Line Numbers in the left margin are editorial, for reference and to key the explanatory and textual notes.
Explanatory Notes at the foot of each page explain allusions and gloss obsolete and difficult words, confusing phraseology, occasional major textual cruces, and so on. Particular attention is given to non-standard usage, bawdy innuendo, and technical terms (e.g. legal and military language). Where more than one sense is given, commas indicate shades of related meaning, slashes alternative or double meanings.
Textual Notes at the end of the play indicate major departures from the Folio. They take the following form: the reading of our text is given in bold and its source given after an equals sign, with “Q” indicating that it derives from the Quarto of 1600, “F” from the First Folio of 1623, “F2” a reading from the Second Folio of 1632, and “Ed” from the subsequent editorial tradition. The rejected Folio (“F”) reading is then given. A selection of Quarto variants and plausible unadopted editorial readings is also included. Thus, for example: “3.1.106, ta’en = F. Q = limed.” This indicates that at Act 3 Scene 1 line 106 we have retained the Folio reading “ta’en” but that “limed” is an interestingly different reading in the Quarto.
KEY FACTS
MAJOR PARTS: (with percentage of lines/number of speeches/scenes on stage) Benedick (17%/134/8), Leonato (13%/120/9), Don Pedro (12%/135/8), Claudio (11%/125/8), Beatrice (10%/106/8), Dogberry (7%/52/4), Hero (5%/44/6), Borachio (5%/23/6), Don John (4%/40/6), Friar Francis (3%/16/2), Margaret (2%/26/3), Antonio (2%/23/4), Ursula (2%/19/3), Conrad (1%/23/1), Verges (1%/18/3), Balthasar (1%/11/2).
LINGUISTIC MEDIUM: 30% verse, 70% prose.
DATE: Late 1598. Not mentioned by Francis Meres in list of Shakespeare’s plays in Palladis Tamis (registered for publication September 1598), but included part for Will Kemp, who left Shakespeare’s acting company in early 1599.
SOURCES: The Hero/Claudio plot of a deception leading to a false supposition of infidelity has many precedents in the sixteenth- century Italian romance tradition; Shakespeare’s primary sources seem to have been (1) the tale of Sir Timbreo and Fenicia in Matteo Bandello’s Novelle, which included characters of Piero King of Aragon and Lionato of Messina (in Italian, 1554, no English translation, but Shakespeare might have known the French translation of Pierre de Belleforest, Histoires Tragiques, 1569), and (2) the tale of Renaldo and Ginevra in Ariosto’s Orlando Furioso, book 5 (English translation by Sir John Harington, 1591). The Beatrice and Benedick plot is Shakespeare’s innovation, though witty couples and characters who scorn love only to fall in love themselves have comic precedents, notably in the plays of John Lyly.
TEXT: Quarto published 1600, probably printed from Shakespeare’s manuscript or a transcript of it. Generally good quality of printing. On some occasions, actors’ names instead of characters’ appear in the speech headings (Kemp for Dogberry and Cowley for Verges). Folio printed from Quarto, though with some reference to a playhouse manuscript; extra stage directions inserted, also act divisions; some corrections and some errors introduced. Our text restores Quarto readings in cases judged to be compositor error, but retains Folio where changes appear to be intentional.
MUCH ADO
ABOUT NOTHING
LIST OF PARTS
DON PEDRO, Prince of Aragon
BENEDICK, a lord from Padua companion to Don Pedro
CLAUDIO, a lord from Florence companion to Don Pedro
BALTHASAR, a singer, attendant upon Don Pedro
A BOY, servant to Benedick
DON JOHN, illegitimate brother of Don Pedro
BORACHIO, follower of Don John
CONRAD, follower of Don John
LEONATO, governor of Messina
INNOGEN, his silent wife
HERO, his daughter
BEATRICE, his niece, an orphan
ANTONIO, an old man, brother of Leonato
MARGARET, gentlewoman attendant upon Hero
URSULA, gentlewoman attendant upon Hero
FRIAR FRANCIS
DOGBERRY, Constable in charge of the Watch
VERGES, Headborough accompanying Dogberry
A SEXTON
WATCHMEN
Attendants and Messengers
Title NOTHING puns on “noting” (i.e. musical notation/observation) and on “no thing” (i.e. vagina)
Act 1 Scene 1
running scene 1
Location: Messina, city in northeast Sicily
Enter Leonato Governor of Messina, Innogen his wife, Hero his daughter and Beatrice his niece, with a Messenger
LEONATO I learn in this letter that Don Peter
Shows a letter
of Aragon comes this night to Messina.
MESSENGER He is very near by this: he was not three leagues off
when I left him.
LEONATO How many gentlemen have you lost in this action?
MESSENGER But few of any sort, and none of name.
LEONATO A victory is twice itself when the achiever brings
home full numbers. I find here that Don Peter hath bestowed
much honour on a young Florentine called Claudio.
