Examples Of Don John In Much Ado About Nothing Machiavellianism

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The idea of Machiavellianism has been around since the 16th century and played a role in how people try to get what they want. Machiavellianism refers to a person who only has their best interests in mind and will do whatever is needed to get what they want. In the play “Much Ado About Nothing”, there are characters that display Machiavellian traits. Two of those characters are Don John and Borachio. Don John is more Machiavellian than Borachio because he pays others to help him come out on top and he fights people that have what he never had. Don John pays others money so they will help him execute his self-serving plans. Don John’s plans usually focus on him coming out ahead while making other people look like fools. We read that Don John …show more content…

He becomes jealous and he tries to take it away or make them feel inferior in some way. Seeing people that have something he didn’t, makes him feel like he is below them and he makes them an enemy. Don John shows this trait in ACT 2 Scene 2 when he says “ Any bar, any cross, any impediment will be/ mendicable to me. I am sick in displeasure to him,/ and whatsoever comes awart his affection ranges/ evenly with mine. How canst thou cross this marriage?”(Shakespeare 30). Since Claudio and Hero love each other and he has never experienced love he tries to ruin their wedding. He feels jealous and therefore thinks he has to intervene and that they should not love each other anymore either. This shows another Machiavellian trait of Don John as his selfishness and self-centeredness come through simply because they have what he wants and doesn't know how to get. Another thing that he wants is the throne. His brother Don Pedro is the current king. Don John goes to war with his brother Don Pedro over this. In ACT 1 Scene 1 Leonato asks the Messenger about the war, “How many gentlemen have you lost in this action?”(Shakespeare 1). Don John’s brother has the throne but he believes he is entitled to it. Don John is jealous of what his brother has and is willing to do anything he can to get it. This shows that he is Machiavellian because he tries force people to comply to his

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