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Much Ado About Nothing

by William Shakespeare, Jonathan Bate (Editor), Eric Rasmussen (Goodreads Author) (Editor)

4.03 · rating details · 40,757 ratings · 878 reviews

Set in a courtly world of masked revels and dances, this play turns on the archetypal story of a lady falsely accused of unfaithfulness, spurned by her bridegroom, and finally vindicated and reunited with him. Villainy, schemes, and deceits threaten to darken the brilliant humor and sparkling wordplay–but the hilarious counterplot of a warring couple, Beatrice and Benedick...more

Paperback, 208 pages

Published August 25th 2009 by Modern Library (first published 1600)

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May 23, 2009

Madeline rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: shakespeare, all-time-favorites

Much Ado About Nothing, abridged.

CLAUDIO: So, um, Hero, I sorta maybe like you a whole lot will you go to the prom with me?

HERO: We should get married! Squeeeeeee!

BEATRICE: Pfft. Love is for stupid losers who are stupid.

BENEDICK: You know, you might get laid more often if you weren’t such a cynical bitch all the time.

BEATRICE: Fuck you.

BENEDICK: Get in line, sugartits.

*audience is beaten over the head by sexual tension*
...more

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Aug 11, 2007

Kelly rated it

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Shelves: will-shakespeare, favorites, drama

Let's face it, there aren't too many of Shakespeare's females who kick ass. Yes, we all can name the four or five that don't quite suck (Kat, Portia, Viola, Emilia, etc) but good strong feminine characters were not, it seems, the bard's strong suit. So as you wade through the whiny, conniving, helpless throngs of man worshipping wenches that appear in nearly all Shakespeare plays, it can be tempting to just give up looking for redemption. But alas, it is this lack of strong feminine voice tha...more

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Feb 17, 2010

Bram rated it

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Shelves: 2010, the-bard

I’ve always found feistiness attractive. It’s probably the only consistent trait in the girls I’ve fallen for since high school. The clever retort, the unimpressed eye roll, the sarcastic aside: for better or worse, these are the things the pique my interest and prepare me for that unique form of suffering known as love. On my own, I’m hardly confident or witty enough to succeed in one-on-one situations with women who are shy or generally unforthcoming. I need someone to throw down the gaunt...moreI’ve always found feistiness attractive. It’s probably the only consistent trait in the girls I’ve fallen for since high school. The clever retort, the unimpressed eye roll, the sarcastic aside: for better or worse, these are the things the pique my interest and prepare me for that unique form of suffering known as love. On my own, I’m hardly confident or witty enough to succeed in one-on-one situations with women who are shy or generally unforthcoming. I need someone to throw down the gauntlet and challenge me to emerge from my self-absorbed, overly-staid default setting. I need a Beatrice.

Beatrice, Beatrice, Beatrice. She represents the most extreme range of feistiness that I’ve encountered in my romantic life; I’ve known two like her, and let’s just say that neither are my wife. I realize that, confined by the necessities of a comedic ending, Shakespeare ‘reforms’ both Beatrice and Benedick. In real life, however, there’s usually no such reformation, and while I shrink from suggesting that this type of extreme personality is antithetical to extended relationships, I have no doubt that it’s not for me in the long run. This isn’t to say that Beatrice’s personality no longer spins me around. It does and it has: I have a crush on Beatrice.

So it’s a small, playful crush, you’re thinking. Ah! but she’s more than just a well-timed bon mot. She has layers and a past deftly intimated. She’s been hurt, but she doesn’t let this trap her into the usual insecurities and vulnerabilities of a stock character. She rises above it and, if we disallow some mean-spirited trickery from her friends, I have no doubt that she’d forget Benedick as easily as I’ve forgotten loves long past*. Regardless, I’m sure she continues abusing Benedick verbally for years to come while, if his friends’ jests are to be seen as prophecy, she ends up giving him the horns (with me) after he returns to his flighty, bacheloresque ways. And anyway, I’ve a suspicion that some of Shakespeare’s comedies are more enjoyable if you simply disregard or adjust the ending when it doesn’t quite feel appropriate.

I’m not the only one in the room with a crush on Beatrice though. For starters, I need to compete with the Bard himself, who’s so enamored with his creation that he allows her to entirely overshadow (and occasionally speak for) the ironically named Hero. Plot-mover she may be; Hero is still a timid little thing who offers us very little personality or justification for compassion. In a way this is a smart move by Shakespeare, as it keeps the darker aspects of the play in check: without a large investment in either Hero or Claudio, we take their misfortunes in stride and are allowed the illusion of lightness in a play that’s brimming with calculated villainy.

