scene summarys and linking quotes

act 1 scene 1

summary - the soldiers return home, Benedict is convinced he will never marry, the war hero Claudio falls in love with hero, and don pedro decides to help him woo her.

key quotes - ‘signor mountanto’, ‘merry war’/’skirmish of wit’, ‘figure of a lamb, feats of a lion’, ‘lady disdain’, ‘can the world buy such a jewel’, ‘pluck off the bulls horns and set them in my forehead’, - benedick referencing cuckolds. ‘war thoughts have left their places vacant’ - claudio declaring he is ready to love. ‘i hasd rather hear a dog bark at a crow than a man swear he loves me’

act 1 scene 2

summary - Leonato is convinced that don pedro wishes to marry hero. This is teh first deception, but this one is accidental.

act 1 scene 3

summary - don john hatches a plan to ruin claudio and heros romance, becasue he resents both don pedro and claudio as they defeated him in war.

key quotes - ‘i had rather be a canker in a hegde than a rose in his grace’, ‘i am a plain dealing villain’

act 2 scene 1

summary - at the masked ball, don pedro woos hero for claudio and the couple are united (despite don johns best efforts). Beatrice mocks benedick but it is unclear how direct she is being. Don Pedro hatches a plan to unite bea and ben

key quotes - ‘beauty is a witch’, ‘she speaks poniards and every word stabs’,

act 2 scene 2

summary - Don John and his evil minions hatch a plan to riun claudio and heros marriage. There will be a suacy midnight scene and claudio will witness it

act 2 scene 3

summary - benedick is gulled into thinking beatrice loves him by his gang of friends. They also justify not telling him

act 3 scene 1

beatrice is gulled into loving benedick by margaret and ursula

act 3 scene 2

benedick is acting strangely and in love, claudio is invited by don john into witnessing heros supposed unfaithfulness

act 3 scene 3

the watch catch borachio and conrade but their charade has already been achieved

act 3 scene 4

beatrice is in love and being teased by margaret and ursula. Hero prepares for the wedding

act 3 scene 5

the watch try to tell leonato the plot but he is too busy to listen

act 4 scene 1

claudio publically denounces hero, suppourted by the dons. Hero feigns death (on suggestion of the friar) so that cluadio will remember his love for her. Beatrice orders benedick to challange claudio

act 4 scene 2

borachio and conrade are interrogated and when their crimes are revealed, sent to claudio

act 5 scene 1

leonato and his brother tell claudio of heros death, benedick challanges claudio to a duel. The trick played by don john is revelaed by borachio and conrade in chains. Claudio agrees to pay repects to hero and marry a mystery niece as punishment.

act 5 scene 2

benedick tells beatrice of his challange, they then go to leonatos house and discover proof of heros innocence

act 5 scene 3

claudio pays rescpects to hero at her tomb

act 5 scene 4

claudio marries the masked niece, then finds out she is hero, beatrice and benedick agree to marry out of pity, them proving letters of their a found. Claudio is forgiven, and the play ends with a dance and a double wedding

act 1 summary

soldiers return, relationships introduced

act 2 summary

masked ball, tricking begins

act 3 summary

deceptions unfold, hero is set up

act 4 summary

wedding disaster

act 5 summary

truth revealed, resolution