Much Ado About Nothing Teachit KS3 Interactive Pack updates 2008
3 Themes
Much Ado About
Nothing
TEACHIT KS3 INTERACTIVE PACK
SATs Updates 2008: 3 Key Themes
Lessons 12 – 14
Worksheets 17 – 21
ICT Activity 5
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Much Ado About Nothing Teachit KS3 Interactive Pack updates 2008
3 Themes
LESSON 12: Love and Marriage
Learning Objective
To explore and evaluate the theme of love and marriage, and particularly the relationship between
Beatrice and Benedick.
Starter

Write the following on the board:
‘…Take me of my ………….., and with her my ……………….: his ……………… hath made the ……….…’ (2.1)


Ask students to complete the quotation. Encourage them to refer to the text if necessary.
Now ask students to focus on the missing words. What can we learn about marriage from this
quotation and these words in particular? [He is referring to the money he must offer as a dowry, as well
as the fact that the Prince has been instrumental in wooing for Hero, almost as if he has stood as guarantor
of Claudio’s good character. This is important as it explains why Don Pedro is equally shamed by Hero’s
seeming betrayal in 4.1.]
Introduction – Hero and Claudio


Ask pairs or small groups to select quotations from the set sections which reveal the following:
1. It is the father’s duty to give their daughter to the husband (5.4, 14-15)
2. A man wishing to marry a woman must ask permission from her father (5.4, 28-31)
Consider the question: ‘Is there any time that Hero has a say about the future marriage?’
[They may point out that, generally, it seems the female’s duty is to serve the wishes of her father and it
seems merely good luck, or down to Shakespeare’s romantic nature, that Hero does love Claudio.]
Development – Beatrice and Benedick

Now, focus in on the relationship of Beatrice and Benedick. Consider the same question about
choice for this relationship.
[They may realise out that Beatrice seems to have a say (though she is silenced by Benedick’s kiss). This
should say a lot about her character and may be worth further discussion.]

Explain that Beatrice and Benedick’s relationship is complex and their language often ambiguous.
As a way of exploring this, watch a performance of Beatrice and Benedick’s conversation at the
end of 4.1 and 5.4, lines 74 – 100 (from “Soft and fair, friar. Which is Beatrice?” to “Peace, I will
stop your mouth.”)

At the end of each section there is a kiss: the first ends with Benedick kissing Beatrice’s hand
before departing to kill Claudio, in the second he stops her mouth with a kiss. Pause the DVD /
video at each kiss and invite students to thought-track Beatrice and Benedick at the end of each
section.



(Alternatively, complete this task as a drama activity, with actors freezing just before the kiss).
Distribute Worksheet 17 and as a class read through each of the quotations from Benedick and
Beatrice. Using what they have deduced about each character in each section, encourage groups
to puzzle out what they are actually saying to each other. Share answers and ask students to find
a way of describing the exchanges between Beatrice and Benedick. [They may claim it is confused
and/ or paradoxical – or that they keep contradicting themselves.]
As an additional task on the theme of love, distribute Worksheet 18 and ask students to complete
the grid by commenting on the quotations.
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Much Ado About Nothing Teachit KS3 Interactive Pack updates 2008
3 Themes
Plenary


Ask students which relationship is their favourite in the play. They should be prepared to justify
their opinion with reference to the sections that they have studied.
Extend their thinking by asking them to consider how the relationship between Hero and Claudio is
conventional while the relationship between Beatrice and Benedick is unconventional.
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Much Ado About Nothing Teachit KS3 Interactive Pack updates 2008
3 Themes
Worksheet 17: Are they in love?
The relationship between Benedick and Beatrice is very confusing. Look at the following quotations
and try to work out what they are saying about their feelings for each other.
A quotation from the play
What are they saying?
BENEDICK
I do love nothing in the world so well as
you: is not that strange?
BEATRICE
As strange as the thing I know not. It
were as possible for me to say I loved
nothing so well as you: but believe me
not; and yet I lie not; I confess nothing,
nor I deny nothing.
BENEDICK
To bind me, or undo me; one of them.
Signior Leonato, truth it is, good
signior, Your niece regards me with an
eye of favour.
BENEDICK
'Tis no such matter. Then you do not
love me?
BEATRICE
No, truly, but in friendly recompense.
BEATRICE
I would not deny you; but, by this good
day, I yield upon great persuasion; and
partly to save your life, for I was told
you were in a consumption.
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Much Ado About Nothing Teachit KS3 Interactive Pack updates 2008
3 Themes
Worksheet 18: All kinds of love?
When asked a question about love it might help to think about more than the romantic love that
Claudio and Hero and Benedick and Beatrice feel. What other types of love might you find explored
in these set sections? Circle the relevant ones.
Brotherly love
Fateful love
Familial love
Loyalty between soldiers
Complete the grid below, thinking carefully how each point and piece of evidence reveals these
different kinds of love.
Point
Evidence
In Act 4 Scene 1
Benedick reveals his
loyalty and strong
bond to Claudio,
when he agrees to
help Leonato keep
the secret that Hero is
still alive.
BENEDICK
This loyalty between
soldiers is also clear
in Act 5 Scene 4
when the Prince
continues to stand
beside Claudio
through the difficult
situation with
Leonato.
LEONATO
In Act 4 Scene 1
Beatrice shows how
close she is to her
cousin Hero in her
anger at Claudio.
BEATRICE
This bond between
family members is
also evident in Act 5
Scene 4 when Hero is
clearly very keen to
see Beatrice happy in
a marriage with
Benedick.
HERO
Explanation
And though you know my
inwardness and love
Is very much unto the prince
and Claudio,
Yet, by mine honour, I will deal
in this
As secretly and justly as your
soul
The prince and Claudio
promised by this hour
To visit me.
Sweet Hero! She is wronged,
she is slandered, she is undone.
And here's another
Writ in my cousin's hand, stolen
from her pocket,
Containing her affection unto
Benedick.
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Much Ado About Nothing Teachit KS3 Interactive Pack updates 2008
3 Themes
LESSON 13: Power, Status and Honour
Learning Objective
To explore and evaluation the theme of power, status and honour.
ICT Activity 5a and 5b
Starter

