Much Ado About Nothing

Roles

• Benedick - Young Adult (20-35), Adult (36-50), Male

About this piece

Benedick changes his mind about love

Summary

The play takes place in Messina at the house of Leonato, a wealthy nobleman. He lives with his daughter Hero, his niece Beatrice and his brother Antonio. Leonato welcomes at his house some friends who are returning from a war. They are Don Pedro, a prince, Claudio, a shy nobleman, Benedick, a witty and playful character, and Don John, Don Pedro's illegitimate brother. Claudio instantly falls in love with Hero and Don Pedro decides to help him court her at a masked dance that will take place the same night. Benedick and Beatrice, on the other hand, swear they will never marry and that love is a foolish thing. They seem to hate each other and constantly play games of wit where they insult each other about anything. With the help of Don Pedro, Claudio wins Hero's heart and they decide to marry in a week. To pass the time before their wedding, they decide to play a game, that is to get Benedick and Beatrice to fall in love with each other. When they see Benedick alone in the orchard, Don Pedro, Leonato and Claudio pretend that they don't know Benedick can hear them and talk about how Beatrice has desperately fallen in love with Benedick and is afraid to confess it to him. They decide Benedick is not worthy of her love. In this monologue, at the end of ACT II, Scene 3, Benedick expresses to himself his surprise about Beatrice's love for him. He decides to love her back and court her.

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