MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING
The Play in a Nutshell
Leonato was the Duke of Messina who had had
a daughter and a niece namely Hero and Beatrice, two ladies with different countenance. While Beatirice was witty and talkative Hero wasserious and perceptive. Beatrice liked to move Hero with her clever talks.
There arrived three gentlemen of high rank in the army to visit Leonato. Among them were Don Pedro, the
Prince of Arragon, Claudio, the lord of Florence and Benedick, Lord of Padua.~
Benedick was chirpy and talkative which earned epithets from Beatrice. She said,
"I wonder your always be talking, Sir Benedick Nobody listens to you."
Benedick did not take the comments lightly and counseled Beatrice to speak what is worthy of a well-bred lady. She seemed to
talk too frivously which did not quite befit her station. Beatrice picked up Benedick to shoot her merry jests upon. People like to laugh at others but they scarcely like to laugh at themselves. It was such with the two keen wits Beatrice and Bendick. They liked to mock at each other but never quite relished being mocked at. Beatrice used to interrupt in the speeches of Benedick saying that nobody listens to him. Benedick pretended not to have seen the presence of the fair lady remarked, "what my dear lady Disdain, are you still living?"
Beatrice knew well that Benedick had performed superbly in a war. She said that shewould eat everything that Benedick had killed in the man.She called him the Prince''sJester becaue the Prince of Arragon, Don Pedro, used to like the jests of Benedick.
Claudio had a admiration for Hero.'' He closely appreciated the features of the young lady. He had seen her before and saw that the fair lady had added much to her beauty. The Prince, Don Pedro, listened to Beatrice and Benedick and thought of making a match of the two young people because both mere witty and sociable. Leonato commented that they were so Ioquacious that if they got married a week, they would talk themselves mad.
Claudio started to talk highly of Hero and the prince soon gathered that he was deep in love with her. Claudio said that he loved Hero before he went to war The Prince lost no time in going to Leonato and asking for the hand of his niece to which Leonato readily agreed.Hero was asked about the gentle Claudio and she spoke highly of him. Claudio, aided by the prince persuaded Leonato to fix an early day for the marriage.
Claudio and Hero had to wait for same days before they got married. The time seemed wearisome. Thus the prince chanced upon an idea to entertain the Lord of Florence. They thought about a plan to make Benedick and Beatrice to fall in love with each other. Claudio readily agreed to this strange plan and accepted to contribute his bit. Hero said the that she would do anything to help her cousin find a good husband.