MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING Study Questions
DIRECTIONS: Use the text of the play to answer these questions. Look carefully at the
CAPITALIZED questions at the end of Act 5; they cover major characteristics of comedies,
ACT ONE
1. Who is coming to Leonato’s house in Messina?
2. What is the “action” to which Leonato refers?
3. Who has received much honor by doing a lion’s deeds although he is young like a lamb?
4. Explain these comments Beatrice makes about Benedick:
a. Benedick is a wannabe Cupid
b. Beatrice will eat all of his killing in these wars
c. Benedick is a “stuffed man”
d. defeating 4 of Benedick’s 5 wits so he is governed by 1 wit
e. Claudio’s having “caught the Benedick”
5. Who is “Lady Disdain”? What does Benedick mean when he wishes his horse had the speed
and continuance of Beatrice’s tongue?
6. To what does Beatrice compare a man’s words of love?
7. What does Beatrice mean when she says that Benedick always ends their arguments “with a
jade’s trick”? How does this show Benedick as weak?
8. How does Benedick make fun of Claudio’s love for Hero? Why is he upset at Claudio’s
thoughts of marriage?
9. Give three examples of Benedick’s anti-marriage comments.
a.
b.
c.
10. What does Pedro propose to do for Claudio at the masked revel?
11. How does Antonio mistake Pedro’s intentions? Whom does Antonio tell?
12. How does John say that he will follow his own desires and appetites?
a. be sad
b. eat
c. sleep
d. laugh
e. claw
13. According to Conrade, what has happened lately between John and Pedro? Who is best
suited to help John?
14. What dastardly diversion does John decide to pursue? Why does he make Claudio his
victim?
15. What does John mean when he says, “Let us to the great supper….Would the cook were o’
my mind!”?
MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING Study Questions ACT TWO
ACT TWO
1. According to Beatrice, how would John and Benedick make the perfect man?
2. What is the joke on Beatrice’s being “curst” and “God sends a curst cow short horns, but to a
cow too curst he sends none”?
3. Why is neither a bearded nor a beardless man for Beatrice nor she for him?
4. What advice does Beatrice give Hero about choosing a husband and following Leonato’s
wishes?
5. At the masque, what couples pair off?
a.
b.
c.
d.
6. How does Beatrice make a fool of the disguised Benedick?
7. What does John convince Claudio of? How does Claudio act like a lovesick squire?
8. Why does Benedick say Claudio needs a willow garland and Pedro needs a whipping?
9. Give three examples of Benedick’s unkind comments about Beatrice in 2.1.230-250?
a.
b.
c.
10. Explain Pedro and Beatrice’s conversation in 2.1.303-320. How serious is Pedro’s proposal
and her answer?
11. When will Claudio and Hero be married? What will Pedro do for fun in the meantime? How
are all the others “the only love gods”?
12. Explain Borachio’s plan to use Margaret to disrupt Hero’s marriage? What is Don John’s
part in this scheme?
13. Give three examples of Benedick’s complaints about Claudio’s being in love in 2.3.5-35.
a.
b.
c.
14. Where does Benedick hide when Pedro, Leonato, and Claudio come in? Do they know
Benedick is present?
15. Explain Balthasar’s song lyrics. What does the song say about men? What advice does it
give to women?
16. What “evidence” do Pedro, Claudio, and Leonato give to convince Benedick that Beatrice
loves him?
17. Why is Benedick so firmly convinced that Beatrice loves him?
18. Why does he fear his friends will mock him?
19. How does he use change of appetite and peopling the world to excuse his falling in love?
MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING Study Questions ACT THREE
ACT THREE
1. What arguments do Hero and Ursula use to make Beatrice sound curst and hard-hearted?
a.
b.
c.
2. What praises do Hero and Ursula use on Benedick, and how do they make him seem pitiful?
a.
b.
c.
3. What signs of lovesickness does Benedick exhibit, and how do Pedro and Claudio mention
even more signs of Benedick’s being in love?
a.
b.
c.
4. What does John tell Pedro and Claudio, and what must they do to get proof?
5. Give three examples of Dogberry’s and Verges’ comical malapropisms.
a.
b.
c.
6. Give examples of Dogberry’s instructions to the Watch about
a. thieves
b. the Prince’s subjects
c. sleep and quiet in the streets
7. What does Borachio brag about to Conrade? What does Seacoal do? Who is Deformed?
8. As the women prepare for the wedding, what do Margaret’s jokes reveal about her character?
[Compare her to other “maid” characters like Juliet’s Nurse, Lucetta, Luce/Nell, etc.]
9. Why does Dogberry come to Leonato’s house? How does he try to be respectful, but he
unknowingly insults Leonato?
10. What does Dogberry mean by sending for Francis Seacoal “to examination” these men and
write their “excommunication” at the jail?
MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING Study Questions ACT FOUR and ACT FIVE
ACT FOUR
1. Why does Claudio claim that Hero is a “rotten orange” who “knows the heat of a luxurious
bed”?
2. Whom does Leonato suspect has “made defeat of her virginity”?
3. Who supports Claudio’s accusation with his testimony? Why doesn’t Leonato believe Hero?
4. What happens to Hero? Who leaves after this event?
5. Why does Leonato say he wishes Hero had been a beggar’s child rather than his issue?
[Compare this to Brabantio’s statement in Othello: “I had rather adopt a child than get it.”]
6. Why does the Friar believe that Hero is innocent?
7. What does the Friar suggest be done about Hero? About Claudio? If Hero remains disgraced?
8. What does Benedick confess to Beatrice? What does she ask him to do to prove it?
9. How does Beatrice criticize all men? Why does she want to be a man?
10. What is the purpose of Dogberry’s “examination” of Borachio and Conrade? How does
Dogberry make himself ridiculous?
ACT FIVE
1. Why can’t Leonato accept Antonio’s advice to be patient?
2. How does Leonato challenge and accuse Claudio?
3. How do Leonato and Antonio exchange modes/attitudes in this scene?
4. How do Pedro and Claudio make fun of Leonato after he leaves?
5. What is Benedick’s challenge to Claudio? How is he polite but firm to Pedro?
6. Why don’t Pedro and Claudio seem to take Benedick seriously?
7. What atonement must Claudio make to satisfy Leonato?
8. What is Benedick attempting to compose for Beatrice? How does this make him a lover?
9. Why or how are Benedick and Beatrice “too wise to woo peaceably”?
10. What is the meaning and purpose of Hero’s epitaph?
11. How and why are the ladies disguised at the wedding?
12. How do Benedick and Beatrice argue themselves into marriage?
13. How has Benedick completely changed from the beginning of the play?
14. What has become of John? What will Benedick do?
15. How does this end like a classical comedy?
EXPLAIN HOW THIS PLAY SHOWS / ILLUSTRATES THE FOLLOWING DEVICES AND
IDEAS ABOUT COMEDY:
HOW DOES THIS PLAY SHOW THE YOUNG PEOPLE FOOLING THE OLD?
HOW DOES THIS PLAY START IN CHAOS AND END IN PEACE?
WHAT ROLE DOES MARRIAGE PLAY IN MAKING PEACE AT THE END?
HOW DOES THIS PLAY USE A VILLAIN?
HOW DOES THIS PLAY USE COMIC-STYLE FIGURES, SUCH AS THE “VILLAGE
IDIOT” OR THE “BUMBLING POLICEMAN”?
WHAT PARTS OF THIS PLAY ARE BEST LABELED “COMEDY OF SITUATION” OR
“SITUATIONAL COMEDY” BECAUSE OF MISTAKES, PLOTS-WITHIN-PLOTS,