Ask students to briefly rank the following characters from the most powerful position in society, to
the least powerful): Don Pedro, Benedick, Leonato, Claudio, Hero, Beatrice. You could do this as
a physical task, by moving students representing each character accordingly.
Introduction – Who’s number 1?


Distribute Worksheet 19 and ask students to complete Task 1, ranking the characters in each
scene. Take feedback, clarifying and amending as you go. Alternatively, you could use ICT
Activity 5.
Ask students to complete Task 2, giving explanations for their choices. Share and discuss, being
careful to explore the differences between the power of men and women at this time.
[It is also important to note the hierarchy, with the Prince still remaining the most powerful character despite
the difficult situation he finds himself in. However, students might note that Benedick has a lot of power in
both scenes and this might have something to do with the honourable way he has acted throughout the
play.]
Development – Character and situation force fields


Distribute Worksheet 20 and ask students to match the idea about power, status and honour with
a quotation.
Ask students to create a force field diagram to show pressures on each character for the
quotations.
[In this, the situation is represented in the middle of the page, then arrows are used to represent the
pressures that are acting upon it from different directions. Model the first one if necessary, as follows:]
Fear of Don Pedro’s
anger
His humiliation and loss
of honour
His desire for status
LEONATO
Hero has been
publicly disgraced,
which has led to
Leonato being
devastated at his
loss of honour and
status.
Concern for his daughter
Plenary

Ask students to use one of the ideas and quotations to write a paragraph.
[This might be a good time to remind students that they should explain the quotation, linking it to the idea
that answers the question. Lower ability students may benefit from watching as a paragraph is modelled.
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Much Ado About Nothing Teachit KS3 Interactive Pack updates 2008
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Make explicit as you write the links you are making in the explanation between the quotation and the idea
that answers the question.]

Ask several students to share the paragraphs that they have written. Celebrate students’
successes and offer suggestions for further improvements.
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Much Ado About Nothing Teachit KS3 Interactive Pack updates 2008
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Worksheet 19: Who’s Number 1?
Task 1: Complete the table below. You should give each character a number that reflects how
powerful they are in that scene. The most powerful character should be number 1, the next powerful
should be number 2, and so on until each character is given a number.
Character
Power in Act 4
Scene 1
Power in Act 5
Scene 4
Hero
Beatrice
Benedick
Leonato
The Friar
Claudio
Don Pedro
Task 2: Explain your choices. Which are the strongest in each scene? Which the weakest? Why?
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Worksheet 20: Exploring power, status and honour
Match the idea with a quotation that supports what it is saying. Draw a line between the two boxes
that you think match.
Hero has been publicly
disgraced, which has led to
Leonato being devastated at his
loss of honour and status.
BENEDICK
Benedick chooses love over
status when he agrees to the
plan to lie to Don Pedro and
Claudio. Also, when he later
agrees to challenge Claudio he
will likely be forced to leave the
Prince’s company.
CLAUDIO
In order to regain his honour,
Claudio has agreed to marry
Antonio’s daughter.
LEONATO
In respect to Leonato’s status,
Benedick asks his permission to
marry Beatrice.
BENEDICK
But, for my will, my will is your good will
May stand with ours, this day to be conjoin'd
In the state of honourable marriage:
For this I owe you: here comes other reckonings.
Re-enter ANTONIO, with the Ladies masked
Which is the lady I must seize upon?
Being that I flow in grief,
The smallest twine may lead me.
And though you know my inwardness and love
Is very much unto the prince and Claudio,
Yet, by mine honour, I will deal in this
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Much Ado About Nothing Teachit KS3 Interactive Pack updates 2008
3 Themes
LESSON 14: Deception
Learning Objective
To explore and evaluate the theme of deception.
Starter


Remind students that Act 4 Scene 1 sees the aftermath of the play’s biggest deception: it is the
plot twist that causes the romantic love of Hero and Claudio to become complicated and makes the
audience curious to know how this can possibly resolve itself. The audience knows the play will
likely end in Hero and Claudio’s marriage, as they are watching a comedy.
Ask students to explain why deception is one of the most important themes in Much Ado about
Nothing.
Introduction

Ask students to list examples of deception in the two set sections they have studied.

