Don John’s plot to undo Claudio also hinges on noting: in order for Claudio to believe

that Hero is unchaste and unfaithful, he must be brought to her window to witness,

or note, Margaret (whom he takes to be Hero) bidding farewell to Borachio in the

semidarkness. Dogberry, Verges, and the rest of the comical night watch discover

and arrest Don John because, although ill-equipped to express themselves

linguistically, they overhear talk of the Margaret--Borachio staging. Despite their

verbal deficiencies, they manage to capture Don John and bring him to Leonato,

after having had the sexton (a church official) “note” the occurrences of the evening

in writing. In the end, noting, in the sense of writing, unites Beatrice and Benedick

for good: Hero and Claudio reveal love sonnets written by Beatrice and Benedick,

textual evidence that notes and proves their love for one another.Entertainment

From the witty yet plaintive song that Balthasar sings about the deceitfulness of

men to the masked ball and the music and dancing at the end of the play, the

characters of Much Ado About Nothing spend much of their time engaging in

elaborate spectacles and entertainments. The play’s title encapsulates the

sentiment of effervescent and light court entertainment: the two hours’ traffic

onstage will be entertaining, comic, and absorbing. The characters who merrily spar

and fall in love in the beginning will, of course, end up together in the conclusion.

Beatrice compares courtship and marriage to delightful court dances: “wooing,

wedding and repenting is as a Scotch jig, a measure, and a cinquepace” (II.i.60–61).

By including a masquerade as court entertainment in the middle, as well as two

songs and a dance at the end, the play presents itself as sheer entertainment,

conscious of its own theatricality.Counterfeiting

The idea of counterfeiting, in the sense of presenting a false face to the world,

appears frequently throughout the play. A particularly rich and complex example of

counterfeiting occurs as Leonato, Claudio, and Don Pedro pretend that Beatrice is

head over heels in love with Benedick so that the eavesdropping Benedick will

overhear it and believe it. Luring Benedick into this trap, Leonato ironically

dismisses the idea that perhaps Beatrice counterfeits her desire for Benedick, as he

and the others counterfeit this love themselves: “O God! Counterfeit? There was

never counterfeit of passion came so near the life of passion as she discovers it”

(II.iii.98–99).

Another, more serious reference to counterfeiting occurs at the wedding ceremony,as Claudio

rhetorically paints a picture of Hero as a perfect counterfeit of innocence,unchaste and impure

beneath a seemingly unblemished surface:She’s but the sign and semblance of her honour.Behold how like a maid she blushes here!

O, what authority and show of truthCan cunning sin cover itself withal!(IV.i.31–34)

Hero’s supposed counterfeiting is of a grave nature, as it threatens her womanly

reputation. It is not her emotions that are being misconstrued, as with Beatrice, but

rather her character and integrity.SymbolsSymbols are objects, characters, figures, or colors used to represent abstract ideasor concepts.The Taming of Wild Animals

The play is peppered with metaphors involving the taming of wild animals. In the

case of the courtship between Beatrice and Benedick, the symbol of a tamed

savage animal represents the social taming that must occur for both wild souls to

be ready to submit themselves to the shackles of love and marriage. Beatrice’s vow

to submit to Benedick’s love by “[t]aming my wild heart to thy loving hand” makes

use of terms from falconry, suggesting that Benedick is to become Beatrice’s

master (III.i.113). In the opening act, Claudio and Don Pedro tease Benedick about

his aversion to marriage, comparing him to a wild animal. Don Pedro quotes a

common adage, “‘In time the savage bull doth bear the yoke,’” meaning that in

time even the savage Benedick will surrender to the taming of love and marriage

(I.i.213). Benedick mocks this sentiment, professing that he will never submit to the

will of a woman. At the very end, when Benedick and Beatrice agree to marry,

Claudio pokes fun at Benedick’s mortified countenance, suggesting that Benedick is

reluctant to marry because he remembers the allusion to tamed bulls:

Tush, fear not, man, we’ll tip thy horns with gold,

And all Europa shall rejoice at thee

As once Europa did at lusty Jove

When he would play the noble beast in love.(V.iv.44–47)

Claudio changes Benedick from a laboring farm animal, a bull straining under a

yoke, to a wild god, empowered by his bestial form to take sexual possession of his

lady. While the bull of marriage is the sadly yoked, formerly savage creature, the

bull that Claudio refers to comes from the classical myth in which Zeus took the

form of a bull and carried off the mortal woman Europa. This second bull is

supposed to represent the other side of the coin: the bull of bestial male sexuality.War

Throughout the play, images of war frequently symbolize verbal arguments and

confrontations. At the beginning of the play, Leonato relates to the other characters

that there is a “merry war” between Beatrice and Benedick: “They never meet but

there’s a skirmish of wit between them” (I.i.50–51). Beatrice carries on this martial

imagery, describing how, when she won the last duel with Benedick, “four of his five

wits went halting off” (I.i.53). When Benedick arrives, their witty exchange

resembles the blows and parries of a well-executed fencing match. Leonato accuses

Claudio of killing Hero with words: “Thy slander hath gone through and through her

heart” (V.i.68). Later in the same scene, Benedick presents Claudio with a violent

verbal challenge: to duel to the death over Hero’s honor. When Borachio confesses

to staging the loss of Hero’s innocence, Don Pedro describes this spoken evidence

as a sword that tears through Claudio’s heart: “Runs not this speech like iron

through your blood?” (V.i.227), and Claudio responds that he has already

figuratively committed suicide upon hearing these words: “I have drunk poison

whiles he uttered it” (V.i.228).Hero’s Death

Claudio’s powerful words accusing Hero of unchaste and disloyal acts cause her to

fall down in apparent lifelessness. Leonato accentuates the direness of Hero’s state,

pushing her further into seeming death by renouncing her, “Hence from her, let her

die” (IV.i.153). When Friar Francis, Hero, and Beatrice convince Leonato of his

daughter’s innocence, they maintain that she really has died, in order to punish

Claudio and give Hero a respectable amount of time to regain her honor, which,

although not lost, has been publicly savaged. Claudio performs all the actions of

mourning Hero, paying a choir to sing a dirge at her tomb. In a symbolic sense, Hero

has died, since, although she is pure, Claudio’s damning accusation has

permanently besmirched her name. She must symbolically die and be reborn pure

again in order for Claudio to marry her a second time. Hero’s false death is less a

charade aimed to induce remorse in Claudio than it is a social ritual designed to

cleanse her name and person of infamy.Much Ado About Nothing Summary

How It All Goes Down

Leonato, Governor of Messina, has just gotten word that he’s to be visited by his great friend Don Pedro of Arragon, who’s on his way back from battle. Beatrice, Leonato’s niece, asks the messenger whether Benedick is returning. We learn that Beatrice and Benedick have been engaged in a war of wits for as long as they’ve known each other, and she seems to be full of scorn and mockery for the man. 

Don Pedro, Benedick, Claudio, and Don Pedro’s illegitimate brother, Don John, arrive. Benedick and Beatrice exchange some barbs, and the sum of their interaction is that they both hate love and will never get married. (Unless they fall in love with each other and get married. Ahem.) After all the welcoming, Claudio pulls Benedick aside and reveals that he’s fallen for Leonato’s daughter, Hero. Benedick is full of jokes, and thinks marriage and

women are bad news, especially the two combined. 

Benedick reveals Claudio’s love to Don Pedro, who’s more sympathetic. Left alone, Claudio confirms to Don Pedro that he’d like to have Hero for his bride. Don Pedro is hyped about the idea, and says that tonight at the scheduled masquerade ball, he’ll pretend to be Claudio and woo Hero on Claudio’s behalf. He’s certain he’ll be able to secure a marriage for Claudio and Hero. 

