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Soldiers return from war to the house of Leonato, governor of Messina, and two love stories begin. The young Claudio falls in love with Leonato's gentle…
Soldiers return from war to the house of Leonato, governor of Messina, and two love stories begin. The young Claudio falls in love with Leonato's gentle daughter Hero, while Hero's cousin Beatrice and the soldier Benedick, who claim to despise each other, carry on a 'merry war' of insults until their friends trick each of them into believing the other is secretly in love. Meanwhile the villain Don John plots to ruin Hero's wedding with a cruel deception, which is uncovered, comically, by the bumbling constable Dogberry and his night watch.
Context and significance
Written around 1598 or 1599, the play is one of Shakespeare's most popular comedies, and the sparring of Beatrice and Benedick became the model for countless witty couples in literature and film. The play had first been printed in 1600; the text here is the First Folio's of 1623. Read also As You Like It, and see Shakespeare's life.
About the author
William Shakespeare (1564–1616), born in Stratford-upon-Avon, actor, playwright and shareholder of a London company, wrote about thirty-seven plays and 154 sonnets.