Deception In Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing

The masking of an identity is a common solution that many people of today’s society turn towards. Whether it is to hide something from someone or to use it as a form of protection. William Shakespeare’s popular play Much Ado About Nothing is an excellent example of masking that is achieved by some of the characters. The story reflects events of people masking themselves intentionally, unintentionally or having the ability to see through other’s masks. It demonstrates that masking can end in deception, although not constantly.

The play Much Ado About Nothing by William Shakespeare consists of many themes which grow out of the ‘game of love'. The two main themes consist of perception and deception. Through the plot complications, character development and dramatic techniques these themes can be explored. In the play deception is shown on both good and evil sides, the game of love between Beatrice and Benedick and the Don John plot to split up Hero and Claudio. Perception is a theme used in most of Shakespeare's plays. Perceptive views by the characters help portray the game of love. Hero is perceived as dead which then Claudio is sorry and feels for her. Beatrice and Benedick's loved is clouded by each other's perceptions and arguments.

Deceit and trickery play a huge part in the play Much Ado About Nothing by William Shakespeare. Deception is a key theme in the play, it also moves the plot along. Trickery and deception is used in the love stories of couples Hero and Claudio, and Benedick and Beatrice, with opposite results. This play demonstrates two different kinds of deceit: the kind whose only purpose is to cause trouble, and the kind that is used to form a good outcome. In the relationship of Hero and Claudio, deception nearly succeeds in breaking them apart forever, while in the case of Benedick and Beatrice, it brings them closer together.

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

Pedro to which he responds, "I thank you, I am not of many words but I

2016: Many works of literature contain a character who intentionally deceives others. The character’s dishonesty may be intended either to help or to hurt. Such a character, for example, may choose to mislead others for personal safety, to spare someone’s feelings, or to carry out a crime. Choose a novel or play in which a character deceives others. Then, in a well-written essay, analyze the motives for that character’s deception and discuss how the deception contributes to the meaning of the work as a whole.

Deception is defined as a misleading falsehood. One is usually deceitful when there is a need to conceal the truth, or create a scheme to reveal the truth. This statement can be applied to the play Hamlet, where Shakespeare creates a society that is built upon deceit. Each character in the play experiences or enacts on some form of deceit in order to expose the truth or obscure the truth. There are no characters in the play that feel the need to be straightforward and seek the truth. As a result, the characters feel the need to continually be deceitful to cover up their past errors. Shakespeare displays various examples of deceit in the play such as dishonesty, antic disposition and betrayal. Through these forms of deceit, Shakespeare

Human nature is often considered in isolation from the rest of the world as if it would be an exception or a special case. In Shakespeare’s Much Ado about Nothing, the complexities of human nature are explored in depth. This essay will explore in particular how Shakespeare dramatises the concepts of human misunderstandings, deception and dichotomy through effective dramatic techniques.

"Deceiving: To mislead by false appearancec or statement; delude," according to dictionary.com. There are a few manipulative characters in the play that can easily be described as deceiving, but I believe Hamlet takes the cake for this title. After the ghost of his dad tells him how he died, Hamlet becomes increasingly paranoid and even goes out of his way to plot revenge. In order to go through with his plan, he had to pretend he was "insane" so they wouldn't get suspicious of his behaivour. Another example would be the play he put on to see if King Claudius was guilty of murder. When introducing the play to the Queen and King, they were very happy to see improvement in him, they were not told of the contents of the play and were unaware of what was going to happen.

Benedick, a strong willed man, is tough as nails. His journey as a hardened soldier under the leadership of Don Pedro has sprung forth a cunning and sarcastic attitude. He is against anything that has to do with love, as he believes love will turn a man soft, and he would never want such a thing to happen to