To deceive someone who is capable of setting aside their pride and analyzing the situation with a realistic view is a difficult task, but it’s easy to fool someone when their eyes are clouded with ego. Deception is a critical part of Much Ado About Nothing and the play suggests that the prideful are often the ones most susceptible to trickery as they are unable to look past their own sense of “honor” and self-righteousness. The play also suggests pride will change one’s reactions to deception. Throughout the play, one can witness prideful men (in particular Claudio and Don Pedro) and quaint women’s responses to deception. The difference is demonstrated by Benedick and Beatrice’s reactions to their respective deceptions, the different views
In this world rumors and dishonesty happen to be everywhere, no matter where you are. Nowaday people start rumors just to hurt and insult people’s feelings that later on lead to dramatic events. In the story “Much Ado about Nothing”, we encounter different scenes that lead to rumors and deception. One scene that we encounter is when Don John, the bastard brother spreads rumors about Hero being disloyal to Claudio and Don Pedro to corrupt Claudio’s and Hero’s relationship. Another scene that we run into is when Ursula and Hero have a talk in the garden about how Benedick has love affection towards Beatrice. Later on, these two scenes play a huge role and become dramatic elements of the story. We will encounter on how rumors and dishonesty can destroy and corrupt not just one person, but many.
Deception in Much Ado About Nothing by William Shakespeare
Shakespeare was born in 1564, in Stratford-upon-Avon. Shakespeare did
not go to university but worked. There are no documents that can tell
us anything at all about Shakespeare, but we have learned that in 1592
he was known in London, becoming an actor and playwright.
They play 'Much Ado About Nothing' is set in Messina because it is
romantic, a fashionable setting and Shakespeare took inspiration from
Italian poets.
The restrictions on using large props and changing scenery were
difficult because it would almost impossible to carry a large piece of
scenery on stage.
First of all, in Much Ado about Nothing, Claudio was a young soldier who fell in love with Hero at his first sight. At the beginning of the play, they looked like the perfect match in audience’s eyes because Claudio was a good soldier and had returned as a hero from battles; On the other hand, Hero was a young, beautiful, and virtual maid. However, after the first time meeting with Hero, Claudio’s first question about her is on the inheritance of her father’s wealth. After knowing Hero was the only heir of Leonato, Hero’s father, Claudio asked Don Pedro, the good Prince...
Much Ado about Nothing by William Shakespeare, is a comical story of misunderstandings and funny feuds, but also contains heartfelt love stories, one in which contains an horrible miscalculation that leads to heartbreak and "death." That story is one of Hero, the governors daughter, who falls in love with Count Claudio, a lord from Florence. Claudio undoubtably feels the same and they quickly become engaged to be married the next week. All is well until the evil Don John devises a plan to ruin their upcoming marriage and pulls a stunt to trick Claudio into believing that Hero has been disloyal. At their wedding ceremony the following day, Claudio publicly shames Hero by revealing that she has lost her honor to another man, turning everyone against her. Hero, of course, is innocent, but only a few believe this. This scenario is, of course, horrible to witness as a reader and viewer who knows the truth, and drags on for far too long. Hero's situation is one where no matter how much she protests and demands that she has been wrongfully accused, she is not listened to. Once it has been suggested, by the simple power of words, not even physical proof that can be shown to anyone questioning it, that Hero has lost her virginity, all hope is lost for Hero. Her pleas won't be heard, no one will believe her word over a mans, and she has lost everything in one moment, a blink of eye and the weddings off and she is shamed by everyone she knows.
The title of Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing has sparked scholarly debates about its meaning for centuries. Some say it is a play on the term “noting”, revolving around the theme of all sorts of deceptions by all sorts of appearances (Rossiter 163). Others claim it has more to do with everyone making a fuss about things that turn out to be false, therefore, nothing (Vaughn 102). Regardless of these speculations, there is something rather profound going on in the play that is worth making a big deal about: four characters in the play learn about love, and eventually, how to love.
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An exploration of Shakespeare’s presentation of trickery and deception in his play ‘Much Ado about Nothing.’
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.
These instances are as follows: Don Pedro wooing hero for Claudio, Don Pedro wooing hero for himself, Claudio pretending to be Benedick to find out information from Don John and Borachio, Don John and Borachio both know that Claudio is not Benedick but trick Claudio into thinking that they believe that Claudio is in fact Benedick, Benedick pretending to be somebody else whilst talking to Beatrice, Beatrice pretending to believe that she is in fact talking to Benedick, Beatrice having romantic feelings for Benedick, Benedick having romantic feelings for Beatrice, Beatrice not having romantic feelings for Benedick, Benedick not having romantic feelings for Beatrice, Hero is unfaithful with Borachio, Hero is dead, and Antonio having another daughter.
Much Ado about Nothing, though interspersed with dark moments, is a comedy that ends with the expectation of multiple marriages. Shakespeare 's comedies usually explore the themes of love and marriage. The common characteristics of his plays include rural settings, mistaken identity and disguises, complex plots, disputes within characters, separation and reunification. Tension is usually built up around the various trials and tribulations the protagonists must overcome. In Othello, Iago wants to destroy the relationship between Othello and Cassio by accusing Desdemona of infidelity; unlike Don John, he is successful. In Romeo and Juliet, Lord Capulet 's tirade and outrage at Juliet can be compared with Leonato 's soliloquy where he wishes Hero
A dramatic comedy villain should resemble someone of a horrid disposition whose main goal in life is to ruin others. Horace Walpole once said ‘This world is a comedy to those that think, a tragedy to those that feel’ . Don John as the most passive villain in Much Ado seems to settle directly upon this line. The man of few words emerges as the most disagreeable and wicked character in the play. Yet Shakespeare assigns Don John the redeeming quality of his honesty and ensures that he receives a lot of sympathy from the audience through Don John’s description of himself announcing his ultimate punishment by a hypocritical society which rejects him from the very moment of birth. This is due to Don John’s honest and emotional character personality which is rejected by the other characters immediately this is not the typical personality you would expect from a villain. And it results in his character being questioned as to whether he fulfils the role of a villain effectively.
The comedy, “Much Ado About Nothing” depicts the story of a group of high-ranking soldiers who travel through a town called Messina. They had been to the town before, and this time Claudio confesses his love for the governor’s daughter, Hero. Because Leonato is so fond of Claudio, the wedding is set to be a few days away. This gives Don John, Claudio’s bastard brother, a chance to show his true hatred for Claudio. He comes up with a scheme to make Claudio think that Hero is cheating by dressing Margaret in her clothing and perching her near the window with another man. When Claudio sees this, he says that he will humiliate Hero instead of marrying her.