Act 4, Scene 1
The wedding of Hero and Claudio. The Friar, Francis, begins the marriage ceremony by asking Claudio if he comes to marry Hero. Claudio says "No". Leonato thinks Claudio is joking about the fact that the Friar is "marrying" them, while Claudio comes to "be married to" her. The Friar asks Hero if she comes to be married to Claudio. She says she does. The Friar asks for objections, and Claudio asks Hero if she knows any. She says she doesn't. Claudio begins to get a little worked up but doesn't directly say why, and Benedick attempts to lighten the situation (since he has no idea what is going on). Claudio then tells Leonato that Hero is not a virgin. Leonato tells Claudio that it's no big deal if he has slept with her, and Claudio has predicted this answer, it's not a problem, since they've agreed to be married and simply saw each other as husband and wife already. Nope, Claudio says, he never even tried to sleep with her - Hero slept with another man. Hero, obviously, is shocked. Don Pedro backs up Claudio's claim. Leonato says he must be dreaming, but Don John (who invited him!?) also backs up the story. Claudio asks Hero, in front of everyone, if she talked with anyone outside her window between midnight and one last night, and she says she didn't. Don Pedro tells Leonato that she is lying, that they saw her talking with a man last night. Leonato is overcome, and says "Hath no man's dagger here a point for me?", meaning that he would rather die than have to deal with this. The accusers leave. Hero faints, and Beatrice runs to her, calling for help from three people: Leonato, the Friar, and Benedick. Leonato says that Hero's death would be preferable to her being alive as such a whore. Leonato goes on a whole long monologue about how he loved Hero so much and was so proud of her, but now she is a shame on him. Benedick tells Leonato to calm down and expresses his shock at the situation, saying he doesn't know what to say. Trying to reason the situation out, he asks Beatrice if she slept in Hero's room last night. She didn't, which Leonato takes as proof that Hero was cheating on her fiancee. Hero regains consciousness and tells Leonato that if they can prove she did what she is accused of, to feel free to "refuse me, hate me, torture me to death." Benedick works out that they must have been tricked by Don John, since they otherwise are very honorable people. Leonato says he doesn't know. If they're right about Hero, than "these [Leonato's] hands shall tear her"; if they're wrong, they'll tear them. The Friar suggests that they pretend that Hero is dead, which will cause Claudio to regret what he has done, while the rest of them get the proof that Hero has been falsely accused. Benedick advises Leonato to do as the Friar suggests, and says that even though he is very good friends with Claudio and Don Pedro, he is on Hero's side. Everyone else leaves, and Benedick finds Beatrice crying. He asks if she has been crying the whole time, and she says she has. He says he doesn't want that, and she says it doesn't matter - she can't help it. She says she wishes there is someone who could avenge Hero, but there isn't anyone. Benedick takes the moment to say the most beautiful, romantic thing I have ever heard and it gives me butterflies every time I read it: "I do love nothing in the world so well as you. Is not that strange?" Beatrice says she could just as easily say the same to him, but don't believe her...although she isn't lying. Benedick, pleasantly surprised, says, "By my sword, Beatrice, thou lovest me." But Beatrice isn't so quick to believe that this mutual love is true, but Benedick insists, and this happens:
Beatrice: You have stayed me in a happy hour. I was about to protest I loved you.
Benedick: And do so, with all thy heart.
Beatrice: I love you with so much of my heart that none is left to protest.
Are you dead at how cute and sweet and romantic and beautiful and perfect this is? Because I am.
Then Benedick says he will do anything for her, and she tells him to kill Claudio. Obviously, he's like no way, even though he loves her. But in a long few passages, Beatrice tells Benedick how unfair it is that women can have their honor taken from them by men and have no way to defend themselves - they have to rely on men. And what's more, it is so easy for men to be believed, even though Claudio and Don Pedro had no proof other than what they think they saw. Benedick asks if Beatrice is sure that they have wronged her, and she affirms. Benedick then pledges to challenge Claudio for Hero's honor, and they leave the church.
Act 4, Scene 2
Dogberry, Verges, and the sexton are interrogating Borachio and Conrade. Dogberry says that he knows they are liars, and Conrad says that they aren't. The same repeats with Borachio. The sexton tells Dogberry to call forth the members of the watch who overheard Borachio and Conrade talking about what happened regarding Hero. The watchmen tell the sexton what they heard them say. The sexton tells Borachio and Conrade what happened at the wedding, and that their plan appears to have worked. He tells Dogberry to take them to Leonato's house. Conrade calls Dogberry an ass, and Dogberry goes off. Then they all leave.
