Theme Of Deception In Much Ado About Nothing

Much Ado about “Noting”

Much Ado About Nothing, a play by William Shakespeare, is about a (very large) group of friends visiting one another in the Italian countryside. A group of warriors, just returned from battle, greet their host greet their host, engage in pleasantries, fall in love, and prepare weddings. However, not all are enjoying this air of happiness, as a villain is soon introduced, seeking to destroy the relationships he sees forming. The play then proceeds to show his various attempts at breaking the other characters apart, turning them against each other in the process. In the final scenes, the villain’s identity is revealed, restoring peace and harmony among the characters. Throughout the play, however, there is a large amount of deception, not only from the villain, but among many of the characters. The title of the play comes, in part, from this deception. In Shakespeare’s day the word “nothing” was similar to “noting,” which meant eavesdropping. Almost all the deception in the play takes the form of “noting,” with three specific instances. One instance creates a relationship, one is an attempt to end another relationship, and, finally, one brings reconciliation.

Each of these characters enjoys fighting in battles of wit between themselves, insulting each other in turn. That is why it is surprising when their friends decide to deceive them into falling for each other. The friends position themselves so that at different times Beatrice and Benedick will overhear their friends talking about how one has confessed love towards the other in confidence. As a result, Beatrice and Benedick are deceived into believing the other is in love, and in the process fall in love themselves. In this way, eavesdropping is used to bring about a positive