Meanwhile, news of the secret conversation is traveling fast around Leonato’s house. Leonato’s brother, Antonio, has a servant who heard some of the conversation between Don Pedro and Claudio. The servant misunderstood or misheard some of it though, so Antonio’s report to Leonato is that Don Pedro intends to woo Hero for himself. Leonato goes off to prepare his daughter, Hero, for what he assumes will be a proposal of marriage from Don Pedro.

The scene moves to Don John. He’s a jerk, and he likes being a jerk. Don John’s attendant, Borachio, enters with a newsy opportunity for Don John to practice some villainy while he’s at Leonato’s house. Borachio properly heard that Don Pedro plans to woo Hero on Claudio’s behalf. The men all agree that this has great potential for their evil attentions, so they’re off to flirt with some ideas for a while. 

Leonato, Hero, Beatrice, and company are getting ready for the masquerade ball after dinner. Talk turns to how Beatrice will never find a man to suit her. Beatrice teases that she’s happy to be a bachelor (a gender neutral term in Shakespeare's day) for life, and even into death. Meanwhile, Hero is reminded that her father instructed her on how to return Don Pedro’s affections, and we learn that Hero is generally a pliable and obedient girl. As the men enter in their masks, everyone pairs off with partners. Don Pedro woos Hero privately. Meanwhile, Beatrice rails about Benedick to her disguised partner (who happens to be Benedick). Don John and his crew are still up to villainy, and they corner Claudio, pretending to think he’s Benedick. They suggest that Don Pedro has wooed Hero for himself. Hearing this news, Claudio declares that he should never have trusted the affairs of love to anyone else. Like a wet towel, he says goodbye to his love for Hero. 

The first part of Don John’s dastardly plan is foiled when Don Pedro announces that Hero and Claudio can now get together, as he’s done his job and wooed Hero on Claudio’s behalf. He’s explained all of this to Benedick, but Benedick is too busy being hurt by Beatrice’s mean words to appreciate that Disaster Part 1 has been averted. As Beatrice approaches with Leonato, Hero, and Claudio, Benedick runs away to avoid further criticism from the lady. Claudio enters, sulking, and he’s immediately transformed from being a taciturn emo kid into a joyous puppy when he hears the good news: Don Pedro did exactly as he promised, and a marriage is being set up between Hero and Claudio. Claudio finds out that he won’t be able to marry Hero for a week, and now everyone has to figure out how to have fun during a week with no wedding and no weird courting conflicts. The answer: create weird courting conflicts. Don Pedro decides he’s going to hatch a plan to get Benedick and Beatrice together, which should be entertaining (or a disaster). 

Back to the scheming Don John. Though he couldn’t destroy Hero and Claudio’s courtship, he’s sure he can destroy their wedding. Borachio suggests that Don John convince Claudio and Don Pedro to stand in the orchard outside Hero’s window on the night before the wedding. There, Borachio will be making love-talk with Hero’s servant, Margaret, who he’ll have dressed in Hero’s clothes. From far off, the men will think the girl engaged in inappropriate window activity is Hero, and they’ll write Hero off as disloyal. 

Later, Benedick is in the orchard, lamenting that one more brave soldier has fallen to the petticoats of love. Benedick notes that Claudio is changed from being a brave, straight-speaking soldier into a milquetoast (pronounced like "milk-toast," and basically means what it sounds like), concerned with romantic music, fashion, and poetry. Benedick thinks he’ll never undergo such a ridiculous transformation. 

Benedick hides when Don Pedro, Claudio, and Leonato approach. They see him hide, so they put their plan (to coerce him into loving Beatrice) into action. They launch into a loud, supposedly secret conversation about how Beatrice is tearing her hair out over her love for Benedick. They say Beatrice can’t make her love known because she’s certain that Benedick will scorn and mock her. They all leave. Benedick jumps out of the shrubbery, declaring that he can love Beatrice, and he’ll prove it. Beatrice has been sent out to invite Benedick to dinner, and Benedick dotes on her, already exhibiting the dullard signs of love. 

Hero is in on the plan to get Beatrice and Benedick together. While Beatrice is within listening range, Hero and her attendant Ursula play the same old trick on Beatrice. They announce that they can’t tell Beatrice of Benedick’s love because no man can ever please Beatrice, she’s such a proud and scornful woman. Once they leave, Beatrice (surprise!) has the same reaction as Benedick, and promises she’ll leave her scorn behind. She’ll love and marry Benedick, if he’ll have her. 

Later, Don Pedro and Claudio are with Leonato and Benedick, and they launch into teasing Benedick, who’s seeming much changed by his crush – with a shaven beard, a nice smell, and a dulled wit – he’s already a milquetoast. Benedick can’t handle the teasing, and scampers off, leaving Don Pedro and Claudio to be approached by Don John. Don John claims Hero is disloyal, and he can show them proof. Claudio says if he finds Hero is disloyal, he’ll disgrace her in front of the whole congregation, which is a tad overly dramatic in our opinion. 

Later that night, Dogberry, a constable, and his man Verges give muddled instructions to an incompetent group of watchmen, who plan to sleep through their duties. In spite of their incompetence, they hear Borachio recount to Conrade (another of Don John’s evil cronies) how Don John’s scheme went off without a hitch. Margaret appeared to be Hero and flirted with Borachio, while Don Pedro, Claudio, and Don John witnessed "Hero’s" disloyalty. Claudio has decided that he’ll renounce Hero tomorrow morning at the chapel. The watch then comes forth and arrests Borachio and Conrade for their wickedness.

It’s the morning, and Hero is getting ready for her wedding. Beatrice is helping her, though Beatrice is not acting like her usual jovial self. Margaret teases that Beatrice looks like she’s in love. Just before the wedding can take place, Dogberry comes to Leonato, trying to get him to come to the examination of the captured prisoners, Borachio and Conrade. Leonato is in a rush to get to his daughter’s wedding, so he tells Dogberry to do the examination himself.

Finally, everyone’s ready for the wedding, except Claudio, who proceeds to call Hero a disloyal, deceptive, and faithless whore in front of the entire group that’s come to watch her get married. Hero denies Claudio’s claims that she was flirting with another man at her window, but Don Pedro says he definitely saw her too, as did Don John. Hero faints. The men stalk out, leaving the girl for dead, and everyone else tries to sort out just what in the world is going on. 

Beatrice and the Friar are certain there’s some treachery afoot, and Benedick realizes Don John must be at the bottom of this. The Friar then comes up with a strategy – they’ll let word get out that Hero actually did die. People will then pity the girl, and forget this bad little groomzilla episode. Claudio will once again remember Hero fondly (once she’s dead) and in the meantime, some proof will probably surface that will clear her good name. If nothing shakes out, they can always send Hero off to a convent to be cloistered away. 

Everyone leaves except Benedick and Beatrice. Benedick takes advantage of this really awkward moment to profess his love for Beatrice. She’s stoked, and says she loves him too, but she’s pretty preoccupied with her cousin’s ruin. However, if Benedick wants to prove his love to her, he should kill Claudio for slandering Hero. At first, Benedick tries to backtrack out of it, but Beatrice threatens to leave. Benedick comes around to thinking Claudio really has wronged Hero, and he goes off to challenge Claudio. 

Meanwhile, back at the ranch (just kidding, the prison), Dogberry is interrogating Borachio and Conrade. He trips up the investigation, but the Sexton (the guy who’s documenting the whole process) manages to piece together that they’ve found the source of Hero’s ills. The Sexton is off to report the news to Leonato, with the prisoners in tow. Leonato and Antonio confront Don Pedro and Claudio, saying they’ve killed an innocent girl by wronging Hero. Claudio and Don Pedro, however, stick to their guns; they maintain they’ve done nothing wrong, they only exposed Hero as a harlot – it's not their fault that she's now a dead one. Next, Don Pedro and Claudio then into Benedick. Benedick challenges Claudio to a duel for causing the wrongful death of an innocent girl. He calls Claudio a young punk, saying he’s waiting for the challenge whenever Claudio is ready. 

