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Scene 1
Leonato, Hero’s father, falls into a state of deep grief and shock. Torn by his worries about whether Hero is indeed chaste as she claims and his questions about what actually occurred, he cannot function. His brother Antonio tries to cheer him, telling him to have patience. But Leonato answers that although people can easily give advice when they are themselves not unhappy, people in great pain cannot follow the advice so easily. Don Pedro and Claudio enter, see Leonato and Antonio, and quickly try to leave. But Leonato follows them and accuses Claudio of having lied about Hero and having caused her death. Leonato announces that, despite his great age, he challenges Claudio to a duel for the crime Claudio has committed against Hero by ruining her good name; Leonato states that he is not too old to kill or die for honor and for the love of his child. The embarrassed Claudio and Don Pedro pretend to ignore their challengers. Finally, Leonato and Antonio leave, vowing that they will have their revenge.

After Leonato and Antonio depart, Benedick enters. Claudio and Don Pedro welcome him, asking Benedick to employ his famous wit to cheer them up. But Benedick is in no mood to be funny. He tells Claudio that he believes Claudio has slandered Hero, and he quietly challenges him to a duel. When the other two keep on trying to joke with him, Benedick finally discloses that he can no longer be their companion since their slanderous accusations have murdered an innocent woman. Benedick informs Don Pedro that Don John has fled the city and leaves. At first, Claudio and Don Pedro take in this change in Benedick’s behavior and the information of Don John’s flight with shock and confusion. Slowly they begin to realize Benedick’s serious intent—and they rightly guess that his love for Beatrice must be the only thing that could have motivated him to challenge his dearest friend to a fight to the death.

Dogberry and Verges suddenly enter, accompanied by the other men of the Watch, dragging behind them the captured villains Conrad and Borachio. Dogberry tells Claudio and Don Pedro that Borachio has confessed to treachery and lying, and Borachio admits his crime again. Shocked and horrified, Claudio and Don Pedro realize that this information supports Hero’s true innocence and that she has died (so they think) because they have wrongly accused her, tarnished her reputation forever, and ruined her family.

Scene 2
Meanwhile, near Leonato’s estate, Benedick asks Margaret to bring Beatrice to speak to him. Alone, he laments his inability to write poetry. He has unsuccessfully attempted to write Beatrice a love sonnet according to the flowery and ornamental conventions of Renaissance love poetry. Ironically, despite his great skill at improvising in conversation, he is no good at all at writing. Beatrice arrives, and the two lovers flirt and tease each other with gentle insults but also with great affection—as they now seem always to have done. Benedick tells Beatrice he has challenged Claudio to a duel according to her wishes and that Claudio must respond to his challenge soon. Suddenly, the maid Ursula arrives in great haste to tell them that the scheme against Hero has come to light. Benedick pledges his love to Beatrice once again, and the two follow Ursula to Leonato and the rest of the house, which is in an uproar.

Scene 3
Early in the morning, at the tomb where Hero supposedly lies buried, Claudio carries out the first part of the punishment that Leonato has ordered him to perform. Claudio has written an epitaph, or death poem, celebrating Hero’s innocence and grieving the slander that (he believes) led to her death. He reads the epitaph out loud and hangs it upon the tomb. He solemnly promises that he will come and read it here at this time every year. Everyone then goes off to prepare for Claudio’s wedding to Leonato’s niece, the supposed Hero look-alike, which is to occur that very day.

Scene 4

Meanwhile, in the church, Leonato, Antonio, Beatrice, Benedick, Hero, Margaret, Ursula, and the friar prepare for the second wedding of Claudio and Hero. We learn from their conversation that Margaret has been interrogated, and that she is innocent of conspiring with Borachio and Don John—she never realized that she was taking part in Don John’s treachery. Benedick is also very relieved that Don John’s trick has come to light, for now he does not need to fight his friend Claudio. Quietly, Benedick also takes Leonato aside and asks him for his permission to marry Beatrice. Don Pedro and Claudio enter, and Antonio goes off to fetch the masked women. While they are waiting, Don Pedro and Claudio tease Benedick about his love for Beatrice and about the fact that he will soon be married, although they do not know that he actually does plan to be married that very day. Hero, Beatrice, and the waiting women enter, all wearing masks. Claudio vows to marry the masked woman by his side, whom he believes to be Leonato’s mysterious niece. But when Hero takes off her mask, the shocked Claudio realizes that it really is Hero. Leonato and Hero tell him that now that Hero’s name has been cleared, she can figuratively come back to life and be his wife, as she should have been before.

The party prepares to go to the chapel to finish the ceremony, but Benedick stops everybody. He asks Beatrice, out loud and in public, whether she loves him. Beatrice denies it, and Benedick, in turn, denies loving her. They both agree that they are good friends, but not in love. But, laughingly, Claudio and Hero tell them that they know that isn’t the truth—and both whip out scribbled, half-finished love poems that they have found in their friends’ rooms and pockets, written from Benedick to Beatrice and from Beatrice to Benedick. Benedick and Beatrice realize that they have been caught red-handed and, giving in, finally agree to marry. Benedick silences Beatrice, for the first time, by kissing her. Claudio and Don Pedro begin to tease Benedick again, but Benedick laughingly says that he does not care—he remains determined to be married, and nothing he has ever said against marriage in the past makes any difference to him now. He and Claudio assert their friendship again, and Benedick calls for a dance before the double wedding. Suddenly, a messenger rushes in to inform the company that Leonato’s men have arrested Don John in his flight from Mes-sina. They have brought him back to Messina a prisoner. Benedick instructs Don Pedro to put off thinking about the villain until tomorrow, when Benedick will invent fine tortures for him. In the meantime, Benedick insists that all must dance joyfully in celebrating the marriages, and he commands the pipers to strike up the music.

