Much Ado About Nothing

• Genre: Fiction; comedy
• Originally Published: 1598
• Reading Level/Interest: Lexile 690L; grades 9-12; college/adult
• Structure/Length: Five acts; approximate page length varies depending on edition, approximately 110 pages; approximately 2 hours 7 minutes of running time.
• Protagonist/Central Conflict: The story primarily revolves around two pairs of lovers. The first pair, Benedick and Beatrice, are entangled in a “merry war” of witty banter, while the love of the second couple, Claudio and Hero, endures tests of deception and public disgrace. The central conflicts arise from misunderstandings, schemes, and love's complexities.
• Potential Sensitivity Issues: Contains themes of deception; public shaming; misunderstandings that lead to heartbreak; gender roles and expectations of the time

William Shakespeare, Author

• Bio: Born 1564; died 1616; English playwright, poet, and actor; often regarded as the greatest writer in the English language; his works have been translated into every major language and are performed more than those of any other playwright; co-owner of the Globe Theatre; his plays range across tragedies, comedies, and histories
• Other Works: Romeo and Juliet (1597); Hamlet (1600); Macbeth (1606); A Midsummer Night's Dream (1595); Othello (1603); King Lear (1605); The Tempest (1611); As You Like It (1623)

CENTRAL THEMES connected and noted throughout this Teaching Guide:

• Sex and Class
• Faithfulness and Deceit
• Love and Pride

STUDY OBJECTIVES: In accomplishing the components of this Teaching Guide, students will:

• Gain an understanding of the cultural and social contexts of Elizabethan England which influenced Shakespeare and his plays.
• Discuss paired texts and other brief resources to make connections via the text’s themes of Sex and Class, Faithfulness and Deceit, and Love and Pride.
• Think creatively about the nature of Shakespearian comedy by composing an alternative ending to the play.
• Evaluate the themes, symbols, and motifs of the play in structured essay responses on the role of sexual and romantic anxiety in the play, social class and rank, and other topics.