While I’m temporarily distracted from thoughts of Bea, I’ll go ahead and discuss another character worthy of mention, Dogberry. He plays the hit-or-miss role of the clown, but he rises above the cringing due to a goofy habit that's been inspirational for modern writers. Both David Foster Wallace and Jonathan Safran Foer have made a practice of substituting incorrect but generally more difficult words in the dialogue of ill-spoken characters for comedic effect, which is exactly what Shakespeare does with Dogberry. So I must apologize to William for failing to give credit where it’s due in past reviews. But where was I? Oh! Beatrice. Beatrice, Beatrice, Beatrice.

*I’ve avoided the doghouse, right?
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Jan 21, 2011

Jeanette rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: netterooski-challenge-2011, all-fiction, classics, plays

This is an unfunny comedy. A notable exception is the misuse of words by Dogberry and Verges. I wouldn't even have caught that if not for the explanatory notes on the facing pages. I know I missed it when I saw the stage performance. There are a few humorous moments at the start between Beatrice and Benedick as they trade insults. Other than that, the play is more of a twisted romance. It has many of the same elements as other Shakespeare comedies, but it lacks the playfulness and absurdity...moreThis is an unfunny comedy. A notable exception is the misuse of words by Dogberry and Verges. I wouldn't even have caught that if not for the explanatory notes on the facing pages. I know I missed it when I saw the stage performance. There are a few humorous moments at the start between Beatrice and Benedick as they trade insults. Other than that, the play is more of a twisted romance. It has many of the same elements as other Shakespeare comedies, but it lacks the playfulness and absurdity of a real comedy like A Midsummer Night's Dream.

The introductory notes explain that the word "nothing" was at that time pronounced "noting," making the title a wordplay. "Noting" is eavesdropping, which is what the play is all about. It involves a lot of manipulative people devising elaborate set-ups whereby various other people will overhear information. Is this passive-aggressive behavior? I prefer direct communication.
Everyone is at fault here---the so-called friends for setting up the ruses, and the hearers for listening in on private conversations. But Claudio nails the truth in Act 2:

"Friendship is constant in all other things
Save in the office and affairs of love."

When it comes to wooing, it's every man for himself.

It's interesting how Don John the bastard brother is perceived as the evil one, but he only preys on the idiocy of the people he tricks. As I work my way through Shakespeare's plays, I'm beginning to think he saw the entire male sex as a bunch of dimwits. Else why would they fall for every lie and transparent disguise without questioning or seeking proof? (Think of Othello, completely undone by a stupid hanky.) It's always the women who see clearly and set everything to rights. Maybe Shakespeare simply saw that a man's duplicitous nature makes him automatically assume duplicity in everyone around him.

And what's up with Hero being willing to marry Claudio anyway, after he was so quick to believe lies about her? That's not love, that's brain damage! (less)

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Jul 14, 2011

Erin rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: bragging-rights, plays, big-romance, brings-the-lolz, classics

There are spoilers here, but this is Shakespeare. No way am I putting up spoiler tags.

According to the note in my copy, in Shakespeare's day the word "nothing" was pronounced "noting"-- so, "Much Ado About Noting", noting being synonymous with eavesdropping. That pretty much sums up this play.. people putting way too much stock in second-hand information.

There are two (possibly three) main plots, including a messed up marriage between Hero an...moreThere are spoilers here, but this is Shakespeare. No way am I putting up spoiler tags.

According to the note in my copy, in Shakespeare's day the word "nothing" was pronounced "noting"-- so, "Much Ado About Noting", noting being synonymous with eavesdropping. That pretty much sums up this play.. people putting way too much stock in second-hand information.

There are two (possibly three) main plots, including a messed up marriage between Hero and Claudio, which is nearly thwarted by Don John, the evilish villain who ruins other people's lives to distract himself from his own misery. Also featured are the comically inarticulate policemen-types, Dogberry and Verges.

The real center of the story, at least in the public's eye, was always the love-hate relationship between Beatrice and Benedick. Their journey is one that's seemingly copied in crappy books (adult or YA) even today! They begin by antagonizing each other, but by extremely contrived and insufficient means somehow end the play in each other's arms. The biggest difference is that Shakespeare is awesome and the present-day authors are just struggling. It helps that the silly game of eavesdropping isn't the true reason for Benedick and Beatrice to finally admit their feelings; it's hinted they had a romantic past and are probably still holding feelings for each other.

