59 pages 1 hour read

William Shakespeare

Much Ado About Nothing

Fiction | Play | Adult | Published in 1598

A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more. For select classroom titles, we also provide Teaching Guides with discussion and quiz questions to prompt student engagement.

Acts III-V

Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Act III, Scene 1 Summary

Hero and her servants Margaret and Ursula now play the same trick on Beatrice that the gentlemen played on Benedick: Pretending not to know she is hiding in the orchard, they talk loudly about how deeply Benedick is in love with Beatrice.

Their strategy is a little different. Whereas the men invented dramatic scenes of Beatrice pining away, the ladies mostly criticize Beatrice’s character, reflecting on how the “disdain and scorn” that “ride sparkling in her eyes” mean she will never love anyone, as she is too proud. Hero even says she will go counsel Benedick to turn his attention elsewhere if he doesn’t wish to be cruelly mocked.

When the ladies depart, congratulating themselves on a job well done, Beatrice emerges from her hiding place and vows to return Benedick’s love. Where Benedick’s love speech is many, many lines long, Beatrice’s is short and sweet. She simply and quickly vows to give up her pride, requite Benedick’s love, and acknowledge what she already knows—that he is a worthy man.

Related Titles

By William Shakespeare

Study Guide
logo

All's Well That Ends Well

William Shakespeare

All's Well That Ends Well

William Shakespeare

STUDY + TEACHING GUIDE
logo

A Midsummer Night's Dream

William Shakespeare

A Midsummer Night's Dream

William Shakespeare

Study Guide
logo

Antony and Cleopatra

William Shakespeare

Antony and Cleopatra

William Shakespeare

STUDY + TEACHING GUIDE
logo

As You Like It

William Shakespeare

As You Like It

William Shakespeare

Study Guide
logo

Coriolanus

William Shakespeare

Coriolanus

William Shakespeare

Plot Summary
logo

Cymbeline

William Shakespeare

Cymbeline

William Shakespeare

Study Guide
logo

Hamlet

William Shakespeare

Hamlet

William Shakespeare

Study Guide
logo

Henry IV, Part 1

William Shakespeare

Henry IV, Part 1

William Shakespeare

Plot Summary
logo

Henry IV, Part 2

William Shakespeare

Henry IV, Part 2

William Shakespeare

Study Guide
logo

Henry V

William Shakespeare

Henry V

William Shakespeare

Plot Summary
logo

Henry VIII

William Shakespeare

Henry VIII

William Shakespeare

Plot Summary
logo

Henry VI, Part 1

William Shakespeare

Henry VI, Part 1

William Shakespeare

Plot Summary
logo

Henry VI, Part 3

William Shakespeare

Henry VI, Part 3

William Shakespeare

STUDY + TEACHING GUIDE
logo

Julius Caesar

William Shakespeare

Julius Caesar

William Shakespeare

Plot Summary
logo

King John

William Shakespeare

King John

William Shakespeare

STUDY + TEACHING GUIDE
logo

King Lear

William Shakespeare

King Lear

William Shakespeare

Study Guide
logo

Love's Labour's Lost

William Shakespeare

Love's Labour's Lost

William Shakespeare

STUDY + TEACHING GUIDE
logo

Macbeth

William Shakespeare

Macbeth

William Shakespeare

Study Guide
logo

Measure For Measure

William Shakespeare

Measure For Measure

William Shakespeare

Study Guide
logo

Othello

William Shakespeare

Othello

William Shakespeare