MESSENGER Much deserved on his part and equally remembered
by Don Pedro. He hath borne himself beyond the
promise of his age, doing in the figure of a lamb the feats of a
lion. He hath indeed better bettered expectation than you
must expect of me to tell you how.
LEONATO He hath an uncle here in Messina will be very much
glad of it.
MESSENGER I have already delivered him letters, and there
appears much joy in him, even so much that joy could not
show itself modest enough without a badge of bitterness.
LEONATO Did he break out into tears?
MESSENGER In great measure.
LEONATO A kind overflow of kindness. There are no faces
truer than those that are so washed. How much better is it to
weep at joy than to joy at weeping!
BEATRICE I pray you, is Signior Mountanto returned from the
wars or no?
such in the army of any sort.
LEONATO What is he that you ask for, niece?
HERO My cousin means Signior Benedick of Padua.
MESSENGER O, he’s returned, and as pleasant as ever he was.
BEATRICE He set up his bills here in Messina and challenged
Cupid at the flight: and my uncle’s fool, reading the
challenge, subscribed for Cupid and challenged him at the
bird-bolt. I pray you, how many hath he killed and eaten in
these wars? But how many hath he killed? For indeed I
promised to eat all of his killing.
LEONATO Faith, niece, you tax Signior Benedick too much,
but he’ll be meet with you, I doubt it not.
MESSENGER He hath done good service, lady, in these wars.
BEATRICE You had musty victual and he hath holp to eat
it: he’s a very valiant trencherman, he hath an excellent
stomach.
MESSENGER And a good soldier too, lady.
BEATRICE And a good soldier to a lady. But what is he to a lord?
MESSENGER A lord to a lord, a man to a man, stuffed with all
honourable virtues.
BEATRICE It is so indeed, he is no less than a stuffed man. But
for the stuffing — well, we are all mortal.
LEONATO You must not, sir, mistake my niece. There is a kind
of merry war betwixt Signior Benedick and her: they never
meet but there’s a skirmish of wit between them.
BEATRICE Alas, he gets nothing by that. In our last conflict
four of his five wits went halting off, and now is the whole
man governed with one: so that if he have wit enough to
keep himself warm, let him bear it for a
difference between
himself and his horse, for it is all the wealth that he hath left
to be known a reasonable creature. Who is his companion
now? He hath every month a new sworn brother.
MESSENGER Is’t possible?
BEATRICE Very easily possible: he wears his faith but as the
fashion of his hat — it ever changes with the next block.
MESSENGER I see, lady, the gentleman is not in your books.
BEATRICE No. An he were, I would burn my study. But I pray
you, who is his companion? Is there no young squarer now
that will make a voyage with him to the devil?
MESSENGER He is most in the company of the right noble
Claudio.
BEATRICE O lord, he will hang upon him like a disease: he is
sooner caught than the pestilence, and the taker runs
presently mad. God help the noble Claudio. If he have caught
the Benedick, it will cost him a thousand pound ere he be
cured.
MESSENGER I will hold friends with you, lady.
BEATRICE Do, good friend.
LEONATO You’ll ne’er run mad, niece.
BEATRICE No, not till a hot January.
MESSENGER Don Pedro is approached.
Enter Don Pedro, Claudio, Benedick, Balthasar and John the bastard
DON PEDRO Good Signior Leonato, are you come to meet your
trouble? The fashion of the world is to avoid cost, and you
encounter it.
LEONATO Never came trouble to my house in the likeness of
your grace, for trouble being gone, comfort should remain.
But when you depart from me, sorrow abides and happiness
takes his leave.
DON PEDRO You embrace your charge too willingly. I think this
is your daughter.
LEONATO Her mother hath many times told me so.
BENEDICK Were you in doubt, sir, that you asked her?
LEONATO Signior Benedick, no, for then were you a child.
DON PEDRO You have it full, Benedick. We may guess by this
what you are, being a man. Truly the lady fathers herself. Be
happy lady, for you are like an honourable father.
BENEDICK If Signior Leonato be her father, she would not have
his head on her shoulders for all Messina, as like him as
she is.
Don Pedro and Leonato talk aside
BEATRICE I wonder that you will still be talking, Signior
Benedick: nobody marks you.
BENEDICK What, my dear Lady Disdain! Are you yet living?
BEATRICE Is it possible disdain should die while she hath such
meet food to feed it as Signior Benedick? Courtesy itself must
convert to disdain, if you come in her presence.
BENEDICK Then is courtesy a turncoat. But it is certain I am
loved of all ladies, only you excepted: and I would I could find
in my heart that I had not a hard heart, for truly I love none.
BEATRICE A dear happiness to women: they would else have
been troubled with a pernicious suitor. I thank God and my
cold blood, I am of your humour for that. I had rather hear
my dog bark at a crow than a man swear he loves me.
BENEDICK God keep your ladyship still in that mind, so some
gentleman or other shall scape a predestinate scratched face.
BEATRICE Scratching could not make it worse an ’twere such
a face as yours were.
BENEDICK Well, you are a rare parrot-teacher.
