The second half of Much Ado About Nothing is certainly much more dramatic and darker. Of course, there’s still some comedy thrown in. The second half begins after the Prince and Claudio “find out” that “Hero is not a virgin.” If you’ll remember, the Prince’s bastard brother made a deal with Borachio where Borachio would have sex with Hero’s handmaid but make it look like it was with Hero. In the play, he does this by putting Hero’s veil onto Margaret at the bachelorette party and being in a dark place, calling out Hero’s name as the men go by. Claudio vows to shame Hero publicly during their wedding. Meanwhile, Benedick and Beatrice have become convinced, through everyone else’s manipulations, that they both love the other. Which makes them both giddy and acting stupid around each other. As love can often do.
The wedding begins and Hero, of course, is excitedly nervous while Claudio looks very grim. Before saying their vows, Claudio accuses Hero of not being a maid and seems on the verge of violence. Hero, in shock, cannot defend herself which makes her father believe Claudio’s claims, especially when both Dons state that Claudio tells the truth. Claudio continues to verbally attack his fiancee and states that “for thee I’ll lock up all the gates of love.” In shock, Hero faints, Claudio and the Prince leave, others had been trickling out, and all that is left is an unconscious Hero, Beatrice, the friar, Leonato, Innogen (Hero’s mother), and Benedick. Leonato continues to rant at Hero and she wakes up. As he is yelling at her, he attempts to strike her multiple times but is held back and continually blocked by Benedick. Leonato is further convinced of Hero’s guilt when Beatrice admits to not being Hero’s bedfellow the night before. Instead of believing his daughter, he believes the Dons and Claudio.
Let’s take a moment to discuss a large fault in the characters. And some readers will probably roll their eyes at this. But there is a common theme in Much Ado About Nothing where the women are seen as weak and men are believed over women. It’s actually pretty common in many of Shakespeare’s plays and considering the time period, it’s not at all surprising. Even in the US, women weren’t even granted the right to vote until almost 100 years ago. Shakespeare was alive in the early 17th century. Big difference in gender equality. (Though I sometimes wonder if Shakespeare didn’t write his women the way he did as a push against the inequality. Some of his women, like Beatrice, are very forward and brash or hold great power.) First of all, when hearing about Hero’s unfaithfulness, Claudio and Don John don’t decide to talk to her about this. Instead, they sneak around, hoping to catch her in the act. Hero is going to be Claudio’s wife, he should be able to talk with her. But, I guess we can’t forget that they barely know each other as well. Then Claudio decides to humiliate her in front of everyone and blindside her with is accusations. That’s just an asshole move. And Don John is more than happy to go along with it. As the higher ranking official and older man, he should’ve been more political about the situation, especially since Leonato is so highly regarded. They didn’t just humiliate Hero, they humiliated her family. Which is why Leonato becomes so enraged at Hero’s supposed unfaithfulness. Which brings me to my second point of this play – a father turning against his daughter because of the word of three men. The men had no proof but were held in higher regard because they were men and their political power. He not only not believes his own and only daughter, he not only yells at her, but he tries to strike her multiple times and only fails due to Benedick’s intervention. And soon you’ll see that during Benedick’s and Beatrice’s discussion about the whole situation, Beatrice is distraught that she wasn’t born a man because as a woman, she cannot challenge Claudio for his lies. “It is a man’s office,” she tells him. Only Benedick can help her by killing Claudio himself and in doing so will prove his love to her. When Benedick says no, she is angered and states she “cannot be a man with wishing, therefore I will die a woman with grieving.” She has no power to avenge her friend and must ask a man to do it in her place. When he refuses, her chance of vengeance is gone.
But there is heroism in some of the male characters. The friar speaks up and tells Leonato that he has seen many blushing brides and he believes Hero to be innocent. Hero exclaims that she is innocent and her father still seems dubious. Benedick chimes in stating that Don John and Claudio are respectable men and there’s a potential that they were deceived by Don Pedro, who is known to be a dishonest man. Leonato states that if she is false, he “will tear her” but if she has been wronged, he will exact vengeance upon the men. The friar suggests that they pretend Hero is dead in order to bring out the truth and make Claudio feel guilty for his false charges. Benedick speaks up to convince Leonato that this is the correct action and states that even though he is friends with Don John and Claudio, he will keep this secret and help them find the truth. Leonato agrees and everyone leaves except for Beatrice and Benedick.
