Much Ado about Nothing

Characters

100

This character professes he will live a bachelor forever.

What is Benedick?

200

A character who represents faithful love as well as sacrifice, endurance, and patience.

What is Hero?

300

A character that represents youth, inexperience, and fickleness.

What is Claudio?

400

A character that scorns male bravado and the assumption of male superiority.

What is Beatrice?

500

A character that likes trickery and plotting, but whose deceptions are well intended.

What is Don Pedro?

Themes

100

This theme is represented by the Hero-Claudio story and the Beatrice-Benedick story

What is (true) love?

200

This theme is most clear in the wooing of Hero. She is "won" by Don Pedro, "given" to Claudio, "rejected" by Claudio, and then "given" back to Claudio for a second time.

What is male supremacy?

300

This theme is expressed in Balthasar's song "Sigh no more."

What is inconstancy?

400

This theme comes in play when the Messenger recounts Count Claudio's bravery in battle in Act 1.

What is male honor (or reputation)?

500

This theme is best represented by the gallant Don Pedro and by a charming courtier such as Benedick.

What is social grace?

Quotes

100

O God, that I were a man! I would eat his heart in the market-place.

What is Beatrice?

200

Give not this rotten orange to your friend;/ She's but the sign and semblance of her honour.

What is Claudio?

300

I will be/ horribly in love with her.

What is Benedick?

400

But, masters, remember that I am an ass; though it be not written down, yet forget not that I am an ass.

What is Dogberry?

500

Come, lady, die to live: this wedding-day/ Perhaps is but prolong'd: have patience and endure.

What is the Friar?

Literary Terms

100

The antagonist.

What is Don John?

200

In Act 4, Scene 1, our knowledge that Count Claudio and Don Pedro will shame Hero in public versus everyone's expectation that Hero will be married to Claudio.

What is dramatic irony?

300

Much Ado about Nothing/ Much Ado about Noting

What is pun or play on words?

400

Beatrice's deep sense of outrage at the way men disrespect and demean female honor.

What is motivation?

500

I will not be sworn, but love may transform me to an oyster; but I'll take my oath on it, till he have made an oyster of me, he shall never make me such a fool. One woman is fair, yet I am well; another is wise, yet I am well; another virtuous, yet I am well; but till all graces be in one woman, one woman shall not come in my grace. Rich she shall be, that's certain; wise, or I'll none; virtuous, or I'll never cheapen her; fair, or I'll never look on her; mild, or come not near me; noble, or not I for an angel; of good discourse, an excellent musician, and her hair shall be of what colour it please God. Ha! the prince and Monsieur Love! I will hide me in the arbour.

What is soliloquy?