BEATRICE A bird of my tongue is better than a beast of yours.
BENEDICK I would my horse had the speed of your tongue, and
so good a continuer. But keep your way, a God’s name, I have
done.
BEATRICE You always end with a jade’s trick. I know you of old.
DON PEDRO That is the sum of all, Leonato.—
To the others
Signior Claudio and Signior Benedick, my dear friend
Leonato hath invited you all. I tell him we shall stay here at
the least a month, and he heartily prays some occasion may
detain us longer. I dare swear he is no hypocrite, but prays
from his heart.
LEONATO If you swear, my lord, you shall
To Don John
not be forsworn.— Let me bid you welcome, my lord. Being
reconciled to the prince your brother, I owe you all duty.
DON JOHN I thank you. I am not of many words, but I thank
you.
LEONATO Please it your grace lead on?
DON PEDRO Your hand, Leonato. We will go together.
Exeunt all but Benedick and Claudio
CLAUDIO Benedick, didst thou note the daughter of Signior
Leonato?
BENEDICK I noted her not, but I looked on her.
CLAUDIO Is she not a modest young lady?
BENEDICK Do you question me as an honest man should do, for
my simple true judgement? Or would you have me speak
after my custom, as being a professed tyrant to their sex?
CLAUDIO No, I pray thee speak in sober judgement.
BENEDICK Why, i’faith, methinks she’s too low for a high
praise, too brown for a fair praise, and too little for a great
praise. Only this commendation I can afford her, that were
she other than she is, she were unhandsome, and being no
other but as she is, I do not like her.
CLAUDIO Thou think’st I am in sport. I pray thee tell me truly
how thou lik’st her.
BENEDICK Would you buy her, that you inquire after her?
CLAUDIO Can the world buy such a jewel?
BENEDICK Yea, and a case to put it into. But speak you this
with a sad brow? Or do you play the flouting jack, to tell us
Cupid is a good hare-finder and Vulcan a rare carpenter?
Come, in what key shall a man take you to go in the song?
CLAUDIO In mine eye, she is the sweetest lady that ever I
looked on.
BENEDICK I can see yet without spectacles and I see no such
matter. There’s her cousin, an she were not possessed with a
fury, exceeds her as much in beauty as the first of May doth
the last of December. But I hope you have no intent to turn
husband, have you?
CLAUDIO I would scarce trust myself, though I had sworn the
contrary, if Hero would be my wife.
BENEDICK Is’t come to this? In faith, hath not the world one
man but he will wear his cap with suspicion? Shall I never
see a bachelor of threescore again? Go to, i’faith, an thou
wilt needs thrust thy neck into a yoke, wear the print of it
and sigh away Sundays. Look, Don Pedro is returned to seek
you.
Enter Don Pedro [and] John the bastard
DON PEDRO What secret hath held you here, that you followed
not to Leonato’s?
BENEDICK I would your grace would constrain me to tell.
DON PEDRO I charge thee on thy allegiance.
BENEDICK You hear, Count Claudio. I can be secret as a dumb
man, I would have you think so. But on my allegiance, mark
you this, on my allegiance — he is in love. With who? Now
that is your grace’s part. Mark how short his answer is: with
Hero, Leonato’s short daughter.
CLAUDIO If this were so, so were it uttered.
BENEDICK Like the old tale, my lord: ‘It is not
so, nor ’twas not so, but indeed, God forbid it should be so!’
CLAUDIO If my passion change not shortly, God forbid it
should be otherwise.
D
ON PEDRO Amen, if you love her, for the lady is very well
worthy.
CLAUDIO You speak this to fetch me in, my lord.
DON PEDRO By my troth, I speak my thought.
CLAUDIO And in faith, my lord, I spoke mine.
BENEDICK And by my two faiths and troths, my lord, I spoke
mine.
CLAUDIO That I love her, I feel.
DON PEDRO That she is worthy, I know.
BENEDICK That I neither feel how she should be loved, nor
know how she should be worthy, is the opinion that fire
cannot melt out of me: I will die in it at the stake.
DON PEDRO Thou wast ever an obstinate heretic in the despite of
beauty.
CLAUDIO And never could maintain his part but in the force
of his will.
BENEDICK That a woman conceived me, I thank her. That she
brought me up, I likewise give her most humble thanks. But
that I will have a recheat winded in my forehead, or hang my
bugle in an invisible baldrick, all women shall pardon me.
Because I will not do them the wrong to mistrust any, I will
do myself the right to trust none. And the fine is — for the
which I may go the finer — I will live a bachelor.
DON PEDRO I shall see thee, ere I die, look pale with love.
BENEDICK With anger, with sickness, or with hunger, my lord,
not with love: prove that ever I lose more blood with love
than I will get again with drinking, pick out mine eyes with a
ballad-maker’s pen, and hang me up at the door of a brothel-house
for the sign of blind Cupid.
DON PEDRO Well, if ever thou dost fall from this faith, thou wilt
prove a notable argument.