© Boardworks Ltd 20041 of 16

Much Ado About Nothing Act Four

These icons indicate that detailed teacher’s notes or useful web addresses are available in the Notes Page.

For more detailed instructions, see the Getting Started presentation.

This icon indicates the slide contains activities created in Flash. These activities are not editable.

© Boardworks Ltd 20042 of 16

Act Four, Scene One

© Boardworks Ltd 20043 of 16

The opening of Act Four, the day of Hero and Claudio’s wedding, marks the climax of the play. Much Ado About Nothing no longer feels like a comedy but plunges into tragedy with the dismissal of Hero by the men she most loves, that is, Claudio and her father, Leonato.

Act Four, Scene One

Only the Friar and Beatrice plead Hero’s case.

The wedding has been spoiled by Don John but the villain is nowhere to be found.

© Boardworks Ltd 20044 of 16

Claudio’s revenge

© Boardworks Ltd 20045 of 16

Claudio

Use a table like the one below to make notes on Claudio.

Personality Evidence

________________ _______________

________________ _______________

________________ _______________

________________ _______________

________________ _______________

________________ _______________

What is his personality?

How does the text support your view?

© Boardworks Ltd 20046 of 16

Leonato’s anger and shame

© Boardworks Ltd 20047 of 16

What are your feelings towards Hero at this point?

In what way did Claudio interpret her visible response to the accusations?

Do you think she was given a proper opportunity to defend herself?

Who shows sympathy for Hero?

Questions

© Boardworks Ltd 20048 of 16

Who said what?

© Boardworks Ltd 20049 of 16

A woman’s virginity was essential to her reputation. Claudio’s claim that Hero is unchaste is a disgrace from which she cannot really recover because her whole social status and honour are bound up with her purity.

Hero’s possible impurity also shames Leonato who is made to feel that he is trying to offer a friend his ‘rotten’ daughter.

For men, honour had nothing to do with chastity, men could defend their honour through war and battle and this is why Beatrice later asks Benedick to kill Claudio for her.

Reputation

Are women today judged by their sexual behaviour?

Are men judged in this way?

How have things changed since the 1600s?

© Boardworks Ltd 200410 of 16

The plan

The Friar, who has known Hero since she was a child, cannot believe Claudio’s claims.

What plan does he propose which will help to reveal the truth? What other Shakespeare play does this remind you of?

© Boardworks Ltd 200411 of 16

The power of language

Language is a powerful tool in this play – those who use it carefully, seem to control others through their words.

Look at the characters below and decide which use language to a powerful effect and which have little power over language, and what this means for each character.

Leonato Don Pedro Claudio Hero Don John Dogberry

© Boardworks Ltd 200412 of 16

Beatrice and Benedick

Beatrice and Benedick have a special language all of their own.

How does the way they communicate show their connection and also their power over language?

© Boardworks Ltd 200413 of 16

Beatrice and Benedick

After the spoiled wedding, which should have been a romantic moment, we witness the first exchange of love between Beatrice and Benedick.

I do love nothing in the world so well as you; Is not that strange?

As strange as the thing I know not… I was about to protest I loved you.

And do it with all thy heart.

I love you with so much of my heart that none is left to protest.

© Boardworks Ltd 200414 of 16

Beatrice’s vengeance

Beatrice asks Benedick to kill Claudio to take revenge for the injustice he has done to Hero. Beatrice asks this because as a woman she cannot do this herself.

Come, bid me do anything for thee.

Kill Claudio.

Ha! Not for the wide world.

O God that I were a man! I would eat his [Claudio’s] heart in the market place… I cannot be a man with wishing, therefore I will die a woman with grieving.

Beatrice recognizes the inequality between the sexes and laments her status as a woman.

© Boardworks Ltd 200415 of 16

Act Four, Scene Two

© Boardworks Ltd 200416 of 16

Act Four, Scene Two

At the end of this funny scene, Conrade insults Dogberry, and Dogberry responds to him.

Dost thou not suspect my place? Dost thou not suspect my years?

Away! you are an ass, you are an ass.

Does anyone respect Dogberry? Do you?

suspect – respect