Much Ado About Nothing

Question 1

Leonato describes the relationship between Benedick and Beatrice (act 1)

Answer 1

Leonato: There is a kind of merry war betwixt Signor Benedick and her

Question 2

Beatrice atypically denouncing a mans love

Answer 2

I had rather hear my dog bark at a crow than a man swear he loves me

Question 3

Claudio asking his friends if Hero is honorable

Answer 3

Is she not a modest young lady?

Question 4

A joke by Benedick, asking Claudio if he’d purchase Hero. The objectification of women can be seen here.

Answer 4

Would you buy her that you enquire after her?

Question 5

Don Pedro’s very wise and ironic statement about marriage with reference to the cuckhold

Answer 5

In time the savage bull doth take the yoke

Question 6

Claudio declaring how now his war mindset has left (suggesting how now there’s space for love)

Answer 6

But now that I am returned, and that war-thoughts/Have left their places vacant, in their rooms/Come thronging soft and delicate desires

Question 7

Don John admitting to villainy

Answer 7

I am a plain-dealing villain

Question 8

Antonio asking Hero if she’s going to abide to her father

Answer 8

Well niece, I trust you will be ruled by your father?

Question 9

Beatrice talking about love and marriage using famous dances as comparisons

Answer 9

…wooing, wedding, and repenting is as a Scotch jig, a measure and a cinquepace.

Question 10

Claudio hysterically denouncing beauty

Answer 10

For beauty is a witch/Against whose charms, faith melteth into blood

Question 11

Benedick feeling attacked by Beatrice, emphasising his pain using metaphors of war

Answer 11

She speaks poniards, and every word stabs

Question 12

Beatrice

Answer 12

… a double heart for his single one

Question 13

Don John seeking trouble, revenge

Answer 13

Any bar, any cross, any impediment will be medicinable to me

Question 14

Claudio

Answer 14

Bait the hook well. This fish will bite.

Question 15

Benedick expressing his love for Beatrice pt.1

Answer 15

…I will be horribly in love with her…The world must be peopled

Question 16

Beatrice

Answer 16

I will require thee, taming my wild heart to thy loving hand

Question 17

Don John manipulating Claudio and Don Pedro into belief that Hero is promiscuous and disloyal

Answer 17

…Leonato’s Hero, your Hero, every man’s Hero

Question 18

Hero describing her heavy heart of emotion whereas Margaret replies with a euphemism/innuendo

Answer 18

Hero: …my heart is exceedingly heavy
Margaret: Twill be heavier soon by the weight of a man

Question 19

Claudio/Don Pedro

Answer 19

Give not this rotten orange to your friend!

Question 20

Don Pedro shaming Hero alongside Claudio

Answer 20

I stand dishonoured that I have gone about/To link my dear friend to a common stale

Question 21

Leonato ashamed of Hero and hysterically stating that only death can cease this shame

Answer 21

Death is the fairest cover for her shame

Question 22

Leonato exaggerating his pain from Hero’s shame, using metaphors of in and sea to express how much shame she has.

Answer 22

O she is fallen into a pit of ink, that the wide sea/Hath drops too few to wash her clean again

Question 23

Friar speaking to Hero

Answer 23

Come lady, die to live

Question 24

Beatrice’s bold imperative, directed at Benedick

Answer 24

Kill Claudio

Question 25

Dogberry confusingly speaking

Answer 25

Yet forget not that I am an ass

Question 26

Leonato challenging Claudio and Don Pedro to a duel

Answer 26

And with grey hairs and bruise of many days/Do challenge thee to trial of a man

Question 27

Benedick’s wise statement

Answer 27

In a false quarrel there is no true valour

Question 28

Borachio stating how the intelligent have been blind to the truth whereas the fools(dogberry, verges etc) have spoken the truth. Comedic effect: lower class speak the truth

Answer 28

What your wisdom could not discover, these shallow fools have brought to light

Question 29

Claudio not really owning up to his mistakes, blaming it on the circumstance rather than his own wrongdoing

Answer 29

Yet sinn’d I not/But in mistaking

Question 30

Margaret stating that women don’t need to be protected, they want to defend themselves(their own honour)

Answer 30

Give us swords, we have bucklers of our own

Question 31

Benedick talking to Beatrice about how they are unable to court each other in peace. He uses the intimate pronoun “thou”

Answer 31

Thou and I are too wise to woo peaceably

Question 32

Hero confirming her modesty and honour (act 5)

Answer 32

And surely as I live, I am a maid

Question 33

Benedick silencing Beatrice with a kiss(act 5)

Answer 33

Peace I will stop your mouth

Question 34

Benedick’s contradiction and one of his final words (act 5)

Answer 34

For man is a giddy thing, and this is my conclusion