It's also still funny, despite being written hundreds of years ago. I find that so surprising-- although I'm not sure why, this isn't the first Shakespeare I've read. What especially tickled my funny bone was Dogberry's continual struggle with the English language. For example, mixing up "odorous" for "odious", "exclamation" for "acclamation", and "comprehended" for "apprehended".

My favorite part was the very end, when Beatrice and Benedick were in the process of admitting they loved each other. Beatrice is talking, insulting Benedick a little as per usual, and he just goes: "Peace, I will stop your mouth" and gives her a big ol' smooch. Absolutely awesome.

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Jun 11, 2010

Choupette rated it

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Shelves: 2010, drama

I found the Hero/Claudio plot really jarring and could barely see past it to get to the humour. The version I saw of it (before I read the play) cut out huge chunks of that particular subplot; Claudio was portrayed as an innocent, a young man who made a mistake. Which, I don't know, maybe the purists would get upset about, but it definitely made it a whole lot funnier.

In the actual play, though, my god he's a bastard. At the moment I'm in a place where I cannot stand that STUPID trop...more

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Jan 19, 2010

Joyzi rated it

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Shelves: classics, reviewed, historical-fiction, historical-romance, own, fiction, humor, author-brit, poetry

Cute, sweet, witty, entertaining, funny, tragic and romantic.

The Benedick/Beatrice love-hate relationship brings the gem in this play. They literally hate each other at first because of their views about love and marriage. They both swear to live as a bachelor forever rather to be married. After that their friends plan to make them fall in love with each other by deceiving both of them that the other love them and just not want to tell it to the other. Their chemistry is just lovely th...more

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Jul 31, 2007

Maria M. rated it

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Shelves: 2007, play, not-owned, 4-stars

Shakespeare isn't usually my cup of tea but "Much Ado About Nothing" is easily the best play I've read by him. It's funny with lots of quick puns. I read it both in English and in Danish in order to get the full value of it - the Danish so I'd actually understand what was going on, and the English in order to enjoy the puns! Something interesting that I wasn't aware of - originally 'Nothing' and 'Noting'(i.e. overhearing) meant the same, so the title is really "Much Ado About Noti...more

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Aug 09, 2011

Ryan Milbrath added it · review of another edition

It's suprising to me that Much Ado about Nothing is one of Shakespeare's most recognized comedies, but most people don't really think stacks up to the rest of his work like Taming of the Shrew or A Midsummer Night's Dream. I've always harbored a deep attachment to Much Ado, because for me it has incited a new interpretation every time I read it. I'm willing to admit that A Midsummer Night's Dream is my favorite of ALL Shakespeare's plays, however, Much Ado comes in a close second. In my persona...moreIt's suprising to me that Much Ado about Nothing is one of Shakespeare's most recognized comedies, but most people don't really think stacks up to the rest of his work like Taming of the Shrew or A Midsummer Night's Dream. I've always harbored a deep attachment to Much Ado, because for me it has incited a new interpretation every time I read it. I'm willing to admit that A Midsummer Night's Dream is my favorite of ALL Shakespeare's plays, however, Much Ado comes in a close second. In my personal opinion, I don't consider Much Ado to be a full fledged comedy. In fact, I'd say it's unclassifable. Sure, characters like Dogberry, the sexual inneundos, and the relationship between Benedict and Beatrice live room for plently of chuckles. However, it almost reads as a satire of aristocratic life. While Don Pedro, Claudio, and Benedick all celebrate a "bloodless" war with his brother the bastard Don John (I put bloodless in quotes, because it is mentioned that while no noble men died, men of "incosequential rank did perish"), they become in embroiled in a "drama" that is as the title suggests is "much ado about nothing." It's as if Shakespeare means to say that while the commoners experience the bloodshed of civil war, the royatly troubles itself with romantic intrigues-that amount to nothing in the end. Then the character of Don John, the bastard brother of Don Pedro appears just as interesting, but regretably underdeveloped. Shakespeare touches on issues of power and legitmacy in pre-renaissance time with the character, but my only criticism is that he embodies the true villain of theatre-one that the audience finds hard to sympathsize with. Many parts read like a drama: Leonata wishing his daughter Hero to die because of the shame brought to the family, Beatrice inciting Benedict to kill Claudio after his slanderous remarks "kill" Hero, or even Borachio, Don John, and Conrad hatching a plan to destroy the relationship between Claudio and Hero.

