The Play Itself, and Its Characters

Inhabitants of Messina

Leonato, Governor of Messina
Leonato’s Brother. He is unnamed; apparently he is not Beatrice’s father.
Hero, Leonato’s daughter. She appears to be a fairly conventional young woman, and will very shortly agree to marry Clauido. \
Beatrice, Leonato’s niece. As assertive, witty woman, self confident and not angry or bitter. She engages in a “merry war” with Benedict, whom she appears to have known a long time. No father is mentioned; Leonato appears to be her protector.
Margaret and Ursula are two women in waiting to Hero. Margaret is some sort of attraction to one of Don Juan’s servants…

Visiting Soldiers in Messina

Don Pedro, Prince of Aragon, who has just come from a war, involving the rebellion of his brother Don Juan.
Count Cladio, a young lord from Florence, and hero of the war
Signor Benedict, a soldier and best friend of Claudio.
Balthazar.
Signor Antonio.

Don Juan. Don Pedro’s brother, who has been defeated, but is angry and wishes to get revenge.
Borrachio and Conrade, two followers of Don Juan who do his bidding.

Action: 1.1, 1.2 & 1.3

Leonato learns of Don Pedro’s arrival, his victory in war, and that Claudio is a hero.
Beatrice enquires as to whether Benedict has returned (referring to him as Montano, or up-thrust), and upon learning that he has, pokes fun at him, in the spirit of their “merry war.”
Don Pedro meets Hero
Benedict and Beatrice engage in an exchange of insults. 1.1.110-142
(“I would my horse had the speed of your tongue”)
Leonato has invided Don Pedro and his company to stay for at least a month
Claudio is taken with Hero and wants to marry her; Benedict tires to disuade him, making humorus remarks about her (mentioning, in passing, the Beatrice is more beautiful by far), and warns about marriage and the prospect of being betrayed by women.
Claudio and Don Pedro talk of Hero, and Don Pedro says he will support Claudio’s suit, and even woo her on Claudio’s behalf. “What need the bridge much longer than the flood?” — Don Pedro, 1.1.311
1.2: Leonanto hears a garbled account from his brother, namely that Don Pedro wishes to court Hero
1.3: Don Juan learns the truth, that Don Pedro will woo Hero on Claudio’s behalf, and decides he will spoil it to get revenge. Borrachio and Conrade agree to help him.

Action: 2.1, 2.2, 2.3

Beatrice and Leonato banter about marriage; Leonato advises Hero to accept a proposal from Don Pedro, if there is one, and Beatrice advises Hero to do what she wishes.
The masked revel begins, and Hero and the disguised Don Pedro dance and talk. Benedict flirts with Margaret, Hero’s Lady in Waiting. Urusula and Antonio flirt.
The masked Benedict and Beatrice engage in repartee.
The revel ends, and all exit except Don Juan, Borrachio and Claudio: Don Juan tells Claudio (believing he is Benedict), that Don Pedro loves Hero. Claudio is dismayed but accepts this:
“Friendship is constant in all other things / Save the office and affairs of love.”– 173-4
Benedict arrives and tells Claudio that Don Pedro has ‘got his Hero,’ poking fun at him; Claudio leaves.
The Prince, Leonato and Hero arrive. Benedict explains he has told Claudio that the Prince has won Hero; the Prince disabuses him of this notion. The Prince then tells him that Beatrice’s dance partner reported that she has a quarrel with Benedict; Benedict replies with a long speech about his grievances with Beatrice.
Beatrice and Hero arrive, and they spar, and Benedict leaves. Don Pedro announces he has won Hero, and will give her to Don Pedro, who is overjoyed. Beatrice seems to say she will never be married; Don Pedro asks if she will have him, but she says no.
Don Pedro declares he will cause Benedict and Beatrice to marry, and engages Leonato, Claudio and Hero to assist him.
2.2. Don Juan is angry that Claudio will marry hero; Borrachio proposes to stop the marriage by making it appear the Hero is unfaithful.
2.3. Benedict has a soliliquoy where he regrets Claudios change of heart, but declares that he will not marry. Then, as Leonato, Don Pedro and Balthazar arrive, he hides in the arbor. Balthazar sings the song, about women having to accept men’s faithlessness.
2.3: The Gulling of Benedict. Then Leonato and Don Pedro and Claudio talk about Beatrice’s love for Benedict, and he begins to believe it. After this, Benedict has a soliliquoy where we see him changing his mind, persuading himself. Then Beatrice arrives and reluctantly summons Benedict to dinner, with her usual caustic wit. After she departs, Benedict finds he can read her words in a positive way, and decides he will pursue her.

