Much Ado About Nothing

1. Much Ado About Nothing Overview/Unit Introduction

2. Characters—Love Hate • BENEDICK • Friends and soldiers with Don Pedro and Claudio • Also sassy • Anti marriage • Thinks all women cheat on men • BEATRICE • Niece of Leonato, cousin of Hero • Very sassy, often makes fun of herself and others • Good heart, but she is treated the worst

4. Characters—Storybook Love • HERO • ….everyone loves Hero. She is perfect. • Daughter of Leonato • CLAUDIO • Reputation for being Don Pedro’s best fighter • A sweetie, falls in love with Hero • A fool because he believes/falls for rumors

6. Characters—Good vs. Evil • DON JOHN • Eeeeevil bad guy • Illegitimate half bro of Don Pedro, highly jealous of him • Referred to as “John the Bastard” (Bible Pun…can you guess?) • Plans a scheme to ruin Claudio and Hero’s love • The ultimate frenemy • DON PEDRO • Most powerful character in play • From Aragon • Referred to as “the Prince” • Close with Claudio and Benedick, who are soldiers of his • Good guy, but quick to assume the worst, and quick to take revenge

8. Characters—Don John’s Boys • CONRADE • One of Don John’s men, loyal to him • BORACHIO • Name means “drunk person” in Italian • Margaret’s lover • Teams up with Don John to convince Claudio and Don Pedro that Hero has been cheating on Claudio

9. Conrad Borachio

10. Characters—Silly Sidekicks • DOGBERRY • Chief policeman in Messina, often uses wrong words to convey his meaning • VERGES • Dogberry’s deputy

11. Dogberry Verges

12. Characters—Plot Supporters • MARGARET • Hero’s serving woman • Lower class • Unintentionally helps in the plan to break up Hero and Claudio • Her lover is Borachio • LEONATO • Governor of Messina, respected • Father Hero • Uncle Beatrice • Only person more important than Leonato is Don Pedro

14. Characters—Supporting Cast • BALTHASAR • A musician • Helps the boys trick Benedick into falling in love with Beatrice • Sings the song “Sigh no more Ladies…” telling girls to just get over men and their cheating ways • ANTONIO • Leonato’s older brother • Uncle to Hero & Beatrice • URSULA • A sea witch who steals mermaids’ voices…. • J/K She’s one of Hero’s maids

15. The Plot, In a Nutshell • Leonato lives in Messina (Italy) with Hero (daugher), Beatrice (niece—sassy), and Antonio (his brother). • Play opens with many of their friends (all the characters we just wrote down) coming home from war

16. Beatrice and Benedick spend all their time trading sassy comments • Claudio ‘s Hero, they decide to marry in a week • To kill time, everyone decides to try and get Beatrice and Benedick to get over it and fall in love

17. Don John (the Bastard) convinces Borachio (the drunk) to make love to Margaret (Hero’s maid) at night in the window of Hero’s room • John the Bastard makes sure Claudio (Hero’s fiance) sees the lovemaking, and convinces him it is Hero cheating on him • Claudio accuses Hero of adultery (harshly), leaves her at the altar

18. Team Hero gets together and decide to fake her death, saying she died of grief, to kill time until truth can be discovered • Beatrice & Benedick get over it and admit they love each other, in secret • Borachio (the drunk) gets drunk (predictable?) and brags about his part in the plan • Hero’s innocence is revealed, but poor stupid Claudio thinks she is now dead

19. The Plot, Still in a Nutshell • Leonato (Hero’s Dad) tells stupid Claudio his punishment is to tell everyone in town that “dead” Hero was innocent • Claudio must also marry Leonato’s “mysterious” niece (who looks a lot like Hero…) • Claudio goes to marry masked “niece” realizes it is Hero • Happiness all around, Beatrice and Benedick jump on the marriage train too • Everyone does a little dance (literally) • The end