In the end, interpretations have exhausted the motifs and themes of Much Ado. At face value, it's good read. Benedict (my personal favorite) embodies the wise cracking bachelor and companion to Claudio and Beatrice (Benedicts compliment) embodies the strong, single, wisecracking female who refuses to be swept off her feet without extra effort. For me, it is the relationship between these two supporting actors that makes the story. Hero and Claudio are mere cut-outs compared to these characters.(less)

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Dec 20, 2011

Rosa Folgar rated it

· review of another edition

Thanks to the reading challenge I decided to do this year, I am actually and finally reading books I always "wanted" and "meant" to read. Much Ado About Nothing is one such book. The title says it all! What a big hoopla we make about something like love. I absolutely loved the quick and funny wit of Beatrice and Benedick (like many others, I am sure). Even when they are fighting, they are hilarious and I can't help but quote their better insults.

Hero and Claudio ar...more

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Dec 02, 2011

Tiffany.wade rated it

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The Genre of this book is a Play
This play was published in the 1600's by William Shakespeare. In the beginning of the play, everyone goes to a costume mask party. While there Claudio asks Don Pedro to woo Hero for him because Claudio loves Hero. Eventually Don Pedro gets Hero to fall in love with Claudio. A week before the wedding, the "bad Guy", Don John tries to get Claudio and Hero to break up and ruin Hero's reputation. He comes up with an evil plan to make Margaret (Hero's ...more

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Nov 21, 2011

Patrick rated it

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I don't think I have ever made it all the way through anything by Shakespeare. I am sure I read bits and pieces in high school and college classes, but I don't remember much more than a passing glance at the stories. Anyway, I decided to pick this up and see what I thought of it. As an idiot, I am exceedingly happy that I picked up the Cambridge School version. Between each page there is a summation of the action, and a description of the (many) words that are hard to understand. I would have be...more

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Sep 05, 2011

dee rated it

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Shelves: classics

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

Act 1, Scene 1, Lines 162 – 165
BENEDICK Do you question me as an honest man
should do, for my simple true judgment? Or would
you have me speak after my custom, as being a
professed tyrant to their sex?

Act 1, Scene 1, Lines 175 – 178
BENEDICK Would you buy her that you enquire after
her?
Claudio: Can the world buy such a jewel?
BENEDICK Yea, and a case to put it into.

Act 2, Scene 1, Lines 6 – 19
BEATRICE He were an ...more

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May 26, 2011

Jordan rated it

· review of another edition

"Much Ado About Nothing" is a play written by WIlliam Shakespeare in the 1600s. This is a Comedy Play about two pairs of lovers, Claudio and Hero, and Benedick and Beatrice. Throughout the story, both couples encounter walls that block their admission to true love for one another. Don Pedro, who is a good friend of Claudio, has a half brother named Don John that seeks to ruin other people's lives for the fun of it. Don John and his crew plot a plan to ruin Claudio and Hero's marriage. ...more

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May 25, 2011

Hibah added it · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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May 25, 2011

Jacob rated it

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William Shakespeare, one of the greatest play writers of all time, wrote many different plays. One of the plays that he wrote is called: Much Ado About Nothing. Now the book that I read was written in English, but the English was as if you were living during the time of William Shakespeare. This made the book very hard to follow and many parts of the book you didn’t understand what was going on. When we discussed the book after each part, I was thinking the complete opposite of what was real...more

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May 25, 2011

Haydon added it · review of another edition

In Much Ado About Nothing, while there were many characters, the main people the story focused on was Hero, Claudio, Don Pedro, and his brother Don John. The story begins with Claudio and Don Pedro returning from war with Claudio seeing Hero for the first time. He falls in love with her immediately and being good friends with Don Pedro; Don Pedro planes to woo Hero into falling in love with Claudio. Because of Don John's jealousy and envy of Claudio's power, he decides he would do anything to me...more

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May 22, 2011

Christina rated it

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Genre: Play

Much Ado About Nothing by William Shakespeare

1)The thing that I liked about the play was how much I ended up liking it, I loved the humor and dramatic parts woven into the story. The characters were entertaining and unique. In the begining it was hard to understand anything or even what was going on but as the play went on it got easier.

2)The thing that I disliked about the play was the long paragrphs with detail. They just made understanding the m...more

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May 22, 2011

Jon rated it

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Much Ado About Nothing is a play by William Shakespeare. It is a comedy. It was hard to understand because it is written in old English do they use some different words. The story and plot was good, it was interesting and keep you guessing what was coming next.