The wedding of Hero and Claudio. The Friar, Francis, begins the marriage ceremony by asking Claudio if he comes to marry Hero. Claudio says "No". Leonato thinks Claudio is joking about the fact that the Friar is "marrying" them, while Claudio comes to "be married to" her. The Friar asks Hero if she comes to be married to Claudio. She says she does. The Friar asks for objections, and Claudio asks Hero if she knows any. She says she doesn't. Claudio begins to get a little worked up but doesn't directly say why, and Benedick attempts to lighten the situation (since he has no idea what is going on). Claudio then tells Leonato that Hero is not a virgin. Leonato tells Claudio that it's no big deal if he has slept with her, and Claudio has predicted this answer, it's not a problem, since they've agreed to be married and simply saw each other as husband and wife already. Nope, Claudio says, he never even tried to sleep with her - Hero slept with another man. Hero, obviously, is shocked. Don Pedro backs up Claudio's claim. Leonato says he must be dreaming, but Don John (who invited him!?) also backs up the story. Claudio asks Hero, in front of everyone, if she talked with anyone outside her window between midnight and one last night, and she says she didn't. Don Pedro tells Leonato that she is lying, that they saw her talking with a man last night. Leonato is overcome, and says "Hath no man's dagger here a point for me?", meaning that he would rather die than have to deal with this. The accusers leave. Hero faints, and Beatrice runs to her, calling for help from three people: Leonato, the Friar, and Benedick. Leonato says that Hero's death would be preferable to her being alive as such a whore. Leonato goes on a whole long monologue about how he loved Hero so much and was so proud of her, but now she is a shame on him. Benedick tells Leonato to calm down and expresses his shock at the situation, saying he doesn't know what to say. Trying to reason the situation out, he asks Beatrice if she slept in Hero's room last night. She didn't, which Leonato takes as proof that Hero was cheating on her fiancee. Hero regains consciousness and tells Leonato that if they can prove she did what she is accused of, to feel free to "refuse me, hate me, torture me to death." Benedick works out that they must have been tricked by Don John, since they otherwise are very honorable people. Leonato says he doesn't know. If they're right about Hero, than "these [Leonato's] hands shall tear her"; if they're wrong, they'll tear them. The Friar suggests that they pretend that Hero is dead, which will cause Claudio to regret what he has done, while the rest of them get the proof that Hero has been falsely accused. Benedick advises Leonato to do as the Friar suggests, and says that even though he is very good friends with Claudio and Don Pedro, he is on Hero's side. Everyone else leaves, and Benedick finds Beatrice crying. He asks if she has been crying the whole time, and she says she has. He says he doesn't want that, and she says it doesn't matter - she can't help it. She says she wishes there is someone who could avenge Hero, but there isn't anyone. Benedick takes the moment to say the most beautiful, romantic thing I have ever heard and it gives me butterflies every time I read it: "I do love nothing in the world so well as you. Is not that strange?" Beatrice says she could just as easily say the same to him, but don't believe her...although she isn't lying. Benedick, pleasantly surprised, says, "By my sword, Beatrice, thou lovest me." But Beatrice isn't so quick to believe that this mutual love is true, but Benedick insists, and this happens:
Beatrice: You have stayed me in a happy hour. I was about to protest I loved you.
Benedick: And do so, with all thy heart.
Beatrice: I love you with so much of my heart that none is left to protest.
Are you dead at how cute and sweet and romantic and beautiful and perfect this is? Because I am.
Then Benedick says he will do anything for her, and she tells him to kill Claudio. Obviously, he's like no way, even though he loves her. But in a long few passages, Beatrice tells Benedick how unfair it is that women can have their honor taken from them by men and have no way to defend themselves - they have to rely on men. And what's more, it is so easy for men to be believed, even though Claudio and Don Pedro had no proof other than what they think they saw. Benedick asks if Beatrice is sure that they have wronged her, and she affirms. Benedick then pledges to challenge Claudio for Hero's honor, and they leave the church.
Act 4, Scene 2
Dogberry, Verges, and the sexton are interrogating Borachio and Conrade. Dogberry says that he knows they are liars, and Conrad says that they aren't. The same repeats with Borachio. The sexton tells Dogberry to call forth the members of the watch who overheard Borachio and Conrade talking about what happened regarding Hero. The watchmen tell the sexton what they heard them say. The sexton tells Borachio and Conrade what happened at the wedding, and that their plan appears to have worked. He tells Dogberry to take them to Leonato's house. Conrade calls Dogberry an ass, and Dogberry goes off. Then they all leave.
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