Much Ado About Nothing Act 4 “She knows the heat of a luxurious bed. Her blush is guiltiness, not modesty.”

Much Ado About Nothing Act 4  “She knows the heat of a luxurious bed.

Her blush is guiltiness, not modesty.”

Weddings normally occur at the end of Shakespeare’s comedies but here in Act 4 of ‘Much Ado About Nothing’ the beginning of the wedding of Claudio and Hero will prove the climatic event in which Hero’s virtue is questioned, and Benedick will be asked to prove his love for Beatrice by promising to kill his friend Claudio.

All seems to be going well with the wedding until Claudo questions Leonato about him giving away his daughter. Then he launches into a tirade:

“… Leonato, take her back again:

Give not this rotten orange to your friend;

She's but the sign and semblance of her honour….

She knows the heat of a luxurious bed;

Her blush is guiltiness, not modesty.”

The scene becomes disturbing and dramatically charged as Don Pedro reveals that the night before he, Claudio and Don John had seen, in a window, Hero with a man in her bed chamber.

“Myself, my brother and this grieved count

Did see her, hear her, at that hour last night

Talk with a ruffian at her chamber-window…”

Leonato asks if any man has a dagger with which he could kill himself out of shame, while Hero swoons in distress. Claudio, Don Pedro, and Don John storm out of the wedding. Benedick and Beatrice stay to look after Hero. Leonato suggests that Hero’s death would be the best way to cover the shame.

The Friar, who has been watching these strange events unfold, intervenes and says that he observed only shock on Hero’s face at the accusations and believes her to be innocent. Hero wakes up and reinforces that she has been faithful to Claudio, but since Beatrice who normally sleeps in the same chamber as Hero did not sleep there last night, Hero has no alibi. Benedick suggests that the accusation is a lie and thinks that Don John must be behind it. Then the Friar thinks of a clever plan whereby Hero will pretend to be dead so that even Claudio and Don Pedro will feel sorrow and grief and the truth will be revealed. He suggests that the worst case scenario would see Hero end up in solitude in a nunnery. Leonato states that his grief would make him go along with anything. The Friar, Leonato and Hero go off to plan Hero’s fake death. Benedick and Beatrice are left alone and Benedick pledges that he would do anything for Beatrice. Beatrice asks Benedick to kill Claudio for his slander and cruelty to Hero. Benedick initially says he won’t but eventually agrees to undertake the task.

“Enough, I am engaged; I will challenge him. I will

kiss your hand, and so I leave you. By this hand,

Claudio shall render me a dear account.”

Meanwhile Dogberry, Verges, the Sexton, the leader of the Watch and his men of the Watch bring their prisoners Borachio and Conrad in for interrogation. Dogberry wants everything written down, even the most unimportant details and this becomes a running joke in the scene. Borachio is forced to admit that he was paid by Don John to stage a charade where he met with Margaret but pretended that she was Hero. The Sexton recounts what happened at the wedding and realizes the significance of this information especially now that he, and most people, believe that Hero is dead. He then calls for Borachio and Conrad to be bound so that he can bring them before Leonato to reveal all that has happened. Dogberry bemoans the fact everything wasn’t written down especially the last statement that he is an ass.