It is about two young ladies, and a few young men that will all fall in love. The men all come back from the war to get married but not all of them want to be married. The one evil one out of the men is Don John. He is aw...more

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Apr 27, 2011

Benjamin rated it

· review of another edition

Recommends it for: Anyone

Recommended to Benjamin by: Glen Thomas

Re-read for assessment. This is probably Shakespeare's most farcical play and it relies mainly on gossip to propel the story. The title shows that even Shakespeare acknowledges that the play is quite pointless. One of his most entertaining plays, I loved the repartee between Benedick and Beatrice, and their respective plots seem to mirror one another almost exactly.

Although Claudio and Hero are meant to be the 'straight guys' in the comedy and the true lovers, they take a backseat to...more

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Apr 04, 2011

Shaun rated it

· review of another edition

“Serve God, love me, and mend.”

Just finished Much Ado About Nothing here in Maruata, Mexico. So wonderfully refreshing to sit down with my main man William Shakespeare again, even if this play is obviously not his best. There were many product of his time themes that served as the foundation for the play, but there were some interesting topics which were raised as well. Also, crickey, I have to ask what the deal is with masks back then? They must have been hilarious and made you...more

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Mar 17, 2011

Molly Uyeda added it · review of another edition

If you thought that television shows and movies such as Days of Our Lives and Mean Girls respectively were original, you don't what you are missing out on. Shakespeare's play "Much Ado About Nothing" is the godfather, the pioneer, the mastermind behind the magic of capturing people's attention through the traditional gossip filled love story. His play contains all of the typical emotions and themes that modern love stories include, such as betrayal, control, jealousy, hearsay, and of c...moreIf you thought that television shows and movies such as Days of Our Lives and Mean Girls respectively were original, you don't what you are missing out on. Shakespeare's play "Much Ado About Nothing" is the godfather, the pioneer, the mastermind behind the magic of capturing people's attention through the traditional gossip filled love story. His play contains all of the typical emotions and themes that modern love stories include, such as betrayal, control, jealousy, hearsay, and of course true love. But what makes Shakespeare's story so unique is that it is one big satire: he is recognizing that he writes these idealistic plots and is some what mocking the audience because they are so easily entertained. I can't help but applaud Shakespeare for his sneaky efforts and would highly recommend reading or attending this play because by reading it, you will be truly enlightened.

The storyline, while at first appearing complex because off the lengthy character list, is actually quite straightforward. Guy likes girl. Guy thinks girl is cheating on him (but she is actully set up). Guy and girl are heart broken. Guy uncovered the truth. They both live happily ever after. The main confict of the story reveals itself when the girl, Hero, is set up by a man, Borachio. "Borachio: ...But I will tell you that I seduced Margaret, the Lady Hero’s waiting woman, tonight. I called her “Hero” the whole time. She leaned out of her mistress’s bedroom window and told me good night a thousand times... my master, Don John, arranged for the Prince, Claudio, and himself to witness this friendly encounter from the orchard.” (Act 3, Scene 3). Keeping in mind that this play is called Much Ado About Nothing, this scene showcases Shakespeare's genius behind the whole story. He manages to make you believe that something like this could really happen, while at the same time he manages to mock you for being so docile.

While some people may find this story insulting, I find it ingenious. If you think critically about it, you will understand that Shakespeare, out of all people, knows how to write a love story. So, who better than to make fun of our human addiction for love stories than the person who wrote one of the greatest love stories of all time?
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Mar 17, 2011

Monica rated it

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William Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing is a classically written old English play created in the 19th century. Shakespeare is internationally known for his poems and playwrights. He often is regarded as the “greatest writer of the English language”. Because Much Ado About Nothing was written in old English, it was very hard to read and understand the content. Thankfully there was a modern text conversion on Spark Notes. Like many of Shakespeare's plays, Much Ado About Nothing is a story pla...moreWilliam Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing is a classically written old English play created in the 19th century. Shakespeare is internationally known for his poems and playwrights. He often is regarded as the “greatest writer of the English language”. Because Much Ado About Nothing was written in old English, it was very hard to read and understand the content. Thankfully there was a modern text conversion on Spark Notes. Like many of Shakespeare's plays, Much Ado About Nothing is a story plagued with love, jealousy, and in this certain one, deception. This play showcases what entails after unknowing and innocent people are tricked.

In Much Ado About Nothing, while there were many characters, the main people the story focused on was Hero, Claudio, Don Pedro, and his bastard brother Don John. The story begins with Claudio and Don Pedro returning from war with Claudio seeing Hero for the first time. He falls in love with her immediately and being good friends with Don Pedro; Don Pedro arranges to woo Hero into falling in love with Claudio. Because of Don John's jealousy and envy of Claudio's power and status, he decides he would do anything to mess up whatever his brother was doing. The story is the repercussions of Don John's envy.