Claudio and Don Pedro joke about Benedick until Dogberry comes in with Borachio and Conrade in tow. Borachio admits that he and Don John are responsible for framing Hero, and now the innocent girl is dead. Claudio and Don Pedro are shocked, and we’re all "who has egg on their face, now, eggfaces?" So Claudio and Don Pedro are sorry they killed a girl by calling her a harlot, and Leonato enters having heard the same news. Claudio says he and Don Pedro are to blame as much as Borachio and Don John because they believed the

slander against Hero. 

Leonato says Claudio can make it up to him by going to Hero’s grave and mourning her with an epitaph (a statement in memory of a deceased person), to be hung on the family tomb. That should clear Hero’s name to the public. After that, Claudio is to meet Leonato at the house, and marry Antonio’s daughter, who is apparently the spitting image of Hero.

During this time, Benedick and Beatrice have been flirting around in the orchard. Beatrice hears that Benedick challenged Claudio and is waiting for an answer, and she won’t make out with Benedick until he’s got some blood on his hands. Thankfully, before anyone can get their hands into some flesh, Ursula rushes in to announce that Hero’s name has been cleared. 

That night, Don Pedro and Claudio go to Hero’s tomb, where they hang an epitaph and mourn. Claudio promises he’ll do this ritual once a year on the anniversary of Hero's death. Thankfully, it’s a new day, and they can get over all this sadness about Hero and get to Claudio’s new wedding. At Leonato’s house, everyone’s stoked that things worked out so nicely. The newly exonerated Hero and all the girls are sent off to cover their faces, and Benedick pulls the Friar aside to ask for his services in marrying him to Beatrice after the whole "Hero’s risen from the dead" hubbub.

Don Pedro and Claudio enter. Claudio agrees to marry Leonato’s niece before he’s even seen her. Then, he sees her, and realizes she’s actually Hero! 

As everyone is about to head off to the chapel, Benedick makes a big public show of calling out Beatrice, asking if she loves him, maybe. Beatrice, embarrassed, is like, "Um, I love you in a friendly, non-sexual manner. Of course I don’t want to marry you, because that would make me a hypocrite for saying all the time how stupid marriage is." Benedick is like, "Oh, friends are fun, I like having more friends." Then Claudio and Hero blow Beatrice and Benedick's cover by revealing love notes the two had written to each other, and Benedick and Beatrice are all, "Aw shucks, guess we’ll have to get married after all, but it’s only because we pity each other and don’t want to die old and alone." Then Benedick declares he doesn’t mind getting married after all, as people change their minds all the time about who they really are. Further, Benedick announces that he and Claudio are friends again, and everyone takes to dancing before they’re even married. The end.

Much Ado About Nothing Act I, Scene i Summary

Leonato, the governor of Messina, is hanging around his house with his daughter, Hero, and his niece, Beatrice.

Leonato chats with a messenger about some news: Don Pedro, the Prince of Arragon and friend of Leonato, has just finished up some battling and is on his way to stay at Leonato’s house this very evening.

Leonato learns the battle wasn’t terribly bloody, but it did give one young man a chance to distinguish himself as valiant beyond his years.

The messenger says he’s already delivered honors to the valiant young man, who then wept all over the place like a not-so-mature young man. Leonato very nicely says it’s better to weep from joy than to joy over weeping.

Beatrice, Leonato’s niece, then inquires after a certain Signior Mountanto, better known as Benedick.

Beatrice gives us a bit of a veiled back-story: she claims Benedick came to Messina and challenged Cupid to an archery contest (perhaps meaning that Benedick claimed to be immune to Cupid’s arrows, and thus immune to love).

Beatrice goes on to say that "her uncle’s fool" took on Benedick’s challenge in place of Cupid. Beatrice doesn’t say how that challenge ended up, but we have gotten some other valuable information here. "My uncle’s fool" might refer to a court jester, but is more likely to refer to Beatrice herself. Beatrice is possibly alluding to some previous relationship she and Benedick had that clearly didn’t work out, as both of them are so hell-bent on never being in love.

There’s some more bantering at poor Benedick’s expense, and Leonato makes clear that the war of wits between Beatrice and Benedick is an ongoing battle.

Beatrice then turns his attention to the fact that Benedick is prone to having a new best friend in every one of his endeavors. She wonders who the poor schmuck is that’s been taken into Benedick’s confidence this time.

It turns out to be Claudio, the young man who recently distinguished himself in battle. Beatrice jokes that catching Benedick is like catching a disease.

Just then, Don Pedro, Prince of Arragon, enters with Claudio, Benedick, an attendant named Balthasar, and Don Pedro’s illegitimate brother, Don John.

Don Pedro and Leonato banter and are generally happy to see each other, which is more than we can say for Beatrice and Benedick.

Benedick declares all ladies love him, except Beatrice, and sadly, he loves no ladies. Beatrice thinks his lack of love is God’s gift to women, and she declares that, like

Benedick, she has no intention of ever falling in love. You’d think that was settled, but Beatrice isn’t done yet. As Benedick gracelessly

drops out of the verbal sparring, Beatrice declares he’s played a jade’s trick (referring to the habit of old horses, called jades, to drop out of races before reaching the finish line). Beatrice declares she’s not surprised by his lame falling off, as she’s known him a while. (Also, while jade trick refers to his bowing out of this conversation, it might also apply to the relationship Benedick seems to have dropped out of with Beatrice earlier. So there’s big time tension.)

Don Pedro announces that Leonato has invited him, Claudio, and Benedick to stay with Leonato for at least a month, which will be ample time for drama to develop.

Leonato also personally welcomes Don John, who seems to have recently reconciled with his brother Don Pedro.

Benedick is left alone with Claudio as the others wander off, led by Leonato and Don Pedro.

The young Claudio reveals that he’s been smitten by Leonato’s daughter, Hero. Benedick, ever full of taunts, wonders that Claudio could be so bent on marriage,

especially as Benedick thinks Hero’s cousin, Beatrice, is wading around in the more attractive end of the gene pool.

Don Pedro then returns, wondering what secret Claudio and Benedick have been sharing.

Benedick, entrusted with the knowledge of Claudio’s secret crush, immediately reveals to Don Pedro that Claudio has fallen for the Hero. Furthermore, Benedick thinks Hero is short.

Don Pedro thinks Claudio's interest in Hero is wonderful news, but Benedick takes the love-declaration as another chance to rail on women.

Benedick says he’s grateful to his mother for giving birth to him and raising him. Since he’s not a complete woman-hater, he’d never want to hurt a woman by distrusting her. Therefore he’ll never get into a relationship with a women where trust is required (i.e., marriage).

Don Pedro is certain that before he dies, Benedick will be made pale by love, but Benedick quibbles. He says he’ll be made pale by anger, sickness, or hunger, but never by love.

In Shakespeare’s day, people thought that sighs of love made a person lose blood, while alcohol increased the blood supply. Benedick says if he should ever lose more blood from love than he could get again by drinking, then Don Pedro can poke out his eyes with a lovesick poet’s pen and hang him up as a blind Cupid sign outside of a brothel (houses of ill repute often used the symbol of a blind Cupid as advertisement).

Benedick goes on some more about how he’ll never wear cuckold’s horns. (Cuckolds were men whose wives ran around with other men, and generally abused their husbands. They were symbolized by wearing horns, and while this doesn’t make a lot of sense in the modern day, it was the closest thing those guys had to being whipped.)

Don Pedro promises Benedick will eat his words and fall in love after all, unless Cupid is too busy in Venice, as Venetians were known to love women in brothels.

