Benedick

Friend of Don Pedro and of Claudio. An aristocratic, bragging soldier from Padua who has been fighting under Don Pedro. Witty, funny, a joker, and locked into a love-hate relationship with Beatrice. Most things are a joke to him, and he cares little for others’ feelings (like how he teases Claudio instead of comforting him when he thinks Don Pedro has stolen Hero). Vows to never marry, like Beatrice. Histrionic, he is the entertainer, indulging in witty hyperbole to express his feelings and to entertain the audience.