MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING by William Shakespeare

Guest Blogger:  Mariana, Montevideo Middle School
I love reading books, the color blue, and everything that has to do with Shakespeare

Shakespeare, a name that makes everyone shiver in fear and terror. A name that gave nightmares to every high-schooler the day before having to analyze iambic pentameter in the "Too, too sullied flesh" soliloquy. But what if I told you that Shakespeare created a play that has much more to do with the daily life of a teen than with high body counts? This is where this comedy comes in. Shakespeare sets this story in Messina, Italy, in the family villa of Lord Leonato, his naive and innocent daughter Hero, his witty and proud niece Beatrice, and her bachelor uncle Antonio. They are told via messenger that the Prince of Aragon, Don Pedro, his company, the idealistic Claudio and the womanizing Benedick, and Don Pedro's illegitimate brother, Don John, are going to stay in that villa for a few weeks. Alright, I know that this play is already sounding complicated, but here comes the fun part: Hero and Claudio immediately fall in love with one another and plan to marry each other one week after meeting each other (like one does), and they decide to matchmake Beatrice and Benedick together (who get along just like oil and water), and they decide it by spreading the rumor that they have crushes on each other and that they don't tell the other because they think the other hates them. Meanwhile, Don John is planning Don Pedro's downfall via disgraced friend, and tries to sully Hero's name. One masquerade ball, a villainous plot, three rumors, a failed wedding, a faked death, a threat of death, the proof of the incompetency of the police force, and two successful weddings later, the drama that can be seen through the halls of a school can be detected, even if it's a bit over the top. And, best of all, there's a happy ending. We all know everyone likes happy endings, ​right? (Not Shakespeare.)

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