Don Pedro dismisses the prattling Benedick. This leaves Claudio to speak earnestly with Don Pedro, who, unlike Benedick,

doesn’t take Claudio’s romance as a good occasion to mock and belittle him. Claudio seems nervous about revealing his love to Hero, but Don Pedro can help

him out here. Claudio begins to reveal his history with the girl. Claudio admits he noticed Hero before he went off to war, but at the time, the

upcoming battle was a higher priority than love. Now that he’s back, thoughts of love have replaced his bloodlust.

Still, Claudio worries that if he begins to woo her, it will seem like he fell in love too quickly and she might not take him seriously.

Don Pedro agrees to help Claudio secure his fast-action love. He’ll let Hero and Leonato know about Claudio’s affections, but it has to be revealed in an unnecessarily complicated way that’s prone to disaster, or else this isn’t Shakespeare.

There’s a masquerade ball planned for that very night, and Don Pedro plans to wear a disguise and woo Hero, pretending to be Claudio. Don Pedro promises his tale of love will be so wonderful and compelling that Hero won’t have a choice but to fall in love. Clearly, this is a fool-proof plan.

Don Pedro will also let Leonato know about Claudio’s intentions to marry Hero. All Claudio’s really got to do is…absolutely nothing. Don Pedro promises Claudio will have Hero, and this plot promises to be interesting.

Much Ado About Nothing Act I, Scene ii Summary

Leonato chats with his brother, Antonio, who is nearly bursting with gossip. Antonio reports that one of his men overheard Don Pedro and Claudio talking in the enclosed garden area.

Antonio reports that his man heard Don Pedro declare his love for Hero, and his intention to reveal his love for Hero that night. If Hero accepts Don Pedro’s love, then Don Pedro will tell Leonato right away, so they can be married, or something. (Of course, the man did hear Don Pedro say he'll woo Hero that night, but he missed the whole part where Don Pedro will be wooing on Claudio’s behalf.)

Leonato decides he’ll spring this news on Hero, so she can be prepared to deliver an answer. (Important motif introduced here: These guys are sticklers for action, not accuracy. Also, they’re sneaky.)

Much Ado About Nothing Act I, Scene iii Summary

Don John (Don Pedro’s illegitimate brother) meets with Conrade (his attendant). Don John is being a his usual negative self, and Conrade tries to placate him with

platitudes. (How’s that for vocabulary enrichment!) Don John wonders how Conrade can be a regular Charlie of the Chipper Brigade

when he’s supposed to be born under Saturn (which was thought to be the planet farthest from the sun, and thus the coldest and grumpiest planet to be born under). Don John doesn’t bother with silver-linings; when he’s cranky, he’s not going to hide it.

Don John says he eats only when he’s hungry, sleeps only when he’s drowsy, and isn’t going dance like he’s some clown when he’s not feeling like a dancing clown. (Well fine, he doesn’t say that last bit, but you get the point.)

Conrade’s pretty serious though, and says Don John has to get his attitude in check, because he’s still treading on delicate ground. Don John only recently reconciled with his brother, Don Pedro, but the reconciliation is worthless if Don John can’t get it together and stop acting like a villain.

Like any good villain, Don John points out that he acts like a villain because he is a villain, and he doesn’t care whether he’s hated.

Don John notes that while he seems to be in the good graces of his brother, he’s actually more like a muzzled dog tied to a block than a trusted guy.

Don John doesn’t deny, though, that his brother’s precautions are reasonable ones, as he would like to do some mischief as soon as he gets the chance. (Plotline of the play = Don John’s chance to do mischief.)

In the meantime, Don John isn’t going to join the "Vote For Don Pedro" squad, no matter how much people try to convince him it’s a good idea.

Borachio enters and delivers to Don John news of an impending marriage. Borachio was perfuming a smelly room by burning some aromatic substance, when

he heard Claudio and Don Pedro approach, deep in conversation. Borachio got the gist of the conversation correctly (unlike Antonio’s man) about Don

Pedro’s plan to court Hero on Claudio’s behalf. This is kind of a Tarantino approach to the wooing of Hero, which we now see is the focus of like 8 million schemes from her dad, Don John, and of course Claudio and Don Pedro.

Don John is elated to hear news of this little plan between Don Pedro and Claudio, especially as he blames Claudio for playing a large part in overthrowing him in a vaguely-mentioned rebellion. (Some scholars think this alludes to the battle that took place before the play’s first scene, which may have been a contest between Don Pedro and Don John for power.)

The men exit, plotting their mischief, though we think Shakespeare may be gearing up with a lot of sardoodledom (that's a fun theater word for melodrama).

Much Ado About Nothing Act II, Scene i Summary

Leonato, Antonio, Beatrice, Hero, and attendants have finished dinner and are preparing for the postprandial (= after a meal) masquerade ball.

Leonato notes that the sour Don John wasn’t at dinner, and Beatrice hijacks the conversation, as usual, to talk about Benedick, because she really, really doesn’t care about him – and a good way to show it is to talk about himall the time.

Beatrice says if a man could be halfway between Don John’s quietness and Benedick’s constant chatter, and rich, and handsome, he could have any woman in the world.

The subject then becomes whether Beatrice will ever get a man, because she’s saucy.

Beatrice points out that any man God would send her might as well come with his pair of cuckold’s horns (i.e., a whip) attached. Anyway, she says she’s too picky to get a man: she thinks men with beards are too old and itchy, and men without beards might as well dress up in her women’s clothes.

Beatrice says she isn’t too bothered by being single. Her uncle, Leonato, then unhelpfully adds that perhaps she’ll go to hell (which was rumored to be the destination for old maids).

Beatrice says the devil, who wears horns like a cuckold, would be sure to send her up to heaven once she got to hell. When she gets to heaven, Beatrice is sure she’ll be directed up to where all the bachelors (a gender neutral term in Shakespeare’s day) hang out.

This anti-marriage banter goes on for a while, when talk finally turns to Hero’s impending marriage.

Leonato still thinks that Don Pedro, and not Claudio, will be the one to try and court Hero, because of the (mis)information he got from Antonio’s servant. It’s clear that Leonato has already given Hero a good talking to about what her answer should be if Don Pedro proposes marriage to her.

Beatrice adds the helpful advice that "wooing, wedding, and repenting" correspond to three different kinds of dances. Wooing is like a Scotch jig – fast and fun. The process of wedding is a slow, stately affair, and the state of being married requires the liveliest dance of all, as one regrets the decision to marry and backtracks on fast legs all the way into the grave.

The masked party goers enter and break up the talk about Hero’s marriage. (You should note everyoneexcept Hero has added their two cents about the whole affair.)

Everyone breaks off into pairs, with the men masked and the women guessing at each other's identities.

A disguised Don Pedro pairs with Hero, flirtatiously talking of love. Then Borachio (attendant to Don John) snuggles up to Margaret (Hero’s maid). Margaret says to Borachio that one of her chief failings is that she says her prayers

aloud. Borachio basically says, "The better to answer your prayers, my dear." Their conversation tends toward the raunchy side.

Ursula (an attendant of Hero’s) is paired off with the playful Antonio (Hero’s uncle). This warm-your-cockles moment is interrupted by Benedick and Beatrice, who have (here’s a shocker) been paired together.

It seems Beatrice's mystery partner has been talking to her about some not-so-flattering claims he’s heard about her.

Beatrice’s partner won’t reveal who he is, so she launches into her usual topic of conversation: "let’s talk about Benedick." She gives her partner her version of who Benedick is, calling him the "prince’s jester," or a common court fool.

Beatrice says only in truly awful people enjoy Benedick's company. Furthermore, men take pleasure and anger in his jests, sometimes laughing, sometimes beating him.

Still, Beatrice says she wishes she had been dancing with Benedick. Finally, she says if her partner tells Benedick anything she’s said, Benedick will make a joke out of it. She makes one last jab at Benedick, saying that he's an attention monger – he needs people to laughs at his jokes.

