Examples Of Deception In Much Ado About Nothing

Disguise and deception are central to ‘Much Ado about Nothing’. Not only are they effective comedic plot devices but they are pivotal to the overall construction and establishment of the plot. The masked ball scene, is pivotal to the plot as it sets up the events for the rest of the play, Hero and Claudio are to be together, with the help of Don Pedro. Furthermore, deception as a form of manipulation, as Don Pedro and Claudio convince Benedict that Beatrice is in love with him. The following scene is staged as a parallel, when Hero and Margaret, through deception, convince Beatrice that Benedick that loves her; thus conveying deception in a positive way. Moreover, the audience witness self deception, when Leonato is told that Don Pedro, Prince

Shakespeare uses this setting as it gives the characters that attend a sense of freedom as they are, for the first time in the play, released from their social status and hierarchy that comes with being nobility in society. They are released from the social etiquette which follows being in the elite and are thus able to, through the form of disguise be free. It is in this scene that we learn more about the Elizabethan marriage and relationships. The ‘masked ball’ setting allows for this “merry war” to continue between Beatrice and Benedick. Shakespeare uses this oxymoron to portray the way in which Beatrice and Benedick have these great battles of words; Leonato, uses this phrase to cover their vicious arguments and make it seem that it is really just fun, “Signor Montanto”, whereas the comments are actually more cutting. The first thing that Benedick says to Beatrice is, “What, my dear Lady Disdain! Are you yet living?", crossing the fine line of comedy and mortality, seemingly disappointed that she is not dead! However, this time with Benedick disguised thinking that Beatrice doesn’t know that it is him, but of course she does, “well, this was Signor Benedick that said so. What’s he?”. This act of deliberate deception defiantly adds to the comic plot of the play as Beatrice portrays her fine wit and intelligence, whilst

Furthermore, the disguise of Margret as Hero is one of the plays most poignant scenes of disguise and deception as Shakespeare uses this key motif of fashion to disguise and therefore conceal Margaret’s identity as well as Hero deceiving Claudio to think she is dead. One can see that without the theme of deception pulsing through ‘Much Ado about Nothing’ then the comedic plots would not be achieved, as well as not creating such a significant story line captivating the audience. As the critic Dover Wilson said, “Eavesdropping and misinterpretation, disguise and deceit - sometimes for evil ends, but generally in fun and with a comic upshot - such are the designs in the dramatic pattern of Much Ado”. The only character that is not deceived in ‘Much Ado’ is the Friar Francis, perhaps this reflects on the fact that God is the only being that can ‘see the light’, can see through all the deceit and