Study Questions
1. How is Don John related to Don Pedro?

2. What is Don John's mood in this scene?

3. Under what planet is Conrade born?

4. What kind of advice does Conrade give Don John?

5. How does Don John respond to Conrade's advice?

6. What information does Borachio bring to Don John?

7. What effect does this information have on Don John?

8. Why are Conrade and Borachio willing to assist Don John?

9. Where does Don John go at the end of the scene?

10. How does Shakespeare use repetition and contrast in this scene?

Answers
1. Don John is Don Pedro's illegitimate brother.

2. Don John's mood is foul, based on his willfulness and impatience.

3. Conrade is born under the planet Saturn.

4. Conrade, hoping to appeal to Don John's ambitions, advises him to stay within the prince's good graces until he is able to devise a solid plan to undo his brother and his court.

5. Don John tells Conrade he has no intention of following anyone's will, even for the sake of flatters other than his own.

6. Borachio informs Don John that the prince is being entertained at supper at Leonato's, where he will woo Hero for Claudio.

7. Don John, envious of Claudio because he bested him in battle, decides to cross him.

8. Conrade and Borachio agree to help Don John in his deception in order to satisfy their own ambitions, should Don John one day become prince.

9. Don John goes to Leonato's house to join the party given for his brother Don Pedro, and to seek a means of crossing Claudio.

10. In this scene, Shakespeare repeats the motif of noting, or eavesdropping, with Borachio, and contrasts Don John's resentment with Don Pedro's forgiveness. Stylistically, Don John's clipped, obsessive speech is void of any geniality.