After a bit of dancing, we’re spared any more thinly-veiled love talk by Beatrice about Benedick. Instead, we get to witness Don John’s villainy.

Don John and his fellow villains recognize Claudio by the way he carries himself, and saunter over to him, ready to spill poison in his ear.

The men approach, knowing full well that the disguised man is Claudio, but asking coyly if he’s Benedick.

Claudio wanders into the trap, declares himself to be Benedick, and then hears the awful suggestion from Don John that Don Pedro is actually in love with Hero.

In fact, Don John says he’s heard Don Pedro swear his affection for the girl, and his intention to marry her that very night. (Lies and slander.) He leaves Claudio, saying that as a good friend, "Benedick" should dissuade Don Pedro from his wooing Hero.

Claudio trusts Don John’s villainy, and believes that Don Pedro is courting Hero for himself.

Claudio says he should’ve known friendship couldn’t withstand love. He would’ve talked to Hero himself, but he hadn’t suspected Don Pedro. He admits he’ll suffer for his mistake.

Thus Claudio says goodbye to Hero, thinking he’s lost her to Don Pedro. Also, he’s not willing to fight for his love, because he’s lame.

Benedick enters with ample salt to rub in young Claudio’s new wound. He teases that Claudio will have to wear a garland of willow (representing unrequited love) because Don Pedro has stolen away Hero.

Claudio, heartbroken, has no patience to jest with Benedick, and quickly leaves. Next we find out that Beatrice and Benedick should probably get along very well, as

they share a common interest: thinking and talking about Benedick. Benedick rankles at the tongue-lashing he received from Beatrice while he was her

disguised dance partner. He decides he brings this kind of censure on himself, as he probably isn’t taken too seriously because he acts so silly all the time. Still, this is only Beatrice’s opinion, and he reasons it might not be shared by the whole world.

Don Pedro breaks up Benedick’s intimate thoughts about himself. Don Pedro is looking for Claudio, and has found Benedick instead. Benedick

explains that Claudio mourns because Don Pedro seems to have stolen his Hero. Don Pedro, who’s more sensible than the whole lot of idiots, says he was simply

going through with the plan, and that he has secured Hero for Claudio. With that matter cleared up, there’s some more patter about how much Beatrice and

Benedick hate each other, and how Benedick wouldn’t marry the girl if she were Eve before the Fall. With Beatrice on earth, he says, hell seems a sanctuary. (Ouch.)

Just then Beatrice approaches with Claudio, Leonato, and Hero. Benedick begs to be excused. He’d rather bring back a toothpick from the farthest corner of Asia than deal with Beatrice.

Getting no sympathy from Don Pedro, Benedick rushes off. Don Pedro notes his hasty departure, and Beatrice once again alludes to some

relationship it seems they had (and lost) in the past. All attention then turns to Claudio, who is sulking around looking generally morose,

despite claiming to be neither sad nor sick. Beatrice teases that he looks civil as an orange (punning on the fact that oranges

from Seville, which sounds like "civil," were rather bitter. Also, orange is close to yellow, and yellow was a color associated with jealousy. That’s a lot to put into a pun, we know.)

Claudio won’t confess what’s wrong, so Don Pedro announces he has wooed Hero, but wooed her in Claudio’s name.

Good news! Hero has accepted Claudio, Leonato has agreed to the marriage, and now they just need to call a wedding planner and get registered at Bed Bath and Beyond.

Claudio claims he’s struck dumb by his happiness, and Hero is quiet too, so naturally they move on to making out – a good problem-solver when young couples actually have nothing to talk about.

Beatrice, who encourages all the kissing, is applauded by Don Pedro, who notes that she’s rather merry for being an embittered old maid.

Don Pedro says he could get Beatrice a husband if she wanted one. Beatrice responds that she quite likes the children of Don Pedro’s father. She

inquires whether Don Pedro’s father maybe has any other sons. We call this leading Don Pedro on.

Don Pedro takes the bait, and basically says, "Well…you could marry me…" and Beatrice is all, "No thanks! Bye!"

Actually Beatrice sticks around for a bit to say that she’s too full of silliness to marry someone as serious and lovely as Don Pedro. So she puts him down easy.

Don Pedro says he wouldn’t have Beatrice any other way, as she’s best when she’s silly. He says she must’ve been born during a merry hour.

Beatrice counters that her mother actually cried as she was giving birth to her, but a star danced, and then Beatrice was born.

Beatrice is sent off by Leonato to tend to some woman-stuff. Leonato and Don Pedro chat about how Beatrice is a wonderful, warm girl, though

she mocks all of her suitors into oblivion, and it seems she will never marry. Don Pedro wonders what man could handle Beatrice’s wit, and declares then and

there that Benedick should marry Beatrice (and that the world is round, and night comes after day, and Don Pedro is Conductor of the Obvious Train).

Don Pedro asks when Claudio means to marry Hero, and Claudio essentially replies: "Tomorrow isn’t even soon enough."

Leonato tells Claudio to hold his horses. The wedding will be in a week, and even that’s not enough time for Leonato to properly interrogate Claudio, but so be it.

Don Pedro, ever the peacemaker, says the week will go by quickly because they’ll all be having so much fun with a new little scheme.

He knows how to work on Benedick, and can teach the girls how to work on Beatrice. All in all, Don Pedro plans to get Benedick and Beatrice to fall in love, and he'd appreciate a little help from everyone.

Leonato, Claudio, and Hero agree to manipulate and deceive their respective friends (Benedick or Beatrice) into falling in love with each other.

Much Ado About Nothing Act II, Scene ii Summary

Don John and Borachio are freshly sulky over the news of Hero’s wedding to Claudio. Borachio says he’s figured out a simple and fool-proof way to ruin the marriage, which would make Don John really happy.

Borachio reminds Don John of Hero’s attendant, Margaret, who he’s apparently been screwing around with for some time.

Borachio talks vaguely of a plan to have Margaret stand in Hero’s window. Don John, however, is slightly confused about how exactly this is a foolproof plan to ruin weddings and lives.

Borachio’s got it all planned out: all Don John has to do is go to Don Pedro and announce that he’s discovered Hero is actually in love with Borachio. He’ll need to pretend to be apologetic that Claudio’s future marriage is ruined, as is Don Pedro’s reputation as a matchmaker and an honorable man. Don John can insist he’s only telling Don Pedro out of love.

Surely, Don Pedro will require proof of this slander, and that’s where big deception comes in.

The night before the wedding, Don John should bring Don Pedro and Claudio to Hero’s window. Borachio will have contrived to make Hero absent, and Margaret will stand in silhouette by the Hero’s window, appearing to be Hero. There, Borachio himself will be making love to Margaret (either in word or deed) while calling her "Hero." The men will witness this, and it will seem like solid visual proof that Hero is cheating on Claudio. That should be enough to ruin the wedding.

Don John promises Borachio a thousand ducats in payment for this scheming, and the two men part to set their plan in action.

Much Ado About Nothing Act II, Scene iii Summary

Benedick is about to take a walk in Leonato’s garden (which we like to call the Garden of Eavesdropping).

He laments that he remembers a time when Claudio was a solider instead a lovesick guy that sighs all the time. Whereas Claudio used to speak plain and straight, his words are now flowery and fawning.

Benedick wonders if love could ever transform him so tremendously (and hideously). Benedick lists off all of the impossible qualities a girl would need for him to want her. If a woman had all of his specified qualities together, which is kind of a tall order, he wouldn’t mind what color her hair was.

