Much Ado About Nothing is a comedy play by William Shakespeare first performed in 1612. The humor of the play borrows on and transcends that of a typical comedy of errors. The play relies on tensions created by a paradoxical use of deception by its characters: deceit can be used as an instrument with which both to disrupt love between people and to encourage and promote it. Read key facts, a plot summary, and important quotes.

Summary

Read the detailed scene-by-scene Summary & Analysis, the Full Play Summary, or the Full Play Analysis of Much Ado About Nothing.

Characters

See a complete list of the characters in Much Ado About Nothing and in-depth analyses of Beatrice, Benedick, Don Pedro, and more.

Literary Devices

Here's where you will find analysis of the key literary devices in Much Ado About Nothing.

Essays

Learn more about Much Ado About Nothing by reading these mini-essays, a sample essay, and suggested essay topics.

Further Study

Go further in your study of Much Ado About Nothing with background information about William Shakespeare and the play, as well as suggestions for further reading.