Genre

Plot

Plot

• Exposition- when the prince and his group of men arrive at the Leonatos home in Messina and we learn a bit of the characters like: that Don Pedro is a good friend of Leonato and his half brother Don John is a bit more reserved and serious. We also see that Beatrice and Benedick don’t get along and that Hero and Claudio are interested in each other.

Plot

• Rising action- Hero and Claudio get engaged with everyone’s approvals. Don John wants to sabotage this and plans a way to draw them apart. Beatrice’s and Benedick’s friends notice theat they are a perfect match and devise a plan to get them together.

• Climax- Don John brings both Don Pedro and Claudio to where they supposedly see Hero with another man. Later in the wedding, Claudio confronts Hero, and yells and accuses her, in front of everybody. Benedick and Beatrice, unknowingly under the influence of their friends, get together and express their love for each other.

Plot

• Falling action- Beatrice and Benedick talk about their relationship and notice that their union was a set up by their friends. Some men discover the plan to ruin Claudio and Hero’s marriage and go to officials to inform them. Don John runs away to avoid facing the consequences of what he’d done. A priest comes up with a plan to fake Hero’s death in order to restore her good name.

• Dénouement: The truth comes to light. Don Pedro and Leonato’s friendship remains strong. Hero’s good name in cleared. Claudio and Hero get married and Benedick and Beatrice realize that they do love each other. Don John is captured and would later on be brought to justice.

Conflict

Characters

Protagonists

Beatrice & Benedick

ProtagonistsClaudio & Hero

AntagonistDon John

Dialogue

• Monologue • Soliloquy• Dramatic Irony

Setting

Sixteen century, Messina, Sicily Governor Leonato’s estate

Theme