In Act 3 Scene 1 Hero tells Ursula of the role she must play in the gulling (tricking) of Beatrice. Hero then goes on to talk of how `love-sick' Benedick is with Beatrice. They both praise Benedick`s virtues during this scene. As Beatrice enters Hero refers to her as a "lapwing" running close by the ground to eavesdrop on the conversation between herself and Ursula. Ursula describes her as a fish being baited. Beatrice is then hidden in the woodbine coverture.

Hero has virtually said nothing in the previous scenes apart form explaining her cousin and replying to her father, Leonato. She has deferred respectfully to her father, uncle and the prince, been too shy to speak her love out loud to Claudio and never sought to emulate Beatrice's confident chatter. Yet in this scene she takes charge and controls the affairs with confidence (hero is continually answer the...