MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING

Quiz Act 1
1. Who has rewarded Claudio, and why?

2. Why does Beatrice ask about Benedick? What do you think is the
‘real’ reason?

3. What does the following quote indicate about Beatrice and

Benedick’s relationship?
“There is a kind of merry war betwixt Signior Benedick and her:
they never meet but there’s a skirmish of wit between them.” (I,
i, pg 2)

4. Beatrice and Benedick say that lovers are fools, and they want
nothing to do with love. Why do you think they say this?

5. How does Benedick react to Claudio’s declaration that Hero is “the

sweetest lady that I ever looked on”?

6. Why does Claudio send Don Pedro as his emissary to Hero to

declare his love?

7. Why does Don John want to cause trouble? Why is he so morose?

8. What do you think Don John means by this quote:

“I am trusted with a muzzle, and enfranchised with a clog.
Therefore I have decreed not to sing in my cage” (I.iii.25–27)

9. Why do you think is the purpose of the dialogue between Benedick

and Beatrice? What might be revealed through their speech?

10. Where are there examples of misunderstanding in Act 1?

11. What do you think is meant by the following quote:

“The savage bull may, but if ever the sensible Benedick bear it,
pluck off the bull’s horns and set them in my forehead, and let me
be vilely painted, and in such great letters as they write ‘Here is
good horse to hire’ let them signify under my sign ‘Here you may
see Benedick, the married man.” (I.i.215–219)
 MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING
Quiz Act 2
Scene 1
1. What are Beatrice’s reasons for not wanting to have anything to do
with men?

2. What does Beatrice mean by this quote:

“What should I do with him—dress him in my apparel and make
him my waiting gentlewoman? He that hath a beard is more than
a youth, and he that hath no beard is less than a man; and he
that is more than a youth is not for me, and he that is less than a
man, I am not for him.” (II.i.28–32)

3. What advice does Beatrice offer Hero?

4. What are Leonato’s instructions to his daughter, Hero? Include a

QUOTE:

5. What does Leonato’s advice show about traditional attitudes?

6. Do you think Beatrice and Benedick know each other when they
speak behind their masks? Why or why not?

7. What might be symbolic about why Don John is not masked during
the party?

8. Why does Don John pretend he does not recognize Claudio?

9. What lie does Claudio tell Don John?

10. What lie does Don John tell Claudio?

11. What do you think is the meaning of the following quote?

“Friendship is constant in all other things,
Save in the office and affairs of love.
Therefore all hearts in love use their own tounges;
Let every negotiate for itself
And trust no agent, for beauty is a witch
Against whose charms faith melteth into blood.” (II, i, pg. 17)

12. What does Benedick tease Claudio about?

13. How does Claudio react to Benedick’s teasing? What does this show
us about Claudio?
14. Translate the following quotes into plain English:

Act II, scene ii, pg.18 Benedick:

Benedick:…and the rod he might
have bestowed on you, who, as I
take it, have stolen his birds’ nest.
Don Pedro: I will but teach them to Don Pedro:
sing, and restore them to the
owner.

15. What does Beatrice mean when she says, “once before he won it
of me with false dice”? (II, i, pg. 20)

16. Who first has the idea to put Beatrice and Benedick together?

17. What is Don Pedro’s plan?

Scene II
18. What plan do Don John and Borachio hatch?

19. Why is Borachio willing to help Don John?

Scene III
20. Why does Don Pedro’s plan work so well?

21. How does Benedick rationalize himself into loving Beatrice?

Include a QUOTE:

22. Why do you think Benedick is so easily tricked into loving

Beatrice?

23. How does Beatrice react to Benedick when she tells him it is time
for dinner?

24. What does Benedick think of the way Beatrice talks to him? What
does he think is really going on?

MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING

Quiz Act 3
Scene 1
1. On what errand does Hero send Margaret?
2. Translate LINE BY LINE the following into plain English:

Act III, scene I, page 31 Plain English:

1. Now, Ursula, when Beatrice 1.
doth come,
2. As we do trace this alley up and 2.
down,
3. Our talk must only be of 3.
Benedick.
4. When I do name him, let it be 4.
thy part
5. To praise him more than ever 5.
man did merit:
6. My talk to thee must be, how 6.
Benedick
7. Is sick in love with Beatrice. Of 7.
this matter
8. Is little Cupid’s crafty arrow 8.
made,
9. That only wounds by hearsay. 9.

