Quotes from Much Ado About Nothing

1. "The savage bull may, but if ever the senible Benedick bear it, pluck off the bull's horns, and set them in my forehead, and let me be vilely painted, and in such great letters as they write, here is good horse to hire: let them signify under my sign, here you may see Benedick the married man."
Benedick said this. The dramatic significance is that Benedick is showing how opposed he is to marriage and that no woman will ever be able to make him fall so deeply in love that he would ever consider marriage. However, it is seen later in the play that he indeed does fall in love with Beatrice. So the significance is that when a character says he will NEVER do something he will eventually do it.
The meaning of the quote is that even a savage bull may settle down but if Benedick does Don Pedro and Claudio should put the bull's horns on his head and display him to everyone. This is saying that Benedick would not get married because he does not trust women and fears embarassment, this is seen by the reference to horns which is a sign of cuckholdery or infidelity.


2. "What should I do with him, dress him in my apparel and make him my waiting gentlewomen? he that hath a beard, is more than a youth: and he that hath no beard, is less than a man:and he that is more than a youth, is not for me, and he that is less than a man, I am not for him, therefore I will even take sixpence in earnest of the Berrord, and lead his apes into hell."
Beatrice said this. The significance is that Beatrice would rather go to hell than get married and that no man is good enough for her, which will be seen to be a lie for she eventually falls in love with Benedick.
The quote means that even Beatrice admits that she is hard to please and therefore will remain single. This is seen when she says bearded men and beardless men aren't for her so therefore no man is for her.