much ado about nothing

much ado about nothing

Why would a 16th century audience find act 4 scene 1 of much ado about nothing shocking?

Much Ado about Nothing was written in the 16th century by William Shakespeare. It is a comedy; however it contrastingly displays both love and deceit. The play was set in the idyllic town of Messina where we are introduced to noble well-respected Leonato that shares his house with his young charming daughter Hero along with his witty niece Beatrice and his elder brother Antonio. At the beginning of the play, the family are welcoming home fellow soldiers back from war, which includes Don Pedro- a charismatic prince as well as two of his soldiers: Benedick that’s never short of insulting Beatrice at his own expense, and Claudio a naive handsome who is presented as young soldier that simply falls in love with Hero. At that moment they identify they are made for one another and plan to get married. A week before the wedding we are presented with Don John, Don Pedro’s illegitimate brother who is bitter with acrimony, with a malicious plan to disrupt Hero and Claudio’s bliss by spoiling their wedding. In act three we are exposed with Don John’s plan when he spitefully fools Claudio into thinking Hero has been unfaithful to him, however it was Borachio, Don John’s companion with another woman intending to be seen and thought to be Hero. Meanwhile the family plan proves successful which contains making Beatrice and Benedick who are cleverly meant for each other to stop their contempt, and to fall back in love. As a result of Don Johns plan in act four scene one Claudio stubbornly humiliates Hero before then abandoning her at the Altar, Hero faints and her family decide to declare she died from grief and mortification until her purity is regained. Thankfully, previously local police overheard Don John’s malevolent scheme, and all truth and innocence is revealed. After confessing their love to one another, Beatrice asks Benedick to ‘kill Claudio’ as a punishment for degrading...

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