William Shakespeare

Much Ado about Nothing Annotated William Shakespeare

Much Ado About Nothing is a comedy by William Shakespeare thought to have been written in 1598 and 1599. It chronicles two pairs of lovers: Benedick and Beatrice (the main couple), and Claudio and Hero (the secondary couple). At the start of the play, Benedick and Beatrice are engaged in a very merry war; they are both very witty and proclaim their disdain of love. In contrast, Claudio and Hero are sweet young people who are rendered practically speechless by their love for one another. Although the young lovers Hero and Claudio provide much of the impetus for the plot, the courtship between the wittier, wiser lovers Benedick and Beatrice is what makes Much Ado About Nothing so memorable.