Scene 5

This final scene brings the play to a joyous conclusion, drawing it away from the tragedy toward which it had begun to move and letting everyone wind up safe and sound. Claudio and Hero are about to be happily married, as are Benedick and Beatrice. The deception has been revealed, and Don John has been caught and brought to justice. Everybody has made friends again, and the final dance symbolizes the restoration of order and happiness in a world that has been thrown into chaos by Don John’s accusation and Don Pedro and Claudio’s rash action.

But in order for the play to reach this point, Hero must go through a symbolic death and rebirth, washing away the taint of the accusation of her supposed sin. Claudio’s writing and reading of an epitaph at her tomb seems to create a sense of closure, in relation to his false accusation of Hero and her supposed death. He acknowledges his error in having accused Hero: “Done to death by slanderous tongues / Was the Hero that here lies” (V.iii.3–4). The song similarly pleads, “Pardon, goddess of the night, / Those that slew thy virgin knight” (V.iii.12–13). When dawn arrives at the end of the scene, and Don Pedro says, “Good morrow, masters, put your torches out,” we can literally see the plot emerging from darkness (V.iii.24). It is now time to attend the wedding meant to release Claudio from his guilt for Hero’s death. From darkness and pain, the story now returns to daylight and happiness.

The emotional dynamics of the masked wedding must be complicated, and many readers wonder why Hero still loves Claudio after what he has done to her. The story can be read as one of real love that has been tainted by misunderstanding, paranoia, and fear but that has miraculously ended happily. Hero does seem to love Claudio still, and they are joyful at being reunited. Claudio’s amazement, awe, and wonder at finding Hero still alive may serve to wipe out any last traces of resentment or anger on either side.

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Sorry <3

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Circa 1993

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Act 1, Scene 1
Leonato receives news that Don Pedro will be arriving after having successfully quashing a rebellion by Don John.
Leonato's niece, Beatrice, dislikes Benedick.
Don Pedro arrives with Claudio, benedick, Don John and other soldiers and Leonato invites them to stay with him for the following month.
Beatrice and Benedick insult each other as they both dislike one another.
The scene concludes with the revelation that Claudio wants Hero as his wife. He confides to Benedick; and upon hearing the news, Don Pedro encourages Claudio and promises to approach Hero and her father.

Act 1, Scene 2
Antonio tells Leonato that Don Pedro loves Hero

Act 1, Scene 3
Don John laments his position in life as Don Pedro's illegitimate brother.
Borachio eavesdropped on the conversation between Don Pedro and Claudio
Don John then decides to scheme against Don Pedro and Claudio. He wants to poison them.

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Scene 1

-      Masquerade ball setting

-      Beatrice attacks Benedick showing their bad relationship

-      Antonio and Lenato warn Beatrice she is desired to be lonely for the future if she keeps her attitude

-      Both men urge Hero to be courteous to Don Pedro’s advances

-      Beatrice doesn’t recognise Benedick in a mask and begins to complain about how Benedick treats her

-      Don John puts his plan to separate Claudio and Hero in place;

Don john tells Claudio that Don Pedro has sworn his love for Hero and desires her for himself

Claudio dwell’s on Don Pedro’s alleged betrayal

-      Benedick announces Claudio’s feelings to Don Pedro who is surprised from the news

-      Don Pedro re-affirms his desire to court Hero but only for Claudio’s benefit

-      Don Pedro makes it clear to Claudio he only spoke to Hero for Claudio’s benefit, Claudio renews his hope

-      Attention then turns to the question of how to get Beatrice a husband

-      Don Pedro hatches a scheme to unit Beatrice and Benedick

Scene 2

-      Since Don john failed to sabotage the marriage of Claudio and Hero, he rethinks a new plan to make Hero look unfaithful

Scene 3

-      Benedick and Beatrice plan starts to occur

-      Don Pedro, Lenato and Claudio converse loudly about much Beatrice loves Benedick and acts her harsh way is because she fears he will reject her while Benedick is in the closet overhearing this

-      Benedick rethinks his views of marriage with the new news, believing he can change for her

-      Benedick attempts to engage politely with Beatrice and tries to read love into her harsh words

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During the wedding ceremony, Claudio confronts Hero about her infidelity, referring to her as a ‘rotten orange’ and a ‘common stale’. Hero denies these allegations, but Don Pedro gives his testimony concerning Hero’s promiscuity, supporting Claudio. Hero’s father, Leonato, is ashamed of his daughter’s immorality, and begins to curse her. However, Beatrice and Benedick maintain that Hero is innocent, supported by the Friar’s implications that Don Pedro and Claudio are mistaken. The Friar believes that Hero has hidden behind the pretence that the shock of the accusation killed her. Moreover, Benedick believes Don John has a role in the events that transpired. Finally, these suspicions are supported by everyone, hoping Claudio will realise the error of his ways. Once the other characters move on, Benedick confesses his love for Beatrice. As a testament of their love, Beatrice proposes that Benedick kill Claudio. Dogberry and his men interrogate the prisoners about the deception, and find some resolution concerning the nights events. George Seacoal gives evidence that he overheard the men discussing Don John’s promise of rich reward if Borachio’s plan proved a success. The sexton informs the men of Don John’s departure and Hero’s death, then ordering the men to be taken to Leonato for judgement. In the closing moments of the scene, Dogberry is insulted by Conrade, taking considerable offence.