Introduction 1: Much Ado About Nothing, by William Shakespeare, is set in the Italian town of Messina, which is ruled by Signor Leonato. The action in the play is based around the love of Claudio and Hero, and Don John's malicious plot to destroy their love. The second major focus of the play is on the stormy relationship between Beatrice and Benedick.
| Main characters: | Leonato Hero Beatrice Benedick Claudio Don Pedro Don John Borachio Conrade Dogberry Friar Francis Sexton Margaret Ursula |
Introduction 2: The play is full of complications, misunderstandings and deceptions that determine the behaviour of the characters Although Much Ado About Nothing contains very many amusing passages, the events always seem near to turning into tragedy.
Act 1 Scene 1: A messenger comes to Leonato, the governor of Messina, bringing news of a war that has just ended. With Leonato are Hero, his daughter, and Beatrice, his niece. We learn that Don Pedro and Claudio fought bravely in the war and have won much honour. They have now arrived back in Messina together with Benedick, a high-spirited man. Beatrice has met Benedick before and she obviously likes him although she makes
Act 1 Scene 2: Antonio, who is Leonato's brother, tells Leonato that Don Pedro has been overheard saying how he loves Hero. Leonato decides to wait and see what happens at the ball.
Act 1 Scene 3: Don John, who is Pedro's illegitimate brother, is unhappy and tells his friend Conrade about his angry feelings towards his brother. Conrade tries to calm him down, but Don John stays bitter. Borachio, another friend of Don John enters with the news that he heard Don Pedro talking of his plan to help Claudio win the hand of Hero. Don John thinks that this will be a chance for him to cause some trouble.
Act 2 Scene 1: Shortly before the masked ball is due to begin, Leonato is talking with his daughter and niece about men and marriage. Beatrice says that she doesn't want or need a man, particularly a man with a beard! Leonato tells Hero that she must accept Don Pedro's marriage proposal. Just then the masked guests arrive and dancing starts. There is much confusion as they try to guess who is who. Don Pedro talks with Hero, and Benedick and Beatrice continue their witty dialogue. Don John tells Claudio that Don Pedro loves Hero. Claudio expresses his unhappiness at this news in a short soliloquy, but does not wish to discuss it further with Benedick and leaves. Don Pedro tells Benedick that he has been successful in his plan to win Hero for Claudio. But Benedick is unhappy because he has been hurt by Beatrice's taunting, and he exits when she returns. Don Pedro tells Claudio of his successful mission and Leonato betrothes Claudio and Hero. Now Beatrice is the only one left without a husband. Don Pedro thinks that Benedick would make a good match for her, although Leonato does not agree! We learn that Hero and Claudio are to be married the following week.
Act 2 Scene 2: Don John and Borachio work on a plan to prevent Claudio marrying Hero by making it seem that Hero is unfaithful to Claudio. The plan is to have Borachio meet with Margaret outside of Hero's window - Borachio pretending to be Claudio and Margaret as Hero. Don John should make sure that Claudio and Don Pedro are there to witness this little scene.
Act 2 Scene 3: Benedick is alone in the orchard. He talks about how love has changed Claudio from being a straightforward soldier to someone more concerned with fashion and poetry. Benedick restates his intention to never marry. When he sees Don Pedro, Leonato, Claudio and Baltahsar arriving, he hides behind a tree. The others notice him there but they pretend not to have seen him. They discuss their plan to have him marry Beatrice, saying that Beatrice is in love with him. But they are concerned that all Benedick wants to do is make fun of her. They then leave. Benedick has been fooled into believing their talk and when he sees Beatrice arriving he thinks he can see signs of her love for him. Beatrice speaks to him as sharply as before, but now Benedick believes that this is her way of showing her affection.
Act 3 Scene 2: Leonato, Don Pedro and Claudio tease Benedick, saying they don't recognize him. He is now quiet and melancholy, and has shaved off his beard. Benedick does not enjoy this teasing and asks to talk with Leonato. The two of them walk off alone. Just then Don John arrives and tells Don Pedro and Claudio that Hero has been unfaithful to Claudio. To prove this he will take Don Pedro and Claudio to Hero's window where they will see her with another man on the night before her wedding. Claudio says that if Don John is right he will shame Hero in front of everyone at the wedding ceremony.
Act 3 Scene 3: Dogberry, the chief policeman, and his deputy, Verges, give their men muddled instructions about watching out for enemies of the prince. They overhear Borachio, who is drunk, boasting to Conrade about how he has just earned a lot of money by fooling Don Pedro and Claudio into believing that Hero has been unfaithful to Claudio. The policemen arrest Borachio and Conrade for this deception.
Act 3 Scene 4: It is the morning of the wedding and Margaret is helping Hero to get ready. Beatrice is moping around with a cold; Margaret teases her and tells her the real reason she is sick is because she is in love, just like Benedick.
Act 3 Scene 5: Dogberry tells Leonato that they have arrested two men in the night, who need to be questioned. Leonato is in a hurry to get to the church, however, and he does not understand the confusing account given by Dogberry and Verges. He tells them to carry out the investigation themselves.
Act 4 Scene 1: Everyone is at the church for the marriage of Hero and Claudio. When Friar Francis asks Claudio if he wants to marry Hero, Claudio replies no. He tells Leonato that she is a rotten orange and gives her back to him. Leonato and Hero are appalled and they question Claudio. He says he knows that Hero met with a man at her window and refuses to change his mind. Don Pedro confirms what Claudio says and calls Hero a prostitute. Hero faints and Claudio exits with Don Pedro and Don John. Beatrice fears that Hero is dead, while Leonato wishes her dead and regrets ever having a daughter. Friar Francis, however, believes that Hero is innocent, and gradually they come to feel that Don John may be responsible for the deception. Friar Francis has a plan to get to the truth, and says that they should pretend that Hero is dead. Maybe then Claudio will start to feel guilt at his treatment of Hero and they will have more time to find out what really happened. If the plan fails Hero will have to become a nun. Benedick advises Leonato to accept the plan and promises to keep the secret. When Beatrice and Benedick are alone together they confess their love for each other. He agrees to prove his love by taking revenge on Claudio for the wrong Claudio has done to Hero.
Act 4 Scene 2: The sexton meets with Dogberry and his men to hear what they heard Borachio saying about Don John's evil deception of Hero and Claudio. The sexton reveals that Hero is dead and Don John has run away. Dogberry arrests Borachio and Conrade.
Act 5 Scene 1: Leonato is full of anger at what has happened and will not allow his brother Antonio to comfort him. When Claudio enters, Leonato challenges him to a duel. Claudio refuses to fight with him, however, and Don Pedro insists that Claudio was correct in his accusation of Hero. Leonato and Antonio depart angrily, and Benedick arrives. He too challenges Claudio to a duel for destroying Hero's honour and causing her death. We learn that Don John has fled. Dogberry enters and tells the shocked Claudio and Don Pedro about Don John's evil scheme. Don Pedro questions Borachio, who confesses the whole plot to disgrace Hero. Leonato returns and Claudio asks him what he can do to make amends for his terrible mistake. Leonato says that Claudio and Don Pedro are the real villains. They caused Hero's death by too easily believing the accusations against her. He tells Claudio to inform the people of Messina that Hero was innocent. He also instructs Claudio to marry the unknown daughter of his brother. Borachio tells Leonato that Margaret did not know that she was being used to trick Claudio into believing Hero was unfaithful.
Act 5 Scene 2: Margaret helps Benedick to arrange a meeting with Beatrice. Benedick is unhappy with his attempts to write a love song. When Beatrice appears, Benedick tells her that he has challenged Claudio to a duel. They then talk about their love for each other and how it grew. They hear from the maidservant Ursula that Don John's plot has been uncovered and they leave quickly for Leonato's house.
Act 5 Scene 3: It is night time at Hero's monument. Claudio reads out a hymn lamenting the death of Hero and promising to commemorate the anniversary of her death.
Act 5 Scene 4: Leonato sends the women to put on masks and prepare for the wedding ceremony. After some confusion, Claudio discovers that the masked woman to whom he is to be married is in fact Hero. Beatrice and Benedick realize that they have been tricked into loving each other, but this does not shake their love. Benedick and Claudio become friends again, and the dancing begins.