Reading Journal (much ado about nothing): Act one

• Opens with men returning home from war- element of serious drama
• Beatrice's witty mocking of Benedick is the first comedic element of the play
• Swiftly followed by witty banter between the two characters- one of the comedic highlights of the play
• The verse speaking Claudio confesses his love for the the "fair hero", while Benedick claims she is "short" in comparison to her cousin (Beatrice) giving us a not so subtle hint at his true feelings for his combatant in their "merry war"
• Don pedro and Claudio plan to court Hero during the masked ball (foreshadowing act 2)
• Don John gives a speech to his right hand, showing the audience he is the "canker in the rose" of the comedy in the play- through his villiany, which injects a serious dramatic element to the narrative