Act 3 Much Ado About Nothing

What plan have Hero, Margaret, and Ursula agreed to participate in? The women know about Don Pedro’s plans for Benedick, and they are going to do the same to Beatrice. They know that she is hiding nearby, so they begin a conversation in which they state that Benedick is on love with Beatrice.
Why does Hero claim that she will never tell Beatrice of Benedick’s “affections?” As part of her ruse to get Beatrice to change her shrewish ways, Hero says that she would never tell Beatrice about Benedick’s feelings because, since Beatrice is such a nasty person, she would make fun of poor Signior Benedick’saffections toward her.
What is Beatrice’s reaction to what she overhears? Beatrice feels badly for the way she has acted and she wants Benedick to “love on” because she is about to change her ways.
Where is Don Pedro headed after Claudio and Hero’s wedding? He is planning to return home to Aragon. Claudio insists on accompanying him, but Don Pedro says that Claudio had better stay with his wife after the wedding.
What excuse does Benedick give for his melancholy behavior? Benedick claims to have a toothache.
What do Don Pedro and Claudio claim is “wrong” with Benedick? The men know that Benedick is pining for Beatrice.In Love
What changes has Benedick made to his physical appearance? Benedick has shaved off his beard. It is possible that he overheard Beatrice’s claim that she could not endure a man with a beard.
What false news does Don John bring to Don Pedro and Claudio? Don John claims that Hero is disloyal to Claudio with other men.
How does Don John intend to “prove” his accusations? Don John says that he, Don Pedro, and Claudio will stand below Hero’s window that night to “witness” Hero’s behavior. The reader is already aware that the woman at the window will be Margaret, not Hero.
What does Claudio intend to do if he finds out that Hero truly is inappropriately seeing othermen? Claudio says that if what Don John says is true, then he will shame Hero publicly at the wedding.
Who is Dogberry? Dogberry is the bumbling Constable of Messina.
What does the reader notice about Dogberry’s and Verges’s speeches? Both Dogberry and Verges use incorrect diction (malapropisms) when they speak. They confuse such words as “salvation” for “damnation” and “desertless” for “deserving.” This adds to the comic relief of the play.
How does Dogberry instruct his watchmen to deal with any wrongdoers they may encounter? He tells the watchmen that they should speak to the offenders, but if the offenders do not comply with the watchmen’s requests, the watchmen are to let them go on their way.
What do the watchmen happen to overhear? The watchmen overhear Borachio brag to Conrad about how he earned one thousand ducats from Don John for fooling Claudio into thinking that Hero was disloyal.
Describe Beatrice’s mood during the scene with Hero and Margaret. To what does Herocontribute this mood? Beatrice is melancholy and claims that she is ill. Hero says that Beatrice is sick with love for Signior Benedick.
Describe the verbal banter among the women as they prepare for the wedding. The women, except Beatrice, are jovial and make many sexual puns as they prepare Hero for her wedding.
What does Dogberry tell Leonato right before the wedding and what is Leonato’s reply? Dogberry insists that Leonato speak to him and cross-examine a pair of scoundrels that were arrested outside Leonato’s house. Leonato says that he is too busy with his daughter’s wedding and the Dogberry should just examine the offenders himself.
July 27, 2019