Before reading Much Ado About Nothing, I was skeptical on how Shakespeare’s play would have anything to do with gossip. However after reading it, I have found that he displays the consequences and the power of gossip. It can change people’s minds in an instant and make it hard for them to change it back. Once we believe in something, we really believe it. Our minds do not change until solid evidence is provided even though our original thought was changed by word of mouth. “Hero: All right Ursula, as Beatrice arrives, we’ll be walking up and down this alley and speaking about nothing but Benedick...We’ll make our arrows the same way Cupid does: with gossip and rumor.” (Act 3 Scene 1 page 1). In this act, the characters Hero and Ursula are scheming to make Beatrice fall in love with Benedick. They talk highly of Benedick and say that he loves Beatrice but would never admit it. As a result, Beatrice falls in love with Benedick. While this was done with good intentions, the same gossip and rumor method was used by the antagonist Don John and his associates. The same way Hero and Ursula made it appear like Benedick loved Beatrice, Don John and associates made it appear like Hero was being unfaithful to Claudio. This results in an ugly outcome. We can conclude from this contrast in intentions that gossip can help as well as hurt.

All in all, in William Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing, he writes of love and trickery. Sometimes gossip and rumors can be done with good intentions that lead to positive outcomes, while other times it can be done with hurtful intentions that lead to negative outcomes. Society has stubborn minds that loyally stick to their opinions. While it can be changed by word of mouth, it sometimes can only change back with solid evidence. Evidence we see with our own eyes instead of hear with our own words.

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Mar 17, 2011

Deni Aguila rated it

· review of another edition

Much Ado About Nothing is just another well written 19th century play by William Shakespeare. From lying to back stabbing to love and back, he found a way to put these all together to make an amazing twist you wouldn't expect. This book was a hard one to follow but it can really show you how gossip can be misleading and can lead to backstabbing. Gossip is one thing that has been around for awhile and this is one example of that.
Much Ado About Nothing is a lot about nothing, just as the t...more Much Ado About Nothing is just another well written 19th century play by William Shakespeare. From lying to back stabbing to love and back, he found a way to put these all together to make an amazing twist you wouldn't expect. This book was a hard one to follow but it can really show you how gossip can be misleading and can lead to backstabbing. Gossip is one thing that has been around for awhile and this is one example of that.
Much Ado About Nothing is a lot about nothing, just as the title makes clear. There are several characters in the story that all have a different role but are all connected in one way or another. The main plot of the story is that there were two characters caught together doing “funny business” but it wasn’t the two characters you thought. It turned into a disaster leading to back stabbing and misleading gossip that should have never been spread throughout the group of characters.
This book shows how gossip and rumors can be misleading to society. It shows that just because you assume something or hear something doesn’t mean it is true, here is an example of how that can happen:
“No, I’m not wound up. But I will tell you that I seduced Margaret, the Lady Hero’s waiting woman, tonight. I called her “Hero” the whole time. She leaned out of her mistress’s bedroom window and told me good night a thousand times—but I am telling this story poorly. I should backtrack and begin with how my master, Don John, arranged for the Prince, Claudio, and himself to witness this friendly encounter from the orchard.” (Act 3, scene 3)
This shows exactly what I am talking about that when you see something and immediately assume you could be wrong. You can easily me mislead by what you hear because in this part of the story a watchmen over heard this conversation and was going to question the people involved with this scandal.
In conclusion never believe what you here or see on T.V because odds are it isn’t true. This book is a prime example on why you shouldn’t believe things like that, and if you want to know how things can be blown out of proportion I recommend this book for you to read because it can really open your eyes up to how gossip works.

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Feb 26, 2011

Tiger Holland (All-Consuming Books) rated it

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Leonato, governor of Messina, is hosting Don Pedro, prince of Aragon, who has just returned from a successful military campaign. Claudio is one of Don Pedro's noble soldiers and he instantly falls in love with Leanato's daughter Hero while another soldier named Benedick snaps and quarrels with Leonato's niece, Beatrice. Guess which couple is more interesting? But everybody's relationships are thrown into a snarl when Don Pedro's evil brother Don John casts aspersions on Hero's virtue. Claudio is...moreLeonato, governor of Messina, is hosting Don Pedro, prince of Aragon, who has just returned from a successful military campaign. Claudio is one of Don Pedro's noble soldiers and he instantly falls in love with Leanato's daughter Hero while another soldier named Benedick snaps and quarrels with Leonato's niece, Beatrice. Guess which couple is more interesting? But everybody's relationships are thrown into a snarl when Don Pedro's evil brother Don John casts aspersions on Hero's virtue. Claudio is outraged, Hero is ruined, and Beatrice is ready to butcher somebody, but the misunderstandings get evened out because they'd all been making (title alert!) much ado about nothing.

