Much Ado About Nothing

Much Ado About Nothing

1. Characters (after the wedding)

   • Benedick
     • Contrast in Personalities
       • "Kill Claudio"
         • Benedick challenges Claudio to a duel after being told to do so by Beatrice to prove Hero's Innocence
         • "Is Claudio the Enemy?"
       • "Tarry, good Beatrice. By this hand, I love thee."
         • "Use it for my love in some other way than by swearing by it"
   • Beatrice

2. Characters (during the wedding)

   • Claudio
     • "She knows the heat of a luxurious bed"
       • Against Hero
     • "Her blush is guiltiness, not modesty."
     • "To turn all beauty into thoughts of harm"
   • Hero
     • "O God defend me! How am I beset!"
       • Wants God to prove her innocence - God is her witness
     • "I talk'd with no man at that hour, my lord"
   • Leonato
     • "What do you mean, my lord?"
     • "Sweet Prince, why speak not you?"
       • He does not trust his daughter and believes Claudio because of his high status
     • "All this is so. But what of this, my lord?"

3. Characters (Before the second wedding)

   • Claudio
     • "So the life that died with shame"
     • "Praising her when I am dumb"
       • Claudio knows his wrong doing and wishes for Hero to return
   • Balthasar
     • "Those that slew thy virgin knight"
     • "Till death be uttered, Heavily, Heavily."
       • Balthasar knows the innocence of his Hero and shows that by making Claudio and Don Pedro feel responsible for her "death"
   • Don Pedro
     • "The wolves have prey'd, and look, the gentle day"
       • The day is over, there is nothing that can be changed. We shall wait till tomorrow

4. Characters (During the second wedding)

   • Friar
     • "Did I not tell you she was innocent?"
       • Claiming he knew all along
   • Leonato
     • "And when I send for you, come hither mask'd"
       • Hero will be masked therefore hiding her true identity from Claudio
   • Benedick
     • "Your niece regards me with an eye of favour"
       • Beatrice loves him and he would like to marry her
   • Hero
     • "And when you lov'd, you were my other husband"
   • Claudio
     • "Another Hero!"
       • He is amazed that she is alive and cannot even believe it is the same Hero

5. Contrast between Beatrice and Benedick

   • Beatrice
     • Shows an attitude towards men that was not typical of this era
     • Benedick
   • Benedick
     • Has traditional views towards women and marriage
     • Goes against his peers and believes Beatrice in saying that Hero is innocent