Benedick said to Don Pedro, “Leave him till tomorrow. I’ll think of some awful punishment for him. Play on, musicians!” A group of soldiers return home to Messina, Italy from war, to find love. Only, to be encountered with the villainous character Don John. In Much Ado About Nothing by William Shakespeare, Don John serves as the foil character of Don Pedro by which Don Pedro’s advantageous strengths are illuminated through Don John’s belligerent weaknesses; thus, continually illuminates the idea of good vs evil.
The difference between Don John and Don Pedro is that, Don John is selfish and is a criminal and Don Pedro is a peacemaker and is very helpful towards others. Don Pedro is the helpful, kind, caring brother out of the two. While, Don John is a deceitful, lying, trouble-maker of a half brother. These two characters in the book Much Ado About Nothing are total
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In these two quotes Don Pedro and Don John both exhibit traits of being proud and confident of their role in Messina. Whether it may be the good guy and or the bad guy. At the very beginning of the book Don John states “Thank you. I’m not a man who talks a lot, but I thank you” (Shakespeare 15). He said this because Leonato was thanking he and his brother for coming to their small town of Messina, Italy. In this he was being a little cocky and proud. And also, Don Pedro stated “I am as magnificent as the glorious god Jove” (Shakespeare 45). He said this because he and the lady Hero were having a conversation at the masked ball. This was all when he was trying to woo Hero for his buddy Claudio. Well, when Don John and Don Pedro both said the things they did they both exhibited the characteristics of being very proud and confident of who they were, and their appearance as a whole. In the end these two brothers may be more alike than you think. But, it all comes down to the individual
William Shakespeare is known for his use of dramatic irony and complicated story lines. In Much Ado About Nothing, he also adds in the element of disguise to what the characters know, or what they think they know. There are multiple characters trying to ensnare others in different facades, whether it be for better or for worse. The deception and illusion in the play can either assist the characters or completely shatter the situation, but in both cases, Shakespeare advises us to infer about what we hear or see before we jump to conclusions.
Thesis- In William Shakespeare’s “ Much Ado About Nothing” Don Pedro and Don John are brothers and through their relationship we see how they are a foil for each other and just how very different they are through their actions and words.
This is brought out by the character foil of Don Pedro and Don John because it is Don John’s deceit that is highlighted by Don Pedro’s honesty that creates this conflict that truly makes this meaning clear. Also, Don Pedro’s honesty could have also solved the situation. If he was immediately honest with Leonato and told him of Don John’s accusation, Leonato could have dug deeper and found out that it was untrue. This brings out even more the ease with which the problem could have been avoided. Without this character foil, the meaning would not be as clear as it was.
William Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing is a play involving by deception, disloyalty, trickery, eavesdropping, and hearsay. The play contains numerous examples of schemes that are used to manipulate the thoughts of other characters; it is the major theme that resonates throughout the play. Ironically, it is one of these themes that bring serenity to the chaos that encompasses most of the play.
Secondly, throughout Much Ado About Nothing Don John the bastard is considered an outsider. In Act 1, scene 3 Don John and his companion Conrade are having a discussion about Don John’s sadness. During this conversation Don John
Rossiter, A.P. "Much Ado About Nothing." William Shakespeare Comedies & Romances. Ed. Harold Bloom. New York: Chelsea House Publishers, 1986.
In the play ‘Much ado about nothing’, Don John is a puppet whose strings are pulled by various characters and the society in which he lives. Although he does monkey businesses like every character in the play, he is the one who gets harshly judged and punished for it. His villainy is not an innate trait but rather, he chooses it to distinguish him from others.
With its entangled plots and eloquent use of words, Much Ado About Nothing is a story that has the ability to entertain the masses, both young and old. Shakespeare’s use of figurative language along with situation creates such vivid imagery that carries the drama from beginning to end. For example, when we look at Act 1 Scene 1 of the play, we are quickly introduced to the sharp tongued Beatrice as she verbally annihilates her unseen co-star Benedick.... ... middle of paper ... ...
In William Shakespeare’s play ‘Much Ado about Nothing’, there are many instances of trickery and deception, which seem to surround the whole of the play.
“And when I lived, I was your other wife, And when you loved, you were my other husband(Shakespeare 60).” In the beginning of the play it was overwhelming, steeped in love at first sight between Hero and Claudio, until Don John’s evil-manner took a role in ruining the love between them. And because of this a conflict developed between them, but was resolved when their vigorous love for one another overcame the conflict. In Much Ado About Nothing by William Shakespeare, Hero serves as the foil character of Claudio because of Hero’s dignified, well-mannered, eminent reputation is illuminated through Claudio’s insecure, accusing, and doubtful weakness; thereby, interminably influencing the conflict in the plot.
“Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit (Matthew 7:17).” If you are truly a Christian, than you would bears good characteristic. Don John is a bastard in his family, so William Shakespeare give him a greedy characteristic. Don John’s greed makes him do many disgusting things, and he almost kill Hero, the wife of Claudio, using his words. Readers could not find any Christian attitude on Don John. Don John in Much Ado About Nothing did not exhibit Christian attitudes because of his revenge, his dishonesty characteristic, and he is a gossip monger.
Throughout, the play, Much Ado About Nothing, the characters within the play constantly degrade Don John to less than a human, because of his illegitimacy. These people treat him inferior to themselves, which in response makes Don John provoke chaos.
Don John dislikes Don Pedro because Don John is the illegitimate brother, a bastard child. This means that he isn’t recognised by the court of Messina or by anyone. Although Don John is of royal blood, his royal blood would’ve been respected but not him. In those times, Don John would have had the social status of a prostitute. This is no fault of Don John, but only because his parents weren’t married when he was conceived. Don John is always so gloomy because he isn’t respected, he says to Conrade “There is no measure in the occasion that breeds, therefore the sadness is without limit”. Don Pedro the legitimate brother is highly respected by everyone and is probably very wealthy, Don John would have had nothing. Don is jealous of his brother because of all the admiration he gets from others. In Shakespearean times, everyone would have expected Don John to be evil because he was a bastard. No one would been surprised when Don John tried to ruin Claudio’s hopes of mar...
Shakespeare, William. Much Ado about Nothing. Ed. Paul Werstine, Barbara A. Mowat, and Gail Kern. Paster. New York: Simon &ump; Schuster Paperbacks, 1995. Print.
Rossiter, A.P. “Much Ado About Nothing.” William Shakespeare Comedies & Romances. Ed. Harold Bloom. New York: Chelsea House Publishers, 1986.