Literature
Summary Act I
The play begins in Messina, in and near the home of Leonato, the governor of Messina. In the opening scene a messenger brings news to Leonato that Don Pedro, the Prince of Aragon, will arrive in Messina that day. The news stated that Don Pedro was victorious in the war and that Claudio was recognised as a good soldier. Beatrice inquires about Benedict, by insulting his courage, intelligence and honour. Don Pedro arrives, with Claudio, Benedict and Don John. Beatrice and Benedict immediately begin to argue. Leonato then proceeds to invite Don Pedro and his company to spend the next month in his home.
Summary Act II
That night before the masked ball Leonato tells Hero once again to accept the Prince's proposal. Beatrice advises Hero to make her own choice. The men enter in disguise, and Don Pedro asked Hero to dance with him. Beatrice and Benedict end up together, she then tells him thinking that he is a stranger that Benedict is the Prince's jester among further insults. Whilst at the ball Don John tells Claudio that the Prince has courted Hero for himself and does not intend to give her up. Claudio is ravaged, assuming that he was betrayed. Don Pedro returns with Hero, her father and Beatrice. He straightens out the misunderstanding and announces that Leonato has agreed to the marriage of Claudio and Hero. Benedict storms out when he sees Beatrice. Don Pedro jokingly proposes to Beatrice after she remarks that she is the only one who has not found love. She is taken back by this gesture and becomes uncomfortable and takes leaves shortly afterwards. After she leaves Don Pedro decides that he will trick Beatrice and Benedict, with the help of Claudio, Hero and Leonato, into falling in love with each other.
Don John's evil scheme begins to takes shape. With the help of Borachio Don John will slander Hero's reputation with Claudio. Borachio will convince Margaret, Hero's maid, to dress as her and appear at her chamber window and answer when Borachio calls her "Hero." At this time Don John will have Don Pedro and Claudio nearby so they can see Hero's supposed betrayal the night before her wedding.
Benedick?s friends begin to put their plan in place. Knowing that he would be in the garden they go there so that he can overhear their conversation. They listen to a love song and then, knowing Benedict is nearby, begin to talk about their big "secret." They talk about how Beatrice is head-over-heels in love with Benedict but is afraid to reveal her love because she knows Benedict will only mock her. They dread that she may try to kill herself, but they decide not to tell Benedict of her love because his own personal flaws would keep him from returning the love. He now decides to return Beatrice's love. Beatrice is sent out to call Benedick for supper. Despite her undisguised disgust for him, he interprets it as a hidden meaning of affection in her insulting speech.
Summary Act III
Beatrice is tricked by Hero and her maid Ursula, who tells of Benedict's great love for her. Hero says she will advise Benedict to forget about her because she will never change. When they leave Beatrice decides that she will take on Benedick.
The next day Pedro and Claudio tease Benedick about the sudden change in his behaviour:. After he leaves Don John enters and reveals to Claudio and Pedro, as evidence of his friendship, the "truth" about Hero, that she is sexually promiscuous. He promises to take them that night where they can witness her infidelity for themselves. Claudio declares that if the accusation is true, he will publicly humiliate her at the wedding.
Out on the street that night the volunteer constable and his assistant Verges instruct 3 watchmen about law enforcement. Unfortunately Dogberry?s philosophy of police work is pretty much, "the less you do, the less chance of getting in trouble." They leave the watchmen to sleep out their watch. The watchmen, though, overheard Borachio bragging to Conrade about being paid by Don John for carrying out his betrayal of Claudio using the unknowing Margaret. Although the watchmen are not sure of what Borachio did, they arrest the two villains and take them off to see Dogberry.
The next morning Margaret and Beatrice help Hero prepare for her wedding. Margaret teases Beatrice about her sudden change in behaviour and suggests she take a medicine called Benedictus to help her get better. Ursula went to call them to the wedding ceremony.
The wedding party gathered before the friar who conducted the ceremony. When he asks if there is any impediment to the marriage, Claudio calls Hero a a person of ill-repute. He denies that he had taken her virginity but says he saw her with another man in her bedroom. Pedro and John confirm the accusation, and Hero faints as the groom and princes stalk out of the wedding.
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Literature
Much Ado About Nothing, Summary of Acts 1 - 3
Summary Act I
The play begins in Messina, in and near the home of Leonato, the governor of Messina. In the opening scene a messenger brings news to Leonato that Don Pedro, the Prince of Aragon, will arrive in Messina that day. The news stated that Don Pedro was victorious in the war and that Claudio was recognised as a good soldier. Beatrice inquires about Benedict, by insulting his courage, intelligence and honour. Don Pedro arrives, with Claudio, Benedict and Don John. Beatrice and Benedict immediately begin to argue. Leonato then proceeds to invite Don Pedro and his company to spend the next month in his home.
Claudio takes Benedict aside to inquire about his opinion Hero because he is in love with her. Don Pedro enters and it is there that Benedick informs him of Claudio?s love for Hero. After Benedict leaves Don Pedro agrees to woo Hero at a masked ball that night while disguised as Claudio, to win her love and get her father to agree to the marriage between the two.