Seeing Don Pedro and Claudio approach with Leonato, Benedick runs and hides. The men see Benedick hide, and Claudio notes Benedick’s hiding place. Now they’ll

go have a loud and manipulative conversation right by Benedick’s hiding spot. A musician named Balthasar enters and Don Pedro asks him to sing a song. Balthasar’s all "Oh I can’t sing so well," so everyone else can be like "No! You’re the

best singer in the world!" Balthasar, the musician, notes that he’s like a suitor who will approach a girl thinking

she doesn’t deserve him, but then he’ll go on and try to woo her anyway, and even declare he loves her.

Leonato, Don Pedro, and Claudio have a super-obvious conversation meant to make Benedick fall in love with Beatrice.

The discussion essentially amounts to the fact that Beatrice is in love with Benedick, though she seems to hate him outwardly. They say they’ve heard all this news from Hero, who Beatrice confides in.

Furthermore, though Beatrice loves Benedick, she would never reveal it to him, because it would seem so odd for her to switch from hating him so completely to loving him so fervently.

Things are so bad that Hero worries Beatrice might even hurt herself – that’s how deeply tormented she is by her secret love for Benedick.

It seems that Beatrice’s love for Benedick will kill her in one of the three ways: 1) she’ll die if he doesn’t love her; 2) she’ll die before ever revealing her love to him; or 3) she’ll die if he woos her, because it would kill her to be a gentle wooed maid instead of her usual virago self. (They really lay it on thick.)

The talk then turns to whether they should tell Benedick about Beatrice’s secret love for him. They all loudly declare (for Benedick to hear) that this is a bad idea, as Benedick is too proud to hear of Beatrice’s love without scorning her.

Certain that they’ve made it clear that 1) Beatrice loves Benedick, and 2) they don’t expect Benedick to be up to the challenge of being gentle enough to love Beatrice, their task is done.

They go off to dinner, snickering to themselves that they surely have convinced Benedick that he must love the girl – for her sake, and to show his humility.

When they’re out of earshot of Benedick, Don Pedro says that they’ve got to get the girls to perform the same trick on Beatrice.

Don Pedro delights in thinking of the time when Benedick and Beatrice will face each other; they’ll both be struck speechless by feelings completely opposite to their professed anti-loving natures. Their usual witty word play will become like watching mimes.

They plot to send Beatrice to call Benedick into dinner, because that will be hilariously awkward.

Benedick, who had been listening to Don Pedro and co.’s conversation, did not realize that he was supposedto be listening.

He seems shocked by what he heard. He says he would believe the whole conversation was a trick, except the old, venerable Leonato participated in the conversation, so it must’ve been legitimate.

Anyway, Benedick heard his friend’s criticism that he seemed proud, and says this is a great opportunity to improve himself.

In fact, Benedick says to himself, Beatrice is a great girl. If her greatest foolishness is to love him, then he can love her in return. He’s certain he’ll endure some teasing for changing his opinion on marriage so abruptly, but people change over time. And besides, the world has to be populated.

Beatrice was sent to call Benedick to dinner, so she approaches. Benedick already imagines that he sees signs of love for him written all over her.

The two have a strange little exchange. Benedick is all flattery and kindness (recall the beginning of the scene when he criticized Claudio for acting this way…) and Beatrice is confused about his change in attitude toward her.

She excuses herself, and Benedick misinterprets the brief interaction, mistaking "she’s trying to escape from me" for "she clearly likes me."

Benedick declares he’ll love Beatrice.

Much Ado About Nothing Act III, Scene i Summary

Hero pulls Margaret aside in the garden, and gets the wheels turning on her part of Don Pedro’s scheme.

Hero wants Margaret to lure Beatrice to the garden (the Garden of Eavesdropping, remember?) by saying that Hero and Ursula are talking about her, and Beatrice should listen in on their secret conference. Hero plans to have a conversation with Ursula praising all of Benedick’s virtues, and insisting that Benedick is desperately in love with Beatrice. The girls are certain this trick will win Beatrice over to the Benedick fan club.

The scheme is put into action. We see Beatrice enter in a sneaky way (so Hero and Ursula shouldn’t see her, though they do).

Assured that Beatrice is well positioned to listen to their "secret" talk, Ursula and Hero begin to talk of the "new news" from Claudio and Don Pedro, that Benedick is in love with Beatrice.

Hero admits that when the guys told her of Benedick’s love, they asked that she tell Beatrice about it. However, Hero says she thinks it best for Benedick to keep his love to himself and get over it, because he has no chance of making it with Beatrice.

Hero then lights into Beatrice’s flaws, calling the girl proud, disdainful, scornful, and too in love with her own wit to love any man.

Ursula agrees, saying that if Beatrice found out about Benedick’s love, it would only become the source of infinite jokes for her.

They go on to say that Beatrice has a knack for finding faults in even the best of men; she can never simply see the goodness in her suitors. Basically, they call her a bitter hag, which is not such a nice thing to say.

Hero concludes that she’ll go tell Benedick harmless but unflattering lies about Beatrice to help him get over his crush. Ursula thinks this interference can’t be necessary, as surely, for all of Beatrice’s faults, she’s smart enough to snag a handsome and wonderful chap like Benedick.

This provides a convenient segue to rattle on about how wonderful Benedick is. Hero declares him to be the most desirable bachelor in all of Italy, aside from her Claudio of course. There’s more rah-rah Benedick, and the ladies transition into talking about Hero's wedding that will happen tomorrow.

The ladies, out of earshot of Beatrice, gloat over what a fine job they’ve done. They’re sure they’ve caught Beatrice in the "loving Benedick" trap.

Beatrice, now alone, comes out of her hiding place.

It’s worth noting that her primary concern isn’t the shocking revelation that Benedick loves her. Instead, she seems really hurt that her friends condemned her for being so proud.

Beatrice declares she’ll put her bad attitude behind her, and give herself over to Benedick. If he loves her too, they’ll be wed, in spite of all the nasty things they’ve both said about marriage.

Much Ado About Nothing Act III, Scene ii Summary

In another part of Leonato’s house, Don Pedro, Claudio, Benedick, and Leonato are all gathered.

Don Pedro says he’s only sticking around until Claudio is married, and then he’s off back to Arragon. Claudio volunteers to come with him, but Don Pedro points out that Claudio will have more interesting things to do on his wedding night.

Instead of Claudio, Don Pedro looks forward to Benedick’s company. Don Pedro then makes some heavy-handed references to the fact that Benedick can be trusted to never fall in love. This would seem like a random thing to say, except we know Don Pedro’s trying to egg Benedick on into being in love.

Benedick is then like, "Well, guys, I’m going through some special changes." And knowing what we know about special changes, they’re a perfect invitation for mockery and derision.

While Claudio and Don Pedro tease Benedick mercilessly for seeming lovesick, Leonato notes that he looks sadder.

They offer all sorts of cures for his ache. Then they note that he’s gotten a haircut, is wearing cologne, and his beard has been shaven off and the hairs sent to fill tennis balls. (Random!) Anyway, with all these changes, either Benedick is in love, or he’s been transformed into a metrosexual.

They tease that his melancholy and newly subdued nature are sure signs of his sighs over a girl, and they figure that if any woman loves him, it’s only because she doesn’t know him very well.

Then there’s some taunting about how the girl Benedick loves will die for him, but she’ll die with her face upward. ("Die" is Elizabethan slang for orgasm – yet another cheap sex joke, courtesy of William Shakespeare).

Benedick shrugs off all this teasing and asks Leonato to go off with him to talk about serious stuff.

Don Pedro and Claudio are then conveniently left alone for Don John to prey upon. Don John confirms that Claudio means to get married the next day, and then he’s

like, "Well maybe you won’t want to get married tomorrow after you fall into my evil trap." But he doesn’t say that because then it wouldn’t be much of a trap, would it?

Anyway, Don John builds the melodrama by saying they might hate him for what he has to say, but they should wait until after hearing his news to pass judgment on him. Don John claims that Don Pedro’s efforts for Claudio’s wedding were sadly

misguided: Hero is disloyal. Not only is she disloyal, he could call her all sorts of other nasty names, but he doesn’t.