This is my favorite of Shakespeare's comedies. It's got a simple little plot, but the characters of Beatrice and Benedick are what keep me coming back to read the play again. B&B could be in almost any play; set them among the merchant class in Venice or scholars in Verona, and they'd act much the same, letting loose a flurry of finely honed jokes and wordplay. What's most unusual about these two is that while they're the most memorable part of the play, they're technically the Beta Couple. They're a subplot that took over the whole play! In Shakespeare, it's usually the noble-born characters who have the focus on the story, and the best friends or servants of the main characters get side stories and bonus relationships. But B&B get better lines and more stage time (and page time) than the main couple, Claudio and Hero, and it's their relationship that gives the most joy to the audience, though it is C&H's relationship that is important enough for Don John to destroy.

Don John exists because we have to have a villain, and there aren't enough existing sources of tension in Messina. He's mostly villainous because he's a bastard--no, not just a nasty person, he's literally Don Pedro's illegitimate brother. In Shakespeare's plays, bastards are usually evil people (like Edmund in King Lear) because they naturally resent being left out of the wealth and prestige of legitimacy. Don John outright says “I am a plain-dealing villain” and he doesn't have much of a life of his own outside of the trouble he can cause for his brother or Claudio. Don John is like Iago in miniature, an uncomplicated bad guy who schemes until he can emotionally wound men who are better than he is.

But is Claudio really so much better than Don John? Claudio talks a good game in regard to love, but he can't back it up. He's a good soldier who falls in love with a woman as uninteresting as he is, and he's very jealous of her. For some unknown reason, Claudio agrees to let Don Pedro woo Hero for him (why could he not have done this himself?). When Claudio thinks Don Pedro is wooing Hero for himself, he is furious until the misunderstanding is cleared up. But the doubts still remain, because Claudio is willing to accept charges of Hero's unfaithfulness on less than definite proof. Hero may not have much personality, but it seems like she deserves better than this guy.

Other characters:
Benedick insists he will never marry and he's horrified that Claudio wants to marry, but Benedick's reasons for singleness go deeper than a desire for freedom. He seems very genuinely concerned that his future wife will cheat on him, and he makes about five jokes about this, too many to seem accidental or humorous. Even Benedick, the proud confident guy has some big insecurities. There are also hints that Beatrice and Benedick have had a former relationship, but no clear reasons given for why it might have ended, though if it happened (the conversation about it is vague) it's implied to be Benedick who ended it. I don't think they were ever together; they act like rivals, not exes.

Beatrice is a winning heroine. She swears she despises Benedick, but he's the first person she asks the messenger about, the first person she talks to when the soldiers arrive, and she constantly refers to him when he's not around. Beatrice could be played as sharp-tongued as well as sharp-witted, but she never seems cruel. She's not Kate the Shrew, she's just a woman with more wit and linguistic power than most of the people around her, and the only person she really snaps at is Benedick. I love how she never feels sorry for herself. As an unmarried, orphaned woman living in her uncle's household, she could feel unimportant, but instead she jokes and makes the world a merrier place. She says she was "born to speak all mirth and no matter," but we love her for it.

Don Pedro is a matchmaker extraordinaire. If you were going to read something into his character, I would guess that it's lonely being a prince. After all, he promises three separate people that he will help them get married (in two cases, whether they want to marry or not), and he actually proposes to Beatrice, perhaps seriously. He appreciates hospitality and thinks the best of everyone, until Hero's faux disgrace, that is.

All told, this is a great play with the best secondary-couple-turned-main-couple in the Shakespeare canon.(less)

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Nov 02, 2010

Amber Tucker rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: as-a-matter-of-courses, 2nd-time-around, plays-plays-me, i-acted-in-this

(Approximated) My colleagues' and my pre-class musings over this play:

Elizabeth: What questions is Dr. Bamford writing on the board now... 'Why does Claudio shame Hero?' Well...
Me: Because he's a gullible jerk. With the excuse of being young. Lame.
Elizabeth: Agreed.
Caroline: 'Why is Don Pedro involved?'
Elizabeth: Because he's an arrogant, gullible prick. Man, I can't wait to see those two get brought down a notch.
Me: 'Why does Leonato not believe Hero?'
...more

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Jun 16, 2010

Corinne rated it

· review of another edition

How many 17th century dramatic works can make you laugh out loud with mirth? Not many I'd guess, but I tell you what, this is one of them. It's the story of Benedick and Beatrice, both of whom are adamantly anti-marriage, both experts of the witty retort and whom for all intents and purposes, loathe each other.

