Much Ado About Nothing

Much Ado About Nothing is a romantic comedy written by William Shakespeare around 1598-1599 and first performed before 1600.

The story takes place in Italy, specifically in the city of Messina (Sicily). It is a recurring background in the works of Shakespeare, where he represents the political struggles of the Italian city-states.

Prince Don Pedro of Aragon returns to Messina with his men after fighting in a battle. Among his company, the following men stand out: the most outstanding soldier named Claudio, his friend Benedick and the evil bastard brother of the prince, Don John. The brothers were feuding but had recently reconciled.

Leonato, governor of Messina, receives the men. The governor has a niece named Beatrice, with whom Benedick has already crossed words more than once, and their duels of wit run through the play. The title itself puns on "noting" — overhearing — which is what sets nearly every turn of the plot in motion.

He also lives with his daughter, called Hero, with whom Claudio falls in love. To get her love, he teams up with Don Pedro to pretend to be him at the masquerade ball and win her over.

However, a servant overhears Don Pedro and Claudio preparing the plan and mistakenly concludes that it is Don Pedro who is in love with Hero, and this rumor reaches Leonato's ears...

Don John then sets out to wreck the wedding by staging a scene at Hero's window that makes her look unfaithful, and Claudio denounces her at the altar. Their friends, meanwhile, have been busy arranging for Beatrice and Benedick each to overhear that the other is secretly in love.

"Beatrice.
He were an excellent man that were made just in the mid-way between him and Benedick: the one is too like an image, and says nothing; and the other too like my lady’s eldest son, evermore tattling.
Leonato.
Then half Signior Benedick’s tongue in Count John’s mouth, and half Count John’s melancholy in Signior Benedick’s face..."