Ask students to decide if the lies that are told in these two scenes are harmless or a bad idea.
[They are likely to mention the Friar’s plan to lie about Hero’s death, the agreement from Benedick to tell the
lie, the possible manipulation of Benedick by Beatrice, the use of the masks, Beatrice and Benedick’s selfdeception as they once more claim that they don’t love each other.]
Development – Lies revealed


Distribute Worksheet 21 and ask students to find the quotation which reveals the truth behind
each deceit. Encourage students to explore how the lie is revealed, and why. (This might work
nicely as a group task, in which case you may wish to allocate one lie per group and share
findings.)
Share and discuss responses. As a class, explore the final question – why Shakespeare felt it to
important to unravel all the deceptions at the end of the play.
[They may point out that the conventions of a comedy dictate there should be a happy ending and that all the
problems created should be resolved. Refer back to Lesson 5 if necessary]
Plenary

Much Ado About Nothing has been described as a play involving 3 hoaxes, 4 secrets and 3
metamorphoses. Do students agree? Can they suggest what the hoaxes, secrets and
metamorphoses might be?
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Worksheet 21: Lies revealed
Task 1. Each of these deceptions is unravelled at the end of the play. For each of the lies below find
the quotation where the characters learn the truth.
Deceit 1: Hero is dead.
Quotation:
Comments:
Deceit 2: Beatrice and Benedick do not love each other.
Quotation:
Comments:
Deceit 3: Claudio is to marry Antonio’s daughter.
Quotation:
Comments:
Deceit 4: The lies Don Pedro told to get Benedick and Beatrice together.
Quotation:
Comments:
Task 2. Why do you think that Shakespeare chose to reveal all of these deceptions at the end of the
play?
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See also (from your Teachit KS3 Interactive Pack) … lessons in love
Lesson 3: Messina Matchmaker
Worksheet 4 and 5: What makes a good partner? (ICT Activity 3) and Character profiles (ICT
Activity 4)
Focus of lesson: The four lovers
When: Before considering character in depth
How: Think back to …. Or complete for first time
This activity asks students to match some of the characters from the play together, and suggest who
might end up alone. If they have already completed the activity ask them to revisit at the end of the
play. Who married whom?
Lesson 19: The second wedding (5.4)
Worksheet 30: Ending up
Focus of lesson: The situation of each character at the end of the play
When: After reading both set sections
How: Make notes about each character / character pair at the end of the play, using the prompts
provided.
Lesson 28: Love, actually
Worksheet 43 and 44: Drama statement cards and Shakespearean quotation cards (ICT Activity 24)
Focus of lesson: Match quotations about love from the play to modern translations
How: As a way in to thinking about love.
See also (from your Teachit KS3 Interactive Pack) … lessons about power,
status and honour
Lesson 31: Status and honour
Worksheet 49: Status and honour
Focus of lesson: The motivations of the men between 4.1 and 5.4 (ICT Activity 27)
When: While reading the set sections
How: Ask students to consider what motivates the men to act as they do from Claudio humiliating
Hero to Antonio challenging Don Pedro and Claudio. (You may wish to ask students to highlight
which of the actions occur in the scenes themselves and which occur before or between)
Lesson 26: Character connections
OHT 41: Character groupings sheet (ICT Activity 23)
Focus of lesson: Thinking about the characters in terms of status and/or worlds they inhabit and/or
gender
When: After or while reading the set sections
How: Perhaps use the Word doc on an OHT to manipulate / colour code the characters and
therefore show how they fit together. Could also be a ranking task to show power at various points in
the set sections.
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See also (from your Teachit KS3 Interactive Pack) … lessons about deception
Lesson 30: Deception
Worksheet 46: Deception tracking (ICT Activity 26)
Focus of lesson: Thinking about the various forms of deception in the play
When: As part of lessons about the theme of deception – perhaps to kick-start / as consolidation, or
as a table to complete while reading the whole play, in which case you could remind students of this
before exploring the set sections in depth.
How: Ask students to complete the table with Act and Scene as they encounter each form of
deception in the play. They should also number the events and therefore consolidate their knowledge
of plot.
Lesson 30: Deception
Worksheet 47: Deceived? Me?
Focus of lesson: Exploring how each character is deceived in the play
When: As part of lessons about the theme of deception – perhaps to kick-start / as consolidation, or
as a task to complete while reading the whole play, in which case you could remind students of this
before exploring the set sections in depth.
How: This might work well as a kinaesthetic task. Allocate character cards to selected students
(Group A) relevant character names to another group (Group B). After sharing the information on the
card, the class help students from Group A match up with their character names (students in Group
B).
See also (from your Teachit KS3 Interactive Pack) … lessons about
themes generally
Lesson 34: A play of many themes
Worksheet 50: Thematic quest
Focus of lesson: Exploring a selected / a number of themes from the play
When: To consolidate or further thinking about the themes in the play.
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