Dogberry.

Action: 3.1 – 3.2

3.1. The Gulling of Beatrice. Hero sends Margaret to tell Beatrice that they are talking about her, and Beatrice comes and eavesdrops: Hero and Ursula praise Benedict, and criticize Beatrice. The scene ends with Beatrice depending of her behavior (“Contempt farewell and maiden pride adieu / no glory lives behind the backs of such.” – Beatrice, 3.1.115-116) and convinced of Benedict’s love: “Benedict, love on!”
3.2. Don Pedro and Claudio and Leonato and Benedict are together, and Benedict hints (“I am not as I was”), and Claudio and Don Pedro diagnose that Benedict is in love. Leonato and Benedict exit to talk privately, and Don John appears and tells Don Pedro and Claudio that Hero is unfaithful and he will prove it..

The Constabulary

Dogberry, the Constable. He is the chief, but is very odd, prone to misdirection and malapropisms and often behaving in the opposite way one would expect.
Verges, Dogberry’s assistant.

Acts 3.3 – 5

Dogberry and Verges enter, and appoint one of the watchmen chief. Dogberry gives them instructions, which are the opposite of what one would expect, basically to ignore people who won’t obey them. Dogberry urges that they keep a close watch on Leonato’s house, due to the impending marriage of Hero and Claudio. Then Borrachio and Comrade enter (not noticing the watchmen), and Borrachio drunkenly boasts of his trickery. The watchmen hear this, and seize both of them.
3.4. Hero and Ursula, dressing Hero for her marriage, are joined by Beatrice, who seems ill… and they tease her that she is in love. Others arrive to escort Hero et al to the wedding.
3.5. Dogberry and Verges try to tell Leonardo about what they discovered, but they are unintelligible, and Leonardo dismisses them.

Act 4.1 – 5.4 (end)

4.1. Wedding/Shaming of Hero. At the wedding Claudio et al denounce Hero and leave; Hero protests and finally faints. The Friar who was performing the wedding believes in Hero’s innocence based on closely watching her face as she was accused, and argues strongly for it. He convinces Leonardo (who did not believe Hero, and is still unsure) to say that she had died, believing it may remind Claudio of his love for her. Benedict suggests the Don Pedro and Claudio may have been misled, and that Don John is the likely culprit. Beatrice asks Benedict to kill Claudio; he first objects, but then consents.
4.2. Examination and proof of deception. Dogberry, Verges and the Sexton examine Borrachio and Conrade. The Sexton calls the watchman, who describes what Borrachio has done. It ends with Borrachio and Conrade calling Dogberry an ass, which clearly angers him.
5.1. The Challenge and Revelation. Leonato is raving with grief as his brother tries and fails to console him. Leonato and his brother announce that Hero is dead, and quarrel with Don Pedro and Claudio. They try to challenge Claudio to a duel, but he will not accept. Then Benedict arrives and quarrels with them as well, and succeeds in challenging Claudio to a duel and then departs. Dogberry, the Sexton and the prisoners arrive, and their deception is explained, and it is revealed the Don John has fled. Claudio and Don Pedro are horrified: “Runs not this speech like iron through your blood?” Claudio begs Leonato’s forgiveness, and is told that as penance he is to marry his niece and heir — who is very much like Hero — tomorrow. Borrachio also says Margaret is innocent.
5.2 Hero’s innocence. Benedict tells Beatrice that he has challenged Claudio. They are summoned to Leanato’s with the news that Hero has been proven innocent.
5.3. Hero’s funeral. Claudio hangs a scroll on Hero’s tomb, and has a song sung for her.
5.4.The Wedding. Claudio appears to marry Leanatro’s niece, who is masked, and it is revealed that she is hero. Beatrice and Benedict also marry, but only out of pity for each other — though poems each has written reveal their love for one another. Claudio is forgiven by all.

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