Much Ado About Nothing
Characters
- Leonato (governor of Messina)
- Antonio (brother)
- Hero (daughter)
- Beatrice (niece of Leonato, daughter of Antonio)
- Don Pedro
- Don John (illegitimate brother)
- Signor Claudio
- Signor Benedick
vocab: deceit used in order to achieve one’s goal.
Act 1
Scene 1: Benedick had previous history with Beatrice, who profoundly dislikes him. Benedick is called a womanizer
We learn the following relationships between the characters: Claudio likes Hero (Leonato’s daughter)
So Don Pedro says he will help him.
The next part is where there is a huge misunderstanding:
- Antonio tells Leonato that they overheard that Don Pedro confessed to Claudio that is in love with his daughter (Hero) (1.2.15)
- Don John understands that Don Pedro will first woo Hero, and then transfer her to Claudio (1.3.55), but ultimately that Don Pedro wants to woo Hero for himself
Act 2
Some resources: https://quizlet.com/207327890/much-ado-about-nothing-act-2-questions-flash-cards/ https://www.coursehero.com/lit/Much-Ado-About-Nothing/discussion-questions/page-2/
Scene 1
There is this discussion between Beatrice, Leonato, Antonio and Hero. The adults hope one day Beatrice gets married, but she is facing this dilemma and doesn’t want to settle with a husband she doesn’t like.
- Beatrice is extremely shrewd: sharp powers of judgment; astute.
Beatrice doesn’t want a husband with a beard. Beatrice is basically complaining about her dilemma, because she doesn’t want a husband with a beard, because he is too young, but she is too mature for husbands / shrewd without beards. (2.1.41)
Hero doesn’t say anything, but she seems obedient to her father Leonato, who says “If the prince to solicit you in that kind, you know your answer” (2.1.69)
- i.e. if Don Pedro asks for her hand, she should say yes
At this point, we see how
- Beatrice is rebellious
- Hero is obedient
In the following scenes, we have two lovers in parallel. Lot of things to unpack.
Don Pedro asks Hero to go on a walk.
Benedick disguises as someone else, and talks to Beatrice, who doesn’t realize she is talking to Benedick himself? She describes him as a “very dull fool; only his gift is in devising impossible slanders”;
- I think Benedick and Beatrice are meant for each other, they are both very witty Later scene, Benedick says Beatrice is a big red flag, that he would never marry her.
Don John meets Claudio, but Claudio lies and says he is Signor Benedick. Don John knows its Claudio but pretends he doesn’t know. From the previous act, we know that Don John thinks that Don Pedro (his brother) is in love with Hero. TO DISCUSS: Don John says he thinks Hero is too low status for Don Pedro, so Claudio (acting as Benedick) should take her away. “I pray you, dissuade him from her; she is no equal for his birth”(2.1.148)
- Does Don John Mean this? Because I thought he was vouching for his brother to take the hand of Hero. NO, because he knows he is talking to Claudio
Claudio doesn’t believe him at first, so he asks him how he knows, and Don John says he heard him (he doesn’t know that he is talking to Claudio) swear his affection, alongside Borachio. (2.1.150)
- This is so ridiculous because if they knew this was Claudio, this would not have happened
Then Claudio is like wtf, my boy was lying to me, I thought he was going to help me, but he is trying to steal my girl. Claudio goes into this small monologue about how his friend lied to him over love. (2.1.150) Then, Benedick enters and tells Claudio that indeed, the prince (Don Pedro) has got your Hero. Claudio is furious and leaves. (2.1.181)
Thankfully, Claudio’s confusion is cleared up. He meets Leonato, who, after speaking with Don Pedro, asks Claudio to take his daughter’s hand. (2.1.277)
- However, at this point, Don John still think Don Pedro likes him?
Claudio asks Hero’s hand and she doesn’t say anything. Beatrice says that Hero whispered in her ear that Claudio is in her heart, and so it’s consensual?? (2.1.288)
- This seems a bit weird, just tell him to his face
Beatrice feels terrible seeing Claudio and Hero together now. She wants a husband but realizes her plight.
(2.1.335) Don Pedro tells Hero that he will teach her to “humour her cousin that she[Beatrice] shall fall in love with Benedick”. And then he tells Claudio and Leonato that they are going to hatch a plan so that Benedick falls back in love with Beatrice.
Some reflections / Discussion questions:
- Why do you think Don Pedro is trying to get Benedick and Beatrice together?
- For his own entertainment, if you look at (2.1.356), he basically wants to play god. However, he doesn’t realize that Benedick and Beatrice are maybe truly in love with each other, but he wasn’t serious about it
Don Pedro will get punished.
