Much Ado About Nothing, Act 1 Scene 2 runs 24 lines of dialogue, spoken by 2 speakers. That is shorter than the play’s average scene length of about 152 lines. This scene is part of Act 1 of Much Ado About Nothing.
Full Dialogue
Leonato ♂
How now, brother! Where is my cousin, your son?
hath he provided this music?
hath he provided this music?
Antonio ♂
He is very busy about it. But, brother, I can tell
you strange news that you yet dreamt not of.
you strange news that you yet dreamt not of.
Leonato ♂
Are they good?
Antonio ♂
As the event stamps them: but they have a good
cover; they show well outward. The prince and Count
Claudio, walking in a thick-pleached alley in mine
orchard, were thus much overheard by a man of mine:
the prince discovered to Claudio that he loved my
niece your daughter and meant to acknowledge it
this night in a dance: and if he found her
accordant, he meant to take the present time by the
top and instantly break with you of it.
cover; they show well outward. The prince and Count
Claudio, walking in a thick-pleached alley in mine
orchard, were thus much overheard by a man of mine:
the prince discovered to Claudio that he loved my
niece your daughter and meant to acknowledge it
this night in a dance: and if he found her
accordant, he meant to take the present time by the
top and instantly break with you of it.
Leonato ♂
Hath the fellow any wit that told you this?
Antonio ♂
A good sharp fellow: I will send for him; and
question him yourself.
question him yourself.
Leonato ♂
No, no; we will hold it as a dream till it appear
itself: but I will acquaint my daughter withal,
that she may be the better prepared for an answer,
if peradventure this be true. Go you and tell her of it.
Cousins, you know what you have to do. O, I cry you
mercy, friend; go you with me, and I will use your
skill. Good cousin, have a care this busy time.
itself: but I will acquaint my daughter withal,
that she may be the better prepared for an answer,
if peradventure this be true. Go you and tell her of it.
Cousins, you know what you have to do. O, I cry you
mercy, friend; go you with me, and I will use your
skill. Good cousin, have a care this busy time.
24 lines rendered verbatim from the dialogue corpus.
Who’s On Stage
Speaking characters in this scene
| Character | Lines | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Antonio | 13 | 54.2% |
| Leonato | 11 | 45.8% |
Line distribution
The top speaker in this scene delivers 13 lines, while the scene’s average per speaker is about 12 lines.
Total speakers on stage
2 named characters speak in this scene.
Scene in Context
Position within Act 1
This is Scene 2 of 3 in Act 1 of Much Ado About Nothing.
Scene length vs. play average
At 24 lines, this scene is shorter than the Much Ado About Nothing average scene in Much Ado About Nothing (~152 lines).
Adjacent scenes
Previous: Act 1 Scene 1 · Next: Act 1 Scene 3