[H]e that is more than a youth is not
for me, and he that is less than a man, I am not for him.
(See Important Quotations Explained)
Summary: Act II, scene i
While Hero, Beatrice, Leonato, and Antonio wait for the
evening’s masked ball to begin, Hero and Beatrice discuss their
idea of the perfect man—a happy medium between Don John, who never
talks, and Benedick, who engages himself in constant banter. This exchange
leads into a conversation about whether or not Beatrice will ever
get a husband, and Beatrice laughingly claims that she will not.
Leonato and Antonio also remind Hero about their belief that Don
Pedro plans to propose to her that evening. The other partygoers
enter, and the men put on masks. Supposedly, the women now cannot
tell who the men are. The music begins, and the dancers pair off
and hold conversations while they dance. Don Pedro’s musician, Balthasar,
dances with Hero’s servant Margaret and old Antonio dances
with Hero’s other servant, Ursula. Meanwhile, Don Pedro dances with
Hero and begins to flirt with her. Benedick dances with Beatrice,
who either does not recognize him or pretends not to. She insults
Benedick thoroughly to her dancing partner, saying that while Benedick
thinks that he is witty others find him completely boring.
The music leads many of the dancers away into corners
of the stage, creating various couplings. Don John, who has seen
his brother Don Pedro courting Hero, decides to make Claudio jealous by
making him think that Don Pedro has decided to win and keep Hero
for himself instead of giving her to Claudio as he had promised.
Pretending not to recognize Claudio behind his mask, Don John addresses
him as if he were Benedick, mentioning to him that, contrary to
their plan, Don Pedro actually courts Hero for himself and means
to marry her that very night.
Claudio believes Don John, and, when the real Benedick
enters a few moments later, the angry and miserable Claudio rushes
out. But when Don Pedro comes in along with Hero and Leonato, Benedick learns
that Don Pedro has been true to his word after all; he has courted
and won Hero for Claudio, not for himself, just as he promised.
Benedick still remains bitter about the nasty things Beatrice said
to him during the dance, so when Beatrice approaches with Claudio,
he begs Don Pedro to send him on some extremely arduous errand rather
than be forced to endure her company. Don Pedro laughingly insists
that he stay, but Benedick leaves anyway.
When Claudio returns, Don Pedro tells him that Hero has
agreed to marry him (Claudio), and Leonato supports him. Claudio,
overwhelmed, can barely speak, but he and Hero privately make their promises
to one another. Beatrice half-seriously remarks that she will never
have a husband, and Don Pedro offers himself to her. Beatrice, comparing
him to fancy clothes, replies that she wishes she could have him
but that he would be too lavish and valuable for her to wear every
day. After Beatrice and Benedick leave, Leonato and Claudio discuss
when Claudio will marry Hero. Claudio wants the wedding to occur
the next day, but Leonato decides on the coming Monday, only a week
away. Claudio regrets that the wait will be so long, but Don Pedro
comes up with a good way to pass the time: with the help of all
his friends, he will design a plan to get Beatrice and Benedick
to stop arguing and fall in love with one another. He secures the
promises of Leonato, Claudio, and Hero to help him in the plan he
will devise.
Read a translation of
Act II, scene i →
Analysis
This long scene resolves the first of the play’s important
questions: whether Claudio will receive Hero’s consent to love and
marry her. When the two lovers are finally brought together, Claudio
is too overwhelmed with joy to profess his love in elevated language,
saying to Hero simply, “Silence is the perfectest herald of joy.
I were but little happy if I could say how much” (II.i.267–268).
While Claudio can find few words to express his joy, Hero can find
none. Indeed, it is Beatrice who formalizes Hero’s return of Claudio’s
love, commenting to Claudio, “My cousin [Hero] tells him [Claudio]
in his ear that he is in her heart” (II.i.275–276).
We never hear Hero’s acceptance of Claudio, but nonetheless we know
what occurs.
These two quiet characters—Claudio and Hero—seem well matched,
and Claudio’s addressing of Beatrice as “cousin” confirms that he
will soon marry into her family (II.i.277).
Nonetheless, a troubling element of Claudio’s character comes to
light in this scene. Don John’s attempt to thwart the match has
come to nothing; although he does manage to trick Claudio into believing
that Don Pedro has betrayed him and is going to marry Hero himself,
Claudio learns the truth before anything bad can happen. But here
we see that Claudio is prone to making rash decisions. He is very
quick to believe that his friend has betrayed him, not even questioning
Don John’s claims. Acknowledging that Don Pedro seems to be wooing Hero
for himself, Claudio declares that