3. What does Beatrice overhear?

4. What does Beatrice resolve? Include a QUOTE:
Scene 2
5. Don Pedro says that Benedick is “all mirth.” What does that mean?
What is the definition of mirth?
6. What physical ailment does Benedick claim is troubling him?
7. How has Benedick changed his appearance and why?
8. What conclusion do Don Pedro and Claudio draw from Benedick's
new appearance?
9. What does Don John tell Don Pedro and Claudio?
10. How can Don John prove what he says?
11. If Hero has been unloyal, what will Claudio do?
12. What will Don Pedro do if Hero proves unloyal?
Scene 3
13. What jobs are held by Dogberry and Verges?
14. What stereotype are Dogberry and Verges?
15. What is funny about the commands that Dogberry gives for the
watchmen?
16. What is the watch's job that night?
17. Why is Borachio helping Don John?
18. What does Borachio tell Conrade? What happens when he
finishes his story?

Scene 4
19. As the women prepare for the wedding, what do they discuss?
20. What is wrong with Beatrice?
21. What does Margaret claim will cure Beatrice? What pun is made
and to what effect?

Scene 5
22. Why have Dogberry and Verges come to see Leonato?
23. What does Leonato do?
24. How do you think Leonato’s decision will affect what’s next?

MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING

Quiz Act 4 and 5
Act IV
Scene 1
1. What does Claudio compare Hero to in his speech?
2. What might the guests at the wedding take as proof of Hero’s
innocence?
3. What does Claudio claim Hero’s “proof of innocence” is actually
proof of?
4. At first, what does Leonato assume has happened when Claudio
asserts that Hero is not a virgin?
5. Leonato and Hero appeal to Don Pedro for help in stopping Claudio’s
claims, but what does Don Pedro say?
6. Who else sides with Claudio?
7. What happens to Hero after Claudio has shamed her?
8. Beatrice originally thinks Hero might be dead, and who thinks that
death would be a good idea? Why does he think this?
9. Who believes in Hero's innocence, and even stakes his reputation
on it?
10. Why does everyone believe Don Pedro and Claudio whole-
heartedly?
11. Whom does Benedick suspect may be behind all this?
12. What is the Friar’s plan? Why does he think this will work?
13. What will happen in the plan does NOT work? Include a QUOTE:
14. How do Beatrice and Benedick act different to each other in the
scene after Hero is taken away?
15. When Benedick tells Beatrice that he will do anything for her,
what request does she make? How does he react?

Scene 2
16. What does the sexton discover during his interrogation of
Conrade and Borachio?
17. How does Conrade upset Dogberry?
18. How does Dogberry defend himself?

Act V
Scene 1
19. What does Leonato tell Claudio? Include a QUOTE:
20. What does Benedick tell Claudio?
21. What are Don Pedro and Claudio trying to do to Benedick in this
scene?
22. Where is Don John?
23. How does Borachio insult Don Pedro while telling him the truth?
Include a QUOTE:
24. What TWO THINGS does Leonato ask Claudio to do in order to
gain Leonato’s forgiveness?
25. Who is betrothed but doesn’t know about it?

Scene 2
26. Summarize, in about 2-3 sentences, what happens in this scene.

Scene 3
27. What is happening in this scene?
Scene 4
28. When Benedick says, “And so am I, being else by faith enforced
to call young Claudio to a reckoning for it” (V, iiii, lines 8-9). What is
he talking about and what does he mean?
29. When Benedick states that he requites Beatrice’s love, Leonato
says, “The sight whereof I think you had from me, from Claudio, and
the prince: but what’s your will?” (V, iiii, 26-26). Put into plain
English what Leonato is saying. What does he mean?
30. Why did Leonato ask the women to return masked?
31. What proof do others bring forth to show that Beatrice and
Benedick really love one another?
32. Why does Benedick say he will marry Beatrice?
33. Why does Beatrice say she will marry Benedick?
34. Put the following quote into PLAIN ENGLISH:

Benedick: PLAIN ENGLISH:

In brief, since I do purpose to

marry, I will think nothing to any
purpose that the world can say
against it; and therefore never
flout at me for what I have said
against it; for man is a giddy
thing, and this is my conclusion.

35. What happens at the very end of the scene?