# Borachio — Much Ado About Nothing character guide

> Borachio in Much Ado About Nothing by William Shakespeare.

**Role:** supporting

**Also known as:** Enter Borachio, Borachio Marry, Borachio Conrade, Borachio Yea, Borachio Tush

**First appearance:** 0004-act-i-scene-iii

## Snapshot

Don John's inventive henchman, who turns a casual dalliance with Hero's maid Margaret into a staged midnight tableau designed to ruin a wedding.

## Who they are

Borachio is the plotter who supplies cunning where his master supplies only spite, trading on Margaret's favor to manufacture false evidence of Hero's infidelity. He is cool, mercenary, and proud of his craft — he asks a thousand ducats and promises his cunning shall not shame him. His scheme is the hinge on which the play's comic tragedy turns, and his conscience, when it stirs, arrives almost too late.

## Relationships

### [Don John](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/much_ado_about_nothing_se/characters/don_john)

_professional_

Borachio is Don John's follower and accomplice, carrying out his malicious plots.

## In the story

### [Scene III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/much_ado_about_nothing_se/chapters/act-i-scene-iii)

Brings news of the intended marriage between Claudio and Hero, providing Don John with a basis for mischief.

### [Scene II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/much_ado_about_nothing_se/chapters/act-ii-scene-ii)

Devises the scheme to frame Hero using Margaret and a nighttime deception.

### [Scene III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/much_ado_about_nothing_se/chapters/act-iii-scene-iii)

Boasts to Conrade of earning a thousand ducats from Don John by wooing Margaret in Hero's name, deceiving Claudio and Don Pedro.

### [Scene II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/much_ado_about_nothing_se/chapters/act-iv-scene-ii)

One of the prisoners; his confession about Don John's plot is revealed by the watch.

### [Scene I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/much_ado_about_nothing_se/chapters/act-v-scene-i)

Confesses his villainy and Don John's role in framing Hero, clearing her name.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/much_ado_about_nothing_se/characters/borachio
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/much_ado_about_nothing_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/much_ado_about_nothing_se/characters