- What is Beatrice’s idea of love / marriage? (2.1.66)
- Terrible, it’s basically dying to your exhaustion:
- “The first suit is hot and hasty, like a Scoth jig, and full as fantistical” → Honeymoon phase
- Wedding - mannuerly-modest = decorous, full of pomp and tradition
- Repentance → with his bad legs falls into the cinquepace faster and faster, so like exhaustion from the wedding
- After seeing Claudio and Hero, she gets jealous and is like I’ll be single for the rest of my life
Scene 2
Don John is maddd. He wants to ruin their marriage. So they hatch together this plan that Hero is a “contaminated stale” (2.2.20)
- Don John is going to tell Don Pedro and Count Claudio that Hero loves Borachio (2.2.30). That way, both will disapprove of Hero’s disloyalty. The night before the weddling, make them see Hero making out with another man, when it is indeed Borachio and his lover Margaret (they will call each other Hero and Claudio) (2.2.40)
- Claudio will feel terrible, seeing Hero pretending to be with Claudio
- Don Pedro won’t feel as bad (according to Don John’s POV)
Scene 3
And the plan works out! Benedick learns that Beatrice likes him. And this changes Benedick’s entire thinking, who, while previously did not want to marry, now is okay with marrying.
Why people believe what they believe? People tell themselves stories.
It is the b
Lies and deceits by themselves are neither good nor bad, it just depends on who is doing the deceiving and their intentions.
Act 3
Scene 1
Hero and Ursula are talking to each other, knowing that Beatrice is hiding and hearing them. They talk about how much Benedick likes her, and how it is such a shame that Beatrice is incapable of loving ( 3.1.34) (“she is too disdainful”).
They talk about he has an “excellent good name” (3.1.98).
At the end of the scene, Beatrice has a monologue similar to how Benedick has a monologue at the end of the last act. She says she will “requite thee”, i.e. reciprocate his love for her.
Scene 2
Don John goes up to Claudio and Don Pedro, telling them that he thinks possibly that Hero is not loyal (3.2.98) that they should see it for themselves at night (3.2.101)
Scene 3
Borachio spills his secrets.
Seacoal charges and arrests Borachio and Conrade.
Scene 4 Hero, Margaret and Ursula
Margaret talks to Beatrice and tries to give her medicine. She notices how Benedick vowed to not marry, and now he suddenly changed his mind instantly. And now she says that Beatrice is changing the same way.
Scene 5 Dogberry tells Leonato they have caught two suspicious people (referring to Borachio and Conrade), but Leonato doesn’t ask for the names.
Act 4
approved wanton = proven slut catechize = examination, oooh le catechisme, j’ai deja entendu ce mot avant
Scene 1
This happens the day after that night, where they saw Hero with another man.
Claudio and Don Pedro confront Leonato.
Leonato is disgusted. He says that the only way to get rid of her shame is for her to die. (this is sad because people do kill themselves nowadays because of how much shame they are feeling).
officiant But Friar seems to give Hero the benefit of the doubt and say that this might have potentially been some grave mistake.
hero says she doesn’t know what Claudio and Don Pedro are talking about.
Benedick seems to catch on to it, saying that “if their wisdoms be misled in this, the practice of it lives in John the bastard, whose spirits toil in frame of villainies” (187).
Friar proposes to announce that Hero is dead. And so that plan is executed. Benedick promises to keep it a secret.
Benedick does bad timing here? Right after everyone leaves, and it seems Beatrice is mourning her cousin.
Benedick tells Beatrice he loves her, and he says he knows that she loves him. At first, she refuses, but then she finally admits “I love you with so much of my heart that none is left to protest”.
But then she challenges him and says if you really love me, go kill Claudio. Because she thinks Claudio has wronged Hero, and has ruined her reputation instantly.
Scene 2
Conrade and Borachio gets interrogated, and the watchman tell Sexton and Dogberry (the interrogators) that “he received a thousand ducats of Don John for accusing the Lady Hero wrongfully” (49).
Act 5
Scene 1
Borachio is brought and he admits that he caused Hero’s death ( even though she is not really dead as we, the audience know it). Claudio is obviously distressed because he realizes now Hero is dead.
Leonato says that while he cannot bring Hero back to life, he says “tomorrow morning come you to my house” (5.1.276), so he can treat Claudio as his
Leonato gives Claudio permission to marry Beatrice? (5.1.280)
nephew.
Scene 2
Benedick asks Margaret to bring Beatrice.
Scene 3
Claudio and Don Pedro say their prayers.
Scene 4
Claudio approaches the girl, thinking she is Beatrice, but then he takes off the veil and sees Hero! And he is surprised, because he was thinking he was about to get married to Beatrice.
But weirdly, there is a happy ending, Beatrice ends up with Benedick, and Cluadio ends up with Hero just like we expected, but its just so weird? Because if I were Hero, I would be like, this man doesn’t really like me because he would’ve married Beatrice almost instantly.
And then there is one paragraph about the punishment to Don John, but Benedick says we’ll worry about that later, it’s time to dance!