one that I think about and it scrambles my brain a bit with its sheer romanticism.
benedick's real name is actually benedict, but beatrice started calling him benedick as a joke and it caught on. it's her biggest achievement and she frequently tries to gaslight people into thinking his name has always been benedick. most of his friends are completely unaware that it isn't. benedick gave up trying to get rid of it long ago and has simply accepted his fate.
The soft ‘I’ve got you’ David whispers into Catherine’s ear while catching her to hug her in Much Ado About Nothing ‘Hey Nonny Nonny’ scene is sending me to space I swear! 🥹
I can't get over how the line 'no sure my lord my mother cried, but then there was a star danced and under that was I born' is like Beatrice's whole character in a sentence. Her instinct reaction, her automatic reflex to anything even vaguely resembling a personal question is to make a joke of it. And it's exhausting but necessary, maintaining these layers of personality because being yourself means being vulnerable and it's clear she's had enough of vulnerability. But the line, as well as being witty, is also beautiful and strangely gentle. I think most of the characters in the play have difficulty fathoming her because she's not one thing, she's a woman who is bitter and fiercely smart and funny and angry and perhaps more than a little bit sad. For the most part they humour her quips and jests and then move on. Except Benedick, who can barely go five seconds without mentioning her name, who lets her scream at him and listens and agrees, who knows better than anyone who she is and after all can't help but love her and love her and love her
Okay so like to fully understand the absolute bonkers mess that is Benedick and Beatrice’s relationship please know that it is Really Heavily Implied that before the play starts they actually DID DATE in secret and were courting each other and then Benedick fucked up by being One Of The Boys and Beatrice dropped his sorry ass about it and that’s why they’re so brutal and bitter about each other (and also why they’re both so ready to believe that the other one does really love them after all 🥺)
It’s not just that Benedick rejects toxic masculinity and chooses to break ties with his friends and quit his job to stand with the women and hold the people who wronged them accountable. Its that he does all that in part because he failed to step up and do the right thing before and it cost him everything and he’s not going to make that mistake again.
Benedick’s choices aren’t just the natural progression of his character arc, they are specifically a redemption arc that only he and Beatrice are party to.
They are choices that help and protect Hero in the present, and are an apology in action for how he failed Beatrice in the past.