Benedick asks if she’s been crying this whole time and when Beatrice says she has, he replies that he wishes that weren’t so. He also makes it a point to tell her that he believes Hero is innocent. Beatrice says, “How much might the man deserve of me that would right her.” Benedick wants to know how to show such friendship. “A very even way but no such friend,” states she. “May a man do it?” “It is a man’s office. But not yours.” On one hand, I wonder if this means she’s saying he’s not a man. It can certainly be construed that way. But I really don’t think so. She’s not in the mood to play games with him at the moment. To me, she wants vengeance on Claudio which only a man can do and while Benedick is a man, it is not his responsibility to defend Hero. So Benedick takes this moment to exclaim, “I do love nothing in the world so well as you!” immediately followed by, “Is not that strange?” It certainly turns the scene 180 from drama to comedy. They finally profess their love for one another, though Beatrice does it somewhat grudgingly. Benedick wants to prove his love for her and mistakenly states, “Come. Bid me do anything for thee.” After some uncontrollable laughing, the scene turns serious again and she tells him to kill Claudio. He looks incredulous at the request and says, “Not for the wide world.” She states he kills her by not doing so and attempts to leave. He bids her to stay and she becomes angry, stating he does not love her and while she is gone while she’s here. Or in other words, she is still physically in the room but he’s lost her by not doing what she asked of him. Benedick replies he would become friends with her before fighting Claudio. She yells at him in outrage about how she wishes she was a man so she could fight Claudio instead and she would “eat his heart in the marketplace.” But alas, she is a woman, who must grieve instead. The lines turn back around to friends and men when Beatrice exclaims, “Oh that I were a man for his sake. Or that I had any friend who would be a man for my sake.” When Beatrice goes to leave again Benedick yet again stops her and asks if she is certain that Claudio has wronged Hero. Beatrice is certain and breaks down weeping again. Benedick states he will challenge Claudio. Beatrice is shocked and without words as Benedick professes his love and leaves to confront his friend.
The next scene is basically the guard bringing in Borachio and Conrade, everyone finding out Claudio accused Hero of cheating, Borachio and Conrade confessing to what happened, and trying to rush to tell others of the truth. As the stage turns, we see Don Pedro turning with it from one side of the stage to the other.
The following scene begins with Leonato and his wife talking. Leonato finally seems to begin to believe his daughter when in walks Don John and Claudio. They exchange many heated words and Leonato tells them that because of Claudio’s lies, Hero is now laid to rest with her ancestors. Claudio denies his involvement, claims she is the guilty one, but Leonato will have none of it. The continue to exchange words and Hero’s mother steps forward and splashes her drink on Claudio’s face. She then tears into him as well about his slander and villainy and how her daughter is dead. The Don calms the situation and Hero’s parents leave as Benedick arrives. Don John and Claudio start to laugh and kid around while Benedick is unusually serious. Benedick asks a private word with Claudio and calls him a villain, ensuring Claudio that he is not jesting. He presents his challenge and if Claudio refuses, Claudio will be labeled a coward. Benedick tells him that he has “killed a sweet lady” and leaves no doubt that this is a serious confrontation. Don John steps in and continues to crack jokes at Benedick, especially using Beatrice’s name. Benedick is not amused and hands Don John a letter, which, I assume, states his formal separation from Don John’s company, possibly even resignation. (I haven’t looked it up to know officially what the letter contains.) He does state, “I must discontinue your company” as he hands over the letter. He informs them that Don Pedro has fled Messina, they have killed an innocent girl, and he has challenged Claudio. Benedick promptly leaves.
Don John seems shook about his brother leaving Messina, as running away from a place never looks good. The guard comes in with Borachio and Conrade and speaks at quite a length about why he and the two men are there. Instead of letting the guard prattle on, Don John asks the men what their offense is. Borachio confesses to tricking them and slandering Hero. Don Prince and Claudio are horrified and angered at Don Pedro. Leonato, who has already been told of the deception, arrives. He confronts Borachio and then Don John and Claudio. Claudio begs forgiveness and Leonato states that since Claudio couldn’t be his son-in-law, Claudio will marry “Hero’s cousin” the following day instead. Everyone leaves and the stage turns once again.