Antonio, Leonato's brother, tells him that one of his servants heard Claudio say he wanted to marry Hero himself. Leonato is surprised but delighted with the news and tells Hero to accept the proposal. Don John shares his anger with his follower, Conrade and admits that he is a "plain-dealing villain." Then another follower Borachio enters and tells Don John that Don Pedro has agreed to woo Hero for himself. Don John says he will use this information to cause trouble, particularly for Claudio whom he hates.
That night before the masked ball Leonato tells Hero once again to accept the Prince's proposal. Beatrice advises Hero to make her own choice. The men enter in disguise, and Don Pedro asked Hero to dance with him. Beatrice and Benedict end up together, she then tells him thinking that he is a stranger that Benedict is the Prince's jester among further insults. Whilst at the ball Don John tells Claudio that the Prince has courted Hero for himself and does not intend to give her up. Claudio is ravaged, assuming that he was betrayed. Don Pedro returns with Hero, her father and Beatrice. He straightens out the misunderstanding and announces that Leonato has agreed to the marriage of Claudio and Hero. Benedict storms out when he sees Beatrice. Don Pedro jokingly proposes to Beatrice after she remarks that she is the only one who has not found love. She is taken back by this gesture and becomes uncomfortable and takes leaves shortly afterwards. After she leaves Don Pedro decides that he will trick Beatrice and Benedict, with the help of Claudio, Hero and Leonato, into falling in love with each other.
Don John's evil scheme begins to takes shape. With the help of Borachio Don John will slander Hero's reputation with Claudio. Borachio will convince Margaret, Hero's maid, to dress as her and appear at her chamber window and answer when Borachio calls her "Hero." At this time Don John will have Don Pedro and Claudio nearby so they can see Hero's supposed betrayal the night before her wedding.
Benedick?s friends begin to put their plan in place. Knowing that he would be in the garden they go there so that he can overhear their conversation. They listen to a love song and then, knowing Benedict is nearby, begin to talk about their big "secret." They talk about how Beatrice is head-over-heels in love with Benedict but is afraid to reveal her love because she knows Benedict will only mock her. They dread that she may try to kill herself, but they decide not to tell Benedict of her love because his own personal flaws would keep him from returning the love. He now decides to return Beatrice's love. Beatrice is sent out to call Benedick for supper. Despite her undisguised disgust for him, he interprets it as a hidden meaning of affection in her insulting speech.
Summary Act III
Beatrice is tricked by Hero and her maid Ursula, who tells of Benedict's great love for her. Hero says she will advise Benedict to forget about her because she will never change. When they leave Beatrice decides that she will take on Benedick.
The next day Pedro and Claudio tease Benedick about the sudden change in his behaviour:. After he leaves Don John enters and reveals to Claudio and Pedro, as evidence of his friendship, the "truth" about Hero, that she is sexually promiscuous. He promises to take them that night where they can witness her infidelity for themselves. Claudio declares that if the accusation is true, he will publicly humiliate her at the wedding.
Out on the street that night the volunteer constable and his assistant Verges instruct 3 watchmen about law enforcement. Unfortunately Dogberry?s philosophy of police work is pretty much, "the less you do, the less chance of getting in trouble." They leave the watchmen to sleep out their watch. The watchmen, though, overheard Borachio bragging to Conrade about being paid by Don John for carrying out his betrayal of Claudio using the unknowing Margaret. Although the watchmen are not sure of what Borachio did, they arrest the two villains and take them off to see Dogberry.
The next morning Margaret and Beatrice help Hero prepare for her wedding. Margaret teases Beatrice about her sudden change in behaviour and suggests she take a medicine called Benedictus to help her get better. Ursula went to call them to the wedding ceremony.
The wedding party gathered before the friar who conducted the ceremony. When he asks if there is any impediment to the marriage, Claudio calls Hero a a person of ill-repute. He denies that he had taken her virginity but says he saw her with another man in her bedroom. Pedro and John confirm the accusation, and Hero faints as the groom and princes stalk out of the wedding.
- Much Ado About Betrayal
Betrayal is a theme introduced at the beginning of the play. How does this constant stream of betrayal affect the outcome of the plot and which character is most affected. Betrayal is a recurring theme in the play Much Ado About Nothing. Betrayal is...
- Humour Is Vital In Comedy.
Humour is vital in any Comedy. Though Dogberry and his constables play a minor role in Much Ado nothing there presence is vital. To what extent do you agree with this statement? Humour is vital in any comedy. Much Ado About Nothing has some form of...
- Much Ado About Nothing Study Questions.
Introduction Shakespeare wrote Much Ado About Nothing in between1598 and 1598. During this time Shakespeare was advancing in his career by writing for his acting company, he contributed in the building of the Globe theatre, he was also recognised...
- Newspaper Article For Brother Man
Assignment: Pretend you witnessed the beating of Brother Man. Write a letter to the editor of a newspaper in your country and express your feelings about the attack and your feelings on Rastafarianism on a hold. ...
- Summary Of The Trees By Philip Larkin
Philip Larkin (1922-1985) is a poet whose work is very popular, despite his reputation for being a pessimistic, death-obsessed and darkly humorous observer of humanity. In this poem, Larkin...