Much Ado about nothing

Characters

Main characters
 Benedick
 Beatrice
 Claudio

Secondary characters
 Hero
 Don John
 Don Pedro
 Leonato

Minor characters
 Dogberry
 Antonio
 Borachio
 Conrade
 Margaret
 Ursula
 The Watch
 The Friar

1. Benedick
 Benedick is a gentleman of Padua serving in Don Pedro’s army.
 a friend of Don Pedro and Claudio.
 Benedick is witty. This can be seen when Leonato explains to the messenger that
Beatrice and Benedick are both witty. The evidence is "they never meet but there's a
skirmish of wit / between them," (Act 1 Scene 1).
 Benedick is proud. After dancing with Beatrice at the masked ball he is offended by her
comments about him. The evidence is "But that my Lady Beatrice should know me, and
not / know me!" (Act 1 Scene 2).
 Benedick is playful. Even when he and Beatrice have agreed to marry, he continues to
tease her. The evidence is "Come, I will have thee; but, by this light, I take / thee for
pity." (Act 5 Scene 4).
 2. Beatrice
  Orphaned niece of Leonato, raised in his household as a second daughter.
 Beatrice is very generous but has a very sharp tongue, she likes to mock other people with
elaborately tooled jokes and puns.
 Beatrice is argumentative as Benedick will greet her with a nickname that means
scornful. "What, my dear Lady Disdain! Are you yet living?" (Act 1 Scene 1)
 Beatrice is outspoken until Leonato warns her that she will never be married if she
continues to be so sharp in the way she speaks. "By my troth, niece, thou wilt never get
thee a / husband, if thou be so shrewd of thy tongue." (Act 2 Scene 1)
 Beatrice is frustrated by society. She shows her dissatisfaction with the role that society
has dictated for women. "O God, that I were a man! I would eat his heart / in the market-
place." (Act 4 Scene 1)

3. Claudio

 A young soldier who has won great acclaim fighting under Don Pedro during the
recent wars.
 He falls in love with Hero at first sight, showing his romantic nature
 He is conventional. He admires Hero for her modesty and beauty. "Is she not a modest
young lady?" (Act 1 Scene 1).
 Claudio can be easily influenced. When Don John suggests that Don Pedro is wooing
Hero for himself, Claudio is quick to move to jealousy. "Farewell, therefore,
Hero!" (Act 1 Scene 1).
 He is repentant. When he admits his mistake, Claudio is grateful for Leonato's
understanding. "Your over-kindness doth wring tears from me!" (Act 5 Scene 1)

4. Hero

 Hero is the innocent and obedient daughter of Leonato. Her obedience can be

seen in "Yes, faith; it is my cousin's duty to make curtsy and say 'Father, as it please
you." (Act 2 Scene 1).
 Quiet, traditional, obedient, and naive. In comparison to Beatrice, Hero doesn't say
much at all in the play.
 Hero is beautiful. Hero is so beautiful that Claudio falls in love with her at first sight. "In
mine eye she is the sweetest lady that ever I looked on." (Act 1 Scene 1).
  Her loyalties shift easily. At first she was willing to accept Don Pedro's apparent
proposal, then readily shifting to Claudio. Later, even after her humiliation by him,
she is quite prepared to marry a repentant Claudio.

5. Don John

 The illegitimate brother of Don Pedro; sometimes called “the Bastard.”

 Don John is melancholy and sullen by nature, and he creates a dark scheme to ruin
the happiness of Hero and Claudio.
 Villain of the play. He acknowledges that he is a mischievous and unpleasant character.
"It must not be denied / but I am a plain-dealing villain." (Act 1 Scene 3).
 He is dishonest. At the masked ball, Don John pretends not to know who Claudio is and
says that his brother Don Pedro is trying to woo Hero. "He is enamoured on Hero; I pray
you, dissuade him from her: she is no equal for his birth: you may / do the part of an
honest man in it." (Act 2 Scene 1).
6. Don Pedro

 Don Pedro is the Prince of Arragon and Don John's brother. 

 a longtime friend of Leonato, Hero’s father,
 Don Pedro is confident. When Claudio seems shy about approaching Hero, Don Pedro
steps in to woo her on his friend's behalf. "Here, Claudio, I have wooed in thy name,
and / fair Hero is won." (Act 2 Scene 1).
 He is a humble man. Don Pedro joins Claudio to make amends at the end of the
play and mourns with him publicly at Hero's tomb. "The wolves have prey'd; and look,
the gentle day, / Before the wheels of Phoebus, round about / Dapples the drowsy east
with spots of grey." (Act 5 Scene 3)
 He is loyal. When Don John claims that he knows Hero is unfaithful, Don Pedro
pledges his allegiance to Claudio. "And, as I wooed for thee to obtain her, I will join
with thee to disgrace her." (Act 3 Scene 3)

7. Leonato

 Leonato is the Duke of Messina, Hero's father and Beatrice's uncle. 

 A protective and caring father.
 He is generous. He invites Don Pedro and the other soldiers to stay with him for a month
or more. "I tell him we shall stay here at / the least a month; and he heartily prays some /
occasion may detain us longer." (Act 1 Scene 1).
 He is patriarchal. He wants his daughter and his niece to find husbands. "By my
troth, niece, thou wilt never get thee a husband, if thou be so shrewd of thy tongue." (Act
2 Scene 1).

8. Dogberry

 The constable in charge of the Watch, or chief policeman, of Messina. 

 He is very sincere when doing his duty but he always use the wrong word to convey
his meaning.
9. Antonio

 Leonato’s elderly brother and Hero's uncle.

 He is Beatrice’s father.
10. Borachio

 An associate of Don John. 

 Lover of Margaret

11. Conrade

 One of Don John’s more intimate associates.

12. Margaret

 Hero’s serving woman

13. Ursula

 One of Hero’s waiting women.