Much ado about nothing

Much Ado About Nothing

Plot Summary

• Benedick, Claudio + Don Pedro visit Messina after successful war to see Leonato, his daughter (Hero) + niece (Beatrice)
• Claudio falls for Hero - Interesting dynamic between Beatrice + Benedick; joking and both also against idea of love - also, insult each other but in joking way 
• Leonato holds a masked ball and the engagement of Claudio + Hero is announced 
• Don John (illigetimate brother) plans to end Claudio + Hero's relationship - he tricks Claudio by making him believe he saw Hero being unfaithful on the night before the wedding, Claudio believes it 
• Don Pedro, Claudio + Leonato plot - they want Benedick to overhear them discussing Beatrice's love for him + vice-versa - this succeeds and Beatrice + Benedick both realise they love each other 
• At Hero + Claudio's wedding, Claudio denounces Hero, she faints and the priest, Leonato, Beatrice + Benedick pretend Hero is dead, until they can prove her innocence 

• Watchmen overhear Borachio, Don John's friend, bring about his plot - Borachio + Conrad are arrested 
• Truth is revealed - Hero is innocent + Claudio grieves her death 
• Leonato punishes Claudio by demanding he marry his 'niece' who's a masked woman + Claudio agrees 
• Claudio goes to the Church to marry the masked woman - she turns out to be Hero 
• Everyone is happy at the wedding and Benedick proposes to Beatrice