Much Ado About Nothing is generally considered among Shakespeare’s finest comedies, because it combines components of strong hilarity with more serious meditations in honor, shame, and court politics.

The play includes two quite different stories of romantic love. Hero and Claudio fall in love almost at first sight, but an outsider, Don John, strikes out at their happiness. Beatrice and Benedick are held apart by pride and mutual antagonism until others opt to play Cupid.