Much Ado About Nothing
by William Shakespeare
Table of Contents
Discussion Questions
1. The characters in Much Ado About Nothing often speak of marriage, sometimes with eager anticipation and sometimes with dread. Discuss the role of marriage in the play. Which characters seem afraid of marriage? Which welcome it? Do their opinions change over the course of the play? How?
2. After Hero is accused of infidelity, she pretends to be dead in order to restore her reputation. Discuss the symbolic significance of Hero’s death and rebirth. If Claudio had not decided to shame Hero publicly, do you think it would it have been necessary for her to “die”? Why or why not?
3. Compare and contrast the characters of Claudio and Benedick. Which character is more mature? How does their treatment of the women they love differ? Discuss the differences in the relationships between Claudio and Hero versus Benedick and Beatrice.
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