Instead, he’ll let the seed of suspicion sprout in Don Pedro and Claudio until he can bring them to Hero’s window at midnight. There, he promises them they’ll see a man in Hero’s bedroom. After that, if Claudio still wants to marry, he can, but at least he’ll know what he’s signing up for.

Claudio pledges that if he sees anything unseemly tonight, he’ll be sure to be as dramatic as possible, by denouncing Hero in front of the whole wedding party tomorrow (instead of sending her a simple, informative, "It’s over" via text and changing his Facebook status).

Don Pedro pitches in that he’ll help Claudio disgrace Hero at the wedding if there’s proof of her disloyalty tonight. After all, he’s responsible for getting the two of them together in the first place.

Much Ado About Nothing Act III, Scene iii Summary

Dogberry, a constable, enters a street with Verges, a church officer, to inspect a couple of men who stand on watch over Messina. Dogberry goes on to have a self-important time of critiquing the watch (meaning the guards), full of pompous airs.

Dogberry tries to pick one among the watch to be the constable, and two men who can read and write are suggested. Dogberry commends one of the men, accidentally dismisses reading and writing as vanity, and puts that man in charge of the watch.

Dogberry announces the watch should look out for vagrants. If they see any vagrants, the watch should make them stop in the name of the Prince.

Dogberry goes on to give a series of nonsensical instructions to the watch: if a man doesn’t stop, he should be let go to do as he pleases, because any man who doesn’t stop isn’t one of the Prince’s subjects and therefore is not under the jurisdiction of the watch. Further, the watch should be grateful to be saved the trouble of dealing with vagrants.

In fact, Dogberry essentially gives the men permission to sleep through their shift, but advises that they make sure they aren’t robbed while they’re dozing.

More of Dogberry’s ridiculous instructions include: drunken men should be reprimanded, unless they’re too drunk, in which case they should be left alone to sober up.

Thieves should be avoided, because getting involved with them would compromise one’s honesty.

The men on watch should wake up nurses (nannies) whose babies are crying. If the nurses do not wake up at the watch’s calls, the babies’ cries are sure to wake their nurses up eventually.

Dogberry goes on in this vein, with Verges throwing in some supportive comments. Whenever they open their mouths, the two men generally reveal that Messina is very lucky to be a quiet town, as their watch is completely incompetent to handle any real crime or disturbance.

The watch doesn’t need to do much, except be careful that their swords don’t get stolen.

Before Dogberry leaves, he tells the men on watch to carefully observe Leonato’s door. With the wedding coming tomorrow, there’s likely to be a big to-do tonight. (If only he knew!) Lastly, he tells them to "Be vigitant!" (mistaking the word vigilant).

Dogberry and Verges exit. The watch’s plan to settle into a peaceful sleep is interrupted by the entrance of

Borachio and Conrade, Don John’s two partners-in-crime. Borachio and Conrade haven’t noticed the watchmen, though the watch has noticed

them. The incompetent men on watch listen carefully for signs of treason. Borachio updates Conrade on the night’s events, sparing no little detail, and

announcing that he’s earned his 1000 ducats from Don John. Conrade wonders how Borachio’s villainous assistance could come with such a high

price tag. Borachio points out that when a rich villain needs a poor villain’s help, the poor villain can name any price.

Borachio compares his robbery to the robbery that fashion commits – fashion has a habit of making men change their minds too often.

Conrade chimes in that fashion is indeed a robber, as men will throw out their apparel because it’s no longer in style even before the clothing has been worn out. Conrade notes that Borachio must be stricken by the fashion sickness too, as it’s distracted him from the point of his story: how he brought about the ruination of Hero this very night.

Borachio describes how his plan went off without a hitch: Margaret leaned out of Hero’s window and bid him a thousand goodnights (we’re not sure what they were up to before they said goodbye, but likely it involved Borachio not being outside of Hero’s bedroom).

Anyway, Borachio replied to Margaret’s goodnights, but he called her "Hero." Meanwhile, Don John was stationed with Don Pedro and Claudio in an orchard, close enough to hear what was going on, but not close enough to see that the woman was Margaret, not Hero.

Borachio confirms that Don Pedro and Claudio were fully convinced of Hero’s disloyalty, and didn’t suspect that the scene was a villainous plot masterminded by Don John.

Borachio makes the insightful point that the scheme had many layers, like an onion, or a layer cake. Claudio and Don Pedro were first inspired to distrust Hero by Don John’s claim of her disloyalty. Because they were primed to think of her as disloyal, Borachio’s villainy, combined with the dark night, cemented Claudio and Don Pedro’s suspicions.

Claudio became enraged after "witnessing" Hero’s disloyalty, and he vowed to reveal Hero’s love affair in front the whole congregation tomorrow at their would-be-wedding. He’s determined to send her home without a husband (or her dignity!). There will be no marriage, but everyone will get their money’s worth in the spectacle.

The watchmen, who have been listening this whole time, finally step out and seize Borachio and Conrade, calling them out for lechery (when they really mean treachery). The disease of poor grammar and word usage is apparently contagious; the watch suffer from it nearly as badly as Dogberry.

Borachio and Conrade surrender, but we’ve still got some unraveling to do before things get really good.

Much Ado About Nothing Act III, Scene iv Summary

It’s the morning of the wedding, and the scene is set in Hero’s bedroom. Hero has sent Ursula off to go get Beatrice, and Margaret is helping Hero get

dressed. They go back and forth fondly over what Hero should wear. Margaret describes the beautiful dress Hero will wear as full of gold, silver, and pearls, but Hero seems uncomfortable.

Hero hopes the dress will bring her joy, because she says her heart is heavy. Instead of noting that Hero is clearly unhappy and has a weird feeling, Margaret makes a joke about the fact that soon, Hero’s chest will be heavy under the weight of a husband. These people and their cheap sex jokes. Incorrigible.

Beatrice (who also feels weird) enters and, as usual, becomes the focus of attention. Margaret teases Beatrice and alludes to the fact that Beatrice might be in love. Beatrice wonders when Margaret became so witty, but the last straw is when

Margaret suggests Beatrice could be cured of her ailment by some holy thistle. Beatrice, like any person who hates love and worries other people might suspect her of being in love, flies off the handle.

Beatrice thinks there’s some hidden meaning to Margaret’s offer of holy thistle, called "Carduus Benedictus," especially since that particular thistle was thought to cure people of venomous bites. (Maybe venomous like the bite of love!)

Beatrice might also be tripped up on "Benedictus," which sounds like a certain someone’s name.

In response to Beatrice’s tizzy, Margaret basically says, "You think that I believe that you’re in love, but of course I don’t think that, wink wink!"

Still, Margaret points out that Benedick used to share Beatrice’s views on the absurdity of love. Lately, however, Benedick seems to have come around to thinking of love like every normal man does.

Margaret says, maybe there’s a chance that Beatrice could look on love with the eyes of a normal woman.

Beatrice is all, "What the hell are you saying?" But she gets interrupted by Ursula, who informs them that everyone is ready to take Hero to the church – where she will be married, or die!

Much Ado About Nothing Act III, Scene v Summary

Dogberry and Verges arrive at the door of Leonato’s house with what they claim is news very relevant to Leonato. They have captured two knaves running around Messina, and they’d like to examine these men in Leonato’s presence. Unfortunately, this simple message is really poorly delivered, and Dogberry and Verges manage to totally obscure their meaning.

Worse, their bad speech makes Leonato think they’re tedious, which is true, but their message is important.

Leonato is kind of occupied trying to get his daughter married, and he tells Dogberry and Verges to do the examination themselves, and report back to him on the outcome.

Leonato leaves for the wedding. Dogberry and Verges plan to have a writer transcribe the interrogation they’re about to begin.

