Act 5, Scene 1 Summary

Leonato is lamenting the death of Hero, while Antonio tries to comfort him. However, Leonato is inconsolable and tells his brother that only a man who has suffered the same ordeal as he has gone through can console him. It is easy to advise when one hasn’t gone through the same experience. Claudio and Don Pedro now enter, and Leonato rails at them for besmirching the honor of his child and killing her. Despite his old age, he states that he is not too old to kill or die to avenge her honor. Claudio and Don Pedro are embarrassed, though Don Pedro still maintains that they had proof of Hero’s infidelity and their accusations were true. Leonato and Antonio leave, vowing that they will have their revenge.

Benedick enters, and Claudio mentions that they were just challenged by two old men without any teeth. He asks Benedick to cheer them up with his legendary wit. They try to humor him by talking about Beatrice, but Benedick is not interested. He accuses Claudio of being a villain as his action has killed Hero and challenges him to a duel. He also informs Don Pedro that he will no longer be a part of his company and tells him about his half-brother running away. Benedick repeats his challenge to Claudio and leaves. Don Pedro and Claudio are left worried, convinced that his affection for Beatrice has changed his attitude.

Dogberry and Verges now enter with Borachio and Conrad tied up. They tell Claudio and Don Pedro how these arrested men have plotted the evil plan of Hero’s dishonor to which Borachio confesses and repents his action. Don Pedro and Claudio realize that Hero was indeed slandered and has been a victim of Don John’s sinister scheming. She is now dead from their wrong accusation. Claudio now reverts to his original affection of love for Hero and starts grieving for his wrongdoing. Leonato enters with Antonio and the sexton, having heard of the arrested men. When Borachio says that he is the villain, Leonato lashes out that the two noblemen present here—Claudio and Pedro—should also be thanked for his daughter’s death. Claudio begs Leonato to punish him adequately, promising to do whatever Leonato asks of him. Leonato orders Claudio and Don Pedro to tell the people of Messina about Hero’s innocence. They should also write an epitaph, hang it on her tomb and “sing it to her bones.” Finally, Leonato informs Claudio that he has a niece who looks exactly like Hero and asks Claudio to marry her. Overwhelmed by his kindness, Claudio readily agrees, although he has never met her.

Leonato has one final job—to find Margaret and find out if she was aware of her role in his evil plot. Borachio defends Margaret and clarifies that she was not aware of her participation.

Dogberry also lodges another complaint that Conrad had called him an “ass,” which should count in the men’s punishment.

Claudio promises to mourn at Hero’s tomb that night, and leaves with Don Pedro. Leonato leads the prisoners away to talk to Margaret.

Act 5, Scene 1 Analysis

This scene finally ties up all the loose ends with the characters getting to know the real perpetrator of the plot that has robbed Hero’s honor.

Leonato’s grief in this scene is overwhelming, quite befitting a tragedy. He rejects all attempts from Antonio to calm him and says, “men / Can counsel and speak comfort to that grief / Which they themselves not feel.” In his rage and grief, he challenges Claudio and Don Pedro who, however, remain staunch in their belief that Hero was “stale.” They are flippant and dismissive about Leonato whom Claudio calls an old man without teeth, showing no remorse for his action which has allegedly killed the woman he loves. However, they are forced to be more serious with Benedick. Benedick’s refusal to join in their merriment shows his commitment toward Beatrice as well as proves that he is the more mature lover, who has taken the death of Hero seriously, and consequently, true to his promise to his beloved, dissociates himself from Don Pedro. He chastises Claudio as “my Lord Lack-beard,” hinting that Claudio is not even man enough to grow a beard.

Claudio’s immature and brash behavior transforms into genuine repentance when Borachio’s confession exposes the truth about the unfortunate conspiracy. He begins to recall all her virtues lamenting, “Sweet Hero, now thy image doth appear / In the rare semblance that I loved it first.” His sincere lamentation and profuse apology to Leonato, asking him to punish him however he desires, finally show that Claudio, while may not understand the motivations of people, is otherwise a good man. However, it is doubtful they would have so easily fallen for Don John’s evil planning if they didn’t already have anxiety about female infidelity. It is, hence, fitting that Leonato demands that Claudio marries a woman he has never seen as his punishment. When Claudio readily agrees to it, it shows how Claudio has finally overcome his fear of marriage and women. This though is not a severe punishment as Leonato, as well as the audience, knows that his daughter is alive, and this sets the ground for a happy ending, where Claudio seems to be set up to marry Hero. Don Pedro too is shown to be humbled, asking Leonato—a man who is lower than him in the social hierarchy—to punish him, which redeems his early contribution to Hero’s dishonor.

While Borachio absolves Margaret of all blame, it is still not clear to the audience why she would indulge her lover dressed in her mistress’ clothing on her balcony.

Act 5, Scene 2 Summary

Benedick sends Margaret to look for Beatrice. He is trying to write poetry for Beatrice and laments how he fails in writing love poetry. He admits that while he is brilliant in conversations, he cannot improve in his writing. Beatrice enters. Benedick tells Beatrice he is waiting for Claudio’s response to his challenge. The two lovers sharpen their wits against each other and flirt playfully. Benedick asks her which of his “bad parts” she first fell in love with. She replies, “for them all together” and asks him which of her “good parts” he fell in love with. They continue in this playful conversation till Ursula enters and declares that the conspiracy against Hero has been uncovered and the real perpetrators have been captured.

