Shakespeare's "Much ado about nothing" has been classified as a romantic comedy. As a comedy, comic elements are very important; they can be expressed in various ways. In this play comic elements are constructed through language, they are expressed by the characters' dialogues and they affect the readers in a comical way.
Benedick and Beatrice are the comical figures in the play; there are a lot of conversations between them. At the beginning Beatrice is aware of Benedick when she mentions him before his arrival, when they meet they start their argument immediately.
"A bird of my tongue is better than a beast of yours" (Beatrice, Act 1 Scene 1)
"I would my horse had the speed of your tongue" (Benedick, Act 1 Scene 1)
Both Benedick and Beatrice keep teasing each other by having continuous arguments. Both of them are able to retort each other, and the argument never seems to end because they always want to be the one who finishes and wins the conversation.
Béatrice, Gaëlle et Stéphane à Mézières
David Garrick as Benedick in Much Ado About Nothin...
Béatrice, avec le lac de Mézières-en-DrouaisThe readers can see the comic element of their quarrel comes from how they wound each other's pride through the dialogues. There are a lot of examples similar to the dialogue above in the play, which are insulting, and the power of their language brings out the humour and entertains the readers.
Benedick and Beatrice's view on marriage is very similar. They both curse the opposite sex very often at the beginning of the play. Benedick swears to never marry and Beatrice opposes marriage as well.
"In faith, hath not the world one man but he will wear his cap with suspicion? Shall I never see a bachelor of three-score again?" (Benedick, Act 1 Scene 1)
"Just, if he (God) send me no husband; for the which...