Benedick is sitting on a beach lounge chair playing on a mini keyboard. It is yet another turn from drama to comedy, especially when a song starts playing on its own and Benedick doesn’t know how to turn it off. So the boy from earlier with a book walks in, turns it off, then walks offstage without a word. He calls for Margaret and asks her to get Beatrice for him. They banter back and forth a bit before she leaves to find Beatrice. As he’s waiting, Benedick speaks to himself (to the audience) and his problems rhyming then continues playing with the mini keyboard until Beatrice comes in and startles him. They banter back and forth a short bit before Beatrice requests to know what happened when he confronted Claudio. He states “only foul words” and that Claudio undergoes his challenge and if he doesn’t hear from Claudio soon, then he must brand Claudio a coward. He then asks “for which of [his] bad parts did [she] first fall in love with [him]” and she states all of them together and that none of his good parts would ever intermingle with his bad parts. She then asks the opposite of him – which of her good parts did he first suffer love with her. He admits to loving her against his will. He then states that they are both “too wise to woo peaceably.” Which has been shown many times over. They have too much fun going at each other to have the same time of relationship as anyone else. They enjoy each others’ wits too much. Things then turn serious yet again as he asks how Hero is doing and Beatrice replies, “Very ill.” He asks how she is doing. “Very ill too.” Then comes the line that’s probably my favorite, and probably many, if not most, other women’s favorite as well.
“Serve God. Love me. And mend.”
He is attempting to make her feel better. Christians find comfort in God. Those in love find comfort in their partners. And we feel better for it. Before falling in love with Benedick, she only had her religion for comfort. Now she has someone physical to help comfort her as well. She’s not alone. And that makes a world of difference.
Margaret arrives and informs them it is official that Hero has been falsely accused. When Margaret leaves, Beatrice asks if Benedick will go with her. Benedick takes her hands in his, looks into her eyes, and says, “I will live in thy heart. Die in thy lap. And be buried in thy eyes… … And moreover I will go with thee to thy uncle.” A serious moment, switched to humor again.
The scene turns to mourning for Hero and a eulogy from Claudio, praising Hero’s life. It is obvious he feels great guilt, especially as the scene changes to him listening to loud music, drinking, and putting a gun to his chin while he cries. Hero arrives before he pulls the trigger and he’s so startled that he falls down. It’s the darkest scene so far.
The stage then turns and shows everyone waiting for the wedding to begin. While waiting on the bride, Benedick then requests from the friar and Leonato, that he and Beatrice would be married that day as well. Both Leonato and the friar agree. The wedding begins and the bride and her maids are in black and black veils cover their faces. Claudio goes to lift the veil of his intended bride but Leonato stops him, claiming that Claudio will not see his bride’s face until they are married. He says his vows and when his bride lifts her veil, he just about falls over when he sees it’s Hero. She claims she is not the Hero he was to marry before, as that Hero died in shame. She is now a new Hero and his bride without shame. After they kiss, Benedick see Beatrice, gets down on one knee, and proposes to her. When she starts to shake her head he asks doesn’t she love him? She replies no more than reason. He says Leonato, the Don, and Claudio states she did. She then asks if he loves her and he replies in the negative, also no more than reason. And she says her cousin, Margaret, and Ursula told her otherwise. Benedick overheard she was sick in love with him. Beatrice heard he was almost dead for love with her. They both state they don’t love each other but only in friendly banter. However, a letter from each shows otherwise as both letters claim love for the other. Benedick says, “I will have thee but by this light, I take thee for pity.” Beatrice replies, “I would not deny you but by this good day I yield under great persuasion and partly to save your life for I was told you were in a consumption.” After a moment, Benedick kisses her and she kisses him back. The Prince makes a joke about Benedick now being a married man and Benedick basically states that he’s so happy at the moment, that nothing can get to him. He then calls Claudio over, states he would have beaten him in the challenge, but since they are going to be family now, everything is forgiven. Everyone gets ready to dance and Benedick sees Don John sitting alone and saddened. Benedick, who was against settling down in the beginning of the play, tells the Don “Get thee a wife.” A moment later, it is told that Don Pedro has been captured. Benedick advises waiting until tomorrow to deal with him and have fun today. Everyone begins to dance and have fun to “Sigh No More.” Except for Don John who still can’t seem to dismiss that he was duped by his half brother and thought he had killed an innocent woman.
Thus end the great Much Ado About Nothing. A play that switches from drama to comedy. Love to hate to love again. Betrayal and trust. With one of the biggest life lessons:
Just freaking talk to people about problems.
The Variety of David Tennant (and friends) 