Much Ado About Nothing - full reading journal

Act One 

Scene One

• the war is over and the soldiers are returning valiant and victorious 
• all the main characters and the play's settings are introduced
• banter between Beatrice and Benedick has begun - highly witty and funny
• positive tone so far; seems like it will be a happy play
• seems to be a hierarchy between the characters - Don Pedro being referred to as "my lord" by many of the characters

Scene Two

• Antonio is introduced
• he is recounting how he heard Claudio confess his love for Hero
• they plan on telling Hero
• seems positive furthermore

Scene Three

• Don John and Conrade are introduced
• Don John is Don Pedro's bastard half brother
• given a status and degree of power yet he is feeling sorry for himself
• Conrade is his "right hand man" yet he asked him why he was so hard - Don John must not always be this sad
• a plan is being thought of that will ruin the happiness of those in Messina

Act Two

Scene One

• Masked ball provides humour; characters are unaware of who is who. Beatrice and Benedick dance whilst Beatrice is talking about Benedick, unaware it is him she is talking to
• Don John creates confusion and momentary anger by twisting words and lying to characters about other’s intentions
• Claudio and Hero finally arrange a marriage, despite Don John’s efforts to disturb their happiness
• Don Pedro plans to make Beatrice and Benedick fall in love with one another

Scene Two 

•  Don John plans to go to Claudio and Don Pedro and convince them that Hero is not a virgin, and whom instead effectively sleeps around
• They do this by convincing the two to hide and look at who they believe to be Hero having sex with Borachio.. but it is instead Margaret who is wearing Hero’s clothing
• Don John promises Borachio a large reward if he can prevent the wedding from occurring

Scene Three

• Benedick eavesdrops on a conversation between Don Pedro and Claudio, who notice him, and talk about how Beatrice has fallen in love with Bendick

• They go deep in the conversation; with Leonato now joining in and talking about how Beatrice is afraid of telling Benedick
• They end the conversation by saying Benedick does not deserve her

• Benedick decides he will love her back, and desires to marry her

Act Three 

Scene One

• Hero tricks Beatrice into believing that Benedick is in love with her
• Hero, Margaret and Ursula go on to discuss how Benedick does love her, but go on to say how he believes Beatrice would just be horrible
• After they leave, Beatrice decides that she will “take pity” on Benedick and love him back

Scene Two

• Don Pedro, Claudio, and Leonato tease Benedick about the fact he wants to marry Beatrice
• Don John tells Claudio that Hero is a “whore” and that he should not marry her
• Don John offers proof that Hero is unfaithful; he claims if they go to her window they will see her sleeping with another man
• Claudio promises that if he sees Hero doing so he will publicly disgrace her at the wedding

Scene Three

• Dogberry gives orders to the other watchmen to act vigilant near Leonato’s house
• Don Pedro, Claudio and Don John go to Hero’s window
• They see Margaret (whom Don John and Claudio believe to be Hero) making love to Borachio
•  Claudio vows to get revenge on Hero for breaking his heart
• Don John’s plan has worked

Act Four
Scene One

•         The wedding is about to take place and the Friar asks Claudio if he wishes to marry Hero but he says no and then undergoes an angry and outraged speech
•          Don Pedro supports these claims, along with Don John
•          Hero passes out, Leonato says she would be better off dead
•         When Hero regains consciousness she reiterates that she is innocent, then passes out once more
•        The Friar, claiming she is most innocent, comes up with the plan to pretend that Hero has died, in a bid to make people believe she isn’t guilty
•          Beatrice asks Benedick to “kill Claudio”
   
  

Scene Two

•          Dogberry and the Watch interrogate Borachio
•         Borachio confesses that he was paid by Don John to pretend to make love to Hero

Act Five
Scene One

•          Leonato is devastated, still not knowing whether to believe Hero or not
•          Leonato blaims Hero’s death on Claudio and challenges him to a duel
•          Claudio and Don Pedro are also upset, and ask Benedick to use his good humour and wit to cheer them up from their low moods
•         Benedick refuses to and also challenges Claudio to a duel, claiming he is the cause of her murder
•         Dogberry and all turn up and inform Claudio and Don Pedro of Borachio’s confession
•          Claudio begs for Leonato’s forgiveness. Leonato tells Claudio to clear Hero’s name

Scene Two

•          Benedick tries to write love poetry for Beatrice
•          He fails to do so, and when she turns up they tease eachother as they always have done, but still show great affection towards one another
•          Benedick informs Beatrice that he has challenged Claudio to a duel- just as she wished

Scene Three

•          Claudio visits Hero’s grave and reads the poem/epitath out loud, and promises to do so that day every year

Scene Four

•         Don John’s plan comes to light and everyone in the city now knows of it
•         Claudio promises to marry the woman next to him, whom he believes to be Hero’s cousin, as requested by Leonato
•         Hero takes off the mask and her name is cleared and they plan to marry
•         Beatrice and Benedick admit that they don’t love eachother
•         They do however, find out they have been tricked, but go ahead with the marriage anyway
•         Don John is a prisoner
•        Both Claudio + Hero and Beatrice + Benedick are married, all is well