That Shakespeare, though, of course has a trick up his sleeve and this time, Benedick and Beatrice's friends conspire to convince each one that the other is desperately in lov...more

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May 18, 2010

Bruce rated it

· review of another edition

Witty from the onset, a quintessence of sharp and incisive repartee, the play is mostly in prose, filled with the conventions of courtly love in noble society. The opposition of Beatrice and Benedick is at the heart of this delightful comedy, but the near-tragic subplot of Hero and Claudio contributes to the entertaining variety, as do the villainy of Don John and his henchmen and the antics of Dogberry (played perfectly by Michael Keaton in Kenneth Branagh’s filming of the play).

Th...more

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Dec 09, 2009

Kristin rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: classics, fiction, romance

I thoroughly enjoyed the humor in this play. I was not happy about how Claudio assumed the worst of Hero so easily, but he was deceived and thought he had a legitimate reason for believing that she was unfaithful to him the night before their wedding.

The fun lies with Beatrice and Benedick, however. Benedick is witty and is constantly making fun of his friends for wanting to get married. Beatrice is very outspoken and has no interest whatsoever to have a husband. Beatrice and B...more

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Nov 09, 2009

Marcusmooney rated it

· review of another edition

One of the few books Shakespeare wrote where not everyone dies or two young lovers kill themselves at the end. A very light play. Enjoyed how Don Pedro and his friend the Govenor brought Beatrice and Benedict together. What made it so amusing was that these two characters had pretty much felt that love was for fools and suckers. Despite their beleifs about love, with all the playful teasing that went on between Beatrice and Benedict you know that secetly there was feeling for eachother and it ta...more

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About William Shakespeare

William Shakespeare (baptised 26 April 1564) was an English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon" (or simply "The Bard"). His surviving works consist of 38 plays, 154 sonnets, two long narrative poems, and several other poems. Hi...moreWilliam Shakespeare (baptised 26 April 1564) was an English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon" (or simply "The Bard"). His surviving works consist of 38 plays, 154 sonnets, two long narrative poems, and several other poems. His plays have been translated into every major living language, and are performed more often than those of any other playwright.

Shakespeare was born and raised in Stratford-upon-Avon. At the age of 18 he married Anne Hathaway, who bore him three children: Susanna, and twins Hamnet and Judith. Between 1585 and 1592 he began a successful career in London as an actor, writer, and part owner of the playing company the Lord Chamberlain's Men, later known as the King's Men. He appears to have retired to Stratford around 1613, where he died three years later. Few records of Shakespeare's private life survive, and there has been considerable speculation about such matters as his sexuality, religious beliefs, and whether the works attributed to him were written by others.

Shakespeare produced most of his known work between 1590 and 1613. His early plays were mainly comedies and histories, genres he raised to the peak of sophistication and artistry by the end of the sixteenth century. Next he wrote mainly tragedies until about 1608, including Hamlet, King Lear, and Macbeth, considered some of the finest examples in the English language. In his last phase, he wrote tragicomedies, also known as romances, and collaborated with other playwrights. Many of his plays were published in editions of varying quality and accuracy during his lifetime, and in 1623, two of his former theatrical colleagues published the First Folio, a collected edition of his dramatic works that included all but two of the plays now recognised as Shakespeare's.

Shakespeare was a respected poet and playwright in his own day, but his reputation did not rise to its present heights until the nineteenth century. The Romantics, in particular, acclaimed Shakespeare's genius, and the Victorians hero-worshipped Shakespeare with a reverence that George Bernard Shaw called "bardolatry". In the twentieth century, his work was repeatedly adopted and rediscovered by new movements in scholarship and performance. His plays remain highly popular today and are consistently performed and reinterpreted in diverse cultural and political contexts throughout the world.
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“Sigh no more, ladies, sigh no more,
Men were deceivers ever,-
One foot in sea and one on shore,
To one thing constant never.” — 225 people liked it

“Some Cupid kills with arrows, some with traps. ” — 143 people liked it

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