Act 5, Scene 2 Analysis

Margaret’s conversation with Benedick shows her to be a young woman with uninhibited sexual attitudes, which is consistent with her earlier exchanges with Hero and Beatrice, and hence her unintentional involvement with her lover Borachio in the balcony scene. The audience is unaware though whether Leonato has spoken to her yet about her involvement as per the preceding scene.

The exchange between Benedick and Beatrice shows that while they are lovers now, they still haven’t lost their earlier selves and the witty banter continues, as Benedick acknowledges, “Thou and I are too wise to woo peaceably.” Beatrice and Benedick are two independent people, each with their own mind and it appears as if their love will grow into a deep, mature relationship in which both will continue to sparkle in the other’s company. When she invites him to come with her to talk to Leonato, he says, “I will live in thy heart, die in thy lap, and be buried in thy eyes. And moreover, I will go with thee to thy uncle’s.” Here the idea of dying refers to a sexual orgasm, typically used during Renaissance as a euphemism.

With Ursula’s declaration of Don John’s plan, Beatrice is proven right in front of her lover about Hero’s innocence, and Benedick too is proven right about his original suggestion of Claudio and Don Pedro being deceived by the wily Don John.

Act 5, Scene 3 Summary

Claudio and Don Pedro arrive with a few other lords at Leonato’s family burial ground, holding candles. They are accompanied by musicians. Claudio’s epitaph declares Hero’s innocence and unfair death by slanderous tongues, after which it is hung on her tomb. There is a song of mourning. As the night comes to an end, the gathering disperses, and Don Pedro and Claudio leave to prepare for the wedding of Claudio with Antonio’s daughter.

Act 5, Scene 3 Analysis

Claudio’s epitaph is written in genuine remorse where he acknowledges that Hero died due to slander, and with her death, she will achieve immortal fame—“Gives her fame which never dies. / So the life that died with shame / Lives in death with glorious fame.” The scene provides an emotional contrast with the Beatrice and Benedick scene that precedes it and with the joyous scene that will now follow.

Act 5, Scene 4 Summary

Leonato, Antonio, Benedick, Beatrice, Hero, Margaret, Ursula, and Friar Francis enter just before the wedding. Friar Francis tells them how he had always believed that Hero was innocent. Leonato has forgiven Claudio and Don Pedro for they were deceived and now forgives Margaret for her unintentional participation in the plan. He goes over the plan that is about to be set in motion. Antonio will give the veiled Hero away, who is pretending to be his daughter. The women cover their faces in their veils and leave.

Benedick now seeks Leonato’s permission to marry Beatrice. When he approves, he requests Friar Francis to perform the wedding.

Don Pedro and Claudio enter along with a few others. Claudio confirms that he intends to marry Antonio’s daughter however she might look, and the women enter, with their faces veiled. When Claudio wishes to see his new bride, Leonato says he can see her face only after the marriage has been performed. Hero lifts her veil, and Claudio is overwhelmed to see the real Hero and that she is not dead. Leonato reminds everyone that Hero was dead only as long as her slander lived. The lovers have a happy reunion.

Benedick now asks which of the veiled women is Beatrice, and Beatrice steps forward, removing her veil. She responds to Benedick’s questions about love with her usual sharp wit. They exchange denials of love back and forth with equal measure till Claudio and Hero intervene and show the written proof: poems in Beatrice’s and Benedick’s writing, each declaring their love for the other. At last, Beatrice and Benedick agree to marry. Benedick announces a celebratory dance before the ceremony.

A messenger brings word that Don John has been captured. Benedick advises Don Pedro to decide on Don John’s punishment the next day. The festivities continue, and Benedick orders the musicians to start with the music.

Act 5, Scene 4 Analysis

This final scene of the play brings forth the happy union of the two lovers. It begins with a recap of what has already happened, and Leonato seems to have forgiven Margaret as she wasn’t aware of Borachio’s actual intention. Benedick is glad to not duel Claudio after all. The masquerade, however, is necessary despite Hero’s innocence to bring about her happy ending.

Claudio is predictably acquiescent in his supposed marriage with Leonato’s niece. Just as he adapts himself to marrying a strange woman, similarly he is delighted when he finds his bride to be the real Hero. Hero too seems to have forgiven her lover for his earlier denunciation. However, when she says, “when I liv’d, I was your other wife: And when you lov’d, you were my other husband,” it shows a subtle change in her character; after all, she had to die to the outside world for her to regain her honor back—such is the incredible power of slander. She is now a woman reborn. The pain and humiliation have hopefully made her stronger and more mature compared to her former self. With their marriage, the stain on her honor and her family is finally erased.

Benedick and Beatrice, however, will not bend even in between a marriage proposal without first taking a few shots at each other. Unlike the readily flexible Hero and Claudio, these lovers will enter matrimony keeping their distinct personalities alive. These are two partners who are matched intellectually, and none will be tamed by the other. Ultimately, Much Ado About Nothing celebrates love and marriage between equals, which is perhaps one of the reasons it continues to enjoy popularity among the modern audience.

The entry of the messenger at the last moment ties up the final thread of the play with the audience knowing that Don John will pay for his misdeeds.