Much Ado About Nothing Act IV, Scene i Summary

Don Pedro, Don John, Leonato, Benedick, Claudio, Hero, Beatrice, the Friar Francis, and all their attendants are gathered at a church to watch Claudio and Hero get married.

Leonato recommends they get down to business, and the Friar gets off to a false start when he asks if Claudio has come to marry the lady.

Claudio says, "No." Everyone ignores this little outburst, but Claudio finally reveals everything. He asks if

Leonato is happy to give away his daughter, who is a precious gift. "No worries," Claudio basically says, "you don’t have to give her away because I won’t take her, because she’s a whore."

Hero blushes, naturally, as she is very chaste. Claudio says she blushes from guiltiness, not from modesty.

Leonato is taken aback by the accusation that his daughter is an "approved wanton" (meaning a confirmed adulteress). Leonato asks if Claudio is referring to some effort he might’ve made to take Hero’s virginity before their wedding day.

Claudio cuts him off. He knows Leonato will try to say that Hero gave it up before she was formally married to Claudio, so she was only sinning against her husband-to-be.

Claudio says this is all irrelevant anyway, as he didn’t try anything on Hero that a brother wouldn’t try with a sister. In other words, he was being patient and not trying to sleep with Hero before their wedding.

Hero tries to stand up for herself, asking if she ever seemed less than modest to Claudio.

Claudio says that’s the whole point; she’s not what she seems, and she’s actually an animal full of savage sensuality.

Leonato appeals to Don Pedro, asking if he has anything to say about this madness. Don Pedro says he doesn’t have anything to say – he’s actually dishonored himself by linking his friend, Claudio, to this ‘round the way wanton.

Everyone’s shocked, slander’s being thrown left and right, and Benedick finally pipes up, saying he doesn’t think this is how weddings are usually supposed to go.

The madness continues for a while, and Hero asks who could possibly stain her name. Claudio points out she actually stained her own name. Then he asks who it was that Hero was talking to out of her window between midnight and one last night.

Hero insists she wasn’t talking to anyone. Don Pedro replies that he, Don John, and Claudio clearly witnessed some man

"talking" with Hero at her window last night. The man was kind enough to confess the thousand times that he and Hero had "vile encounters" before that. We don’t think he was talking about a friendly game of cribbage.

Before anyone can respond, Don John chimes in that language is too modest for them to utter what they heard. Instead, he’s just sorry that Hero is such a misguided young girl.

Claudio, not to lose his Mr. Melodrama title, laments that Hero would’ve been a great girl if her heart had been as pure as her outward appearance. Instead, she’s sleazy, and he’s out of here. Furthermore, he’ll now suspect all beautiful things to be faithless. She’s ruined love for him forever!

Leonato asks if anyone has a knife so he can kill himself. Hero faints. Beatrice is the only one that thinks this whole affair is bogus. Don Pedro, Don John, and Claudio exit while everyone else is tending to the fainting,

slandered girl, Hero. Beatrice worries that Hero is dead, and Leonato’s like, "Awesome, that’s a good way

to hide her shame." Leonato laments that he had only one child, and that Hero was his daughter at all, as

he used to be so proud and full of love for her. If she had been some beggar child who had shown up at his gates, then he could write off this whole affair as one of the natural failings of the morally degenerate poor.

Benedick, witnessing all of this, is speechless. Beatrice, however, knows that her cousin is the victim of a smear campaign.

Benedick asks if Beatrice slept with Hero in bed last night. Though Beatrice admits she didn’t sleep in Hero’s bed last night, she had slept with Hero for all of last year (so presumably she'd know if Borachio was in bed).

Leonato takes Beatrice’s absence last night as confirmation that the accusations against Hero are true. He is certain that Don Pedro, Don John, and Claudio wouldn’t lie, so he accepts their word above everything he knows about his daughter. Leonato decides Hero should be left alone to die.

Friar Francis perks up, and says he’s been silent too long about this madness. The Friar reflects on all of the goodness he’s noted in Hero. The good fire in her eye is evidence enough for him to believe that Don Pedro and Don John were wrong in accusing the girl. He’s willing to bet his friarhood that Hero is innocent.

The Friar then questions Hero about what man she’s accused of seeing. Hero points out that she wouldn’t know who the fellow is, because no such man exists. If anyone can prove that she entertained a man at improper hours, she’s willing to be tortured.

Benedick points out that of the accusers, Don Pedro and Claudio, are honorable men. If the two of them were misled, they were misled by Don John, who delights in mischief.

Hearing this, Leonato becomes as worked up about Hero’s accusers as he was about Hero just five seconds ago. Leonato declares that if Hero’s honor has been wrongly tarnished, even though he’s old, he’ll make her accusers pay.

Friar Francis hatches a devious plan that will turn the whole course of the play. The Friar notes that Don Pedro, Don John, and Claudio left the church while Hero

was believed to be dead. They’ll all pretend that Hero is dead. The family should go ahead with all the mourning rituals as if Hero had died, even going so far as to have her buried in the family tomb.

Leonato wonders what the this "she’s really dead" ruse is going to accomplish. The Friar says that news of Hero’s death will help change the public’s feeling. Once

everyone hears how quickly the girl died after being accused, they’ll all lament and pity her (because only an innocent girl would die after an accusation like that).

After all, the Friar says, people don’t know what they’ve got ‘til it’s gone; they’ll value Hero more once they think she’s dead.

The Friar is sure that once Claudio discovers that his accusation caused Hero’s death, he’ll be moved to remember her sweet life, and not dwell on thoughts of her as a scandalous adulteress. The Friar insists that if Claudio really loved Hero, he’ll have no choice but to mourn her death and wish he hadn’t ever accused her.

Once they get the plan rolling, the Friar is sure the truth will shake out somehow, and Hero’s name will be cleared. If her innocence isn’t proven, worst case scenario is that she gets cloistered somewhere as a nun.

Benedick agrees to go along with the plan even though his allegiance and friendship belong to Claudio and Don Pedro.

Leonato will also participate because he’s too moved by grief to suggest another plan.

Either way, the Friar is convinced that only a cockamamie scheme can resolve this cockamamie situation.

Everyone except Benedick and Beatrice leave the church. It’s a totally inappropriate time for them to declare their love considering that everyone’s life was just ruined, but Benedick and Beatrice do have a habit of making everything about themselves sometimes.

Benedick approaches Beatrice, whose clearly been crying, and assures her that he considers Hero to be wrongly accused. He asks whether there’s any way he could show his friendship to Beatrice. The conversation veers in the direction of Beatrice needing a man to avenge Hero, and Benedick is a man. Also, Benedick kind of blurts out that he loves Beatrice, which he admits is strange.

Beatrice is a bit shocked, and she quibbles in her reply, but she says she loves him too. They go on in some not-so-witty back and forth (because nothing in this play makes people boring like the possibility of marriage).

Benedick vows he’d do anything for Beatrice’s love. Beatrice says she actually does need something, and that’s for someone to kill Claudio. Benedick backtracks, being like, "Well… maybe not anything."

Beatrice declares his love is poor indeed, if he’s not willing to kill her enemy who purposefully waited to denounce Hero until he was in front of the crowd gathered to see the girl married.

Beatrice goes on here, and wishes she were a man, because then she could eat Claudio’s heart in the marketplace.

Beatrice is stricken. Based on Benedick’s hesitation to kill Claudio, she vents that manhood nowadays seems to be more about polite fripperies than action and bravery.

Benedick doesn’t give in to Beatrice’s melodrama until she announces that she’ll die of grieving.

Benedick promises he’ll challenge Claudio to a duel, declaring that Claudio will pay dearly for his wrong against Hero.

Before departing to spread the rumor of Hero’s death, he kisses Beatrice’s hand.