Matthew Murdock has a Reputation. So does Daredevil. They're vastly different reputations, to be sure, but each has an image to uphold.
Matthew Murdock is the Catholic Lawyer, born and raised in Hell's Kitchen. Matthew Murdock quotes Thurgood Marshall and takes pro bono cases. Matthew Murdock is the name to those being unfairly evicted with nowhere else to go. Matthew Murdock has a legal practice with his best friend and defends the innocent with a zeal for justice. Matthew Murdock accepts payment in the form of baked goods, produce, and one time a live chicken. Those who know him almost unanimously agree on this- that Matthew Murdock is a Good Man.
Daredevil is the masked vigilante who wears black and red so his opponents can't see the blood. Daredevil beats up criminals in alleys and leaves them broken, bleeding, and barely alive. Daredevil is the name people whisper in the dark when they notice the silhouette of horns against the night. Daredevil prowls the streets when any sane person would be asleep, meting out punishment on those who have invoked his wrath. Daredevil attempts to repay the debt owed to humanity in the form of broken bones and spilled blood. Those who have faced him and lived to tell the tale agree on this- Daredevil is a Dangerous Man.
Yet for as much as these identities appear to be seperate, as different as night and day, when you look closer things begin to bleed together.
Matthew Murdock is the son of boxing legend Battlin Jack Murdock, and everyone knows Matty was practically raised in the gym. Matthew Murdock is blind, and yet seems to know things he has no way of knowing. Matthew Murdock shows up to court with a split lip, claiming that he ran into a door- something no one believes and yet can't come up with a more probable explanation. Matthew Murdock takes the stand in court with the hint of a sharp grin and for a moment his rose tinted glasses look more like blood. Matthew Murdock is a Good Man but people will sometimes find themselves irrationally on guard around the blind lawyer.
Daredevil is Catholic, something that seems odd at first and yet makes sense the more you think about it. Daredevil is known for his blood stained smile and yet takes the time to walk a lost little boy home. Daredevil patrols his city with a colorful crayon drawing of a devil tucked in his pocket- a gift from a 6 year old fan. Daredevil bends down to speak to kids in a gentle voice drastically different from the deep growl he usually uses and takes the time to make sure the people he saves aren't hurt. Daredevil is a Dangerous Man, but those who've done nothing wrong have nothing to fear from the masked man and find themselves trusting the devil.
Matthew Murdock is a Good Man, but he is still the man who grew up surrounded by blood and violence.
Daredevil is a Dangerous Man, but he is still the man who tries to make his city a better place, a place no longer scared by pain and fear.
As different as the two identity's reputations seem, when you peer a little closer you can see the overlap. But for the most part the overlap, the inconsistencies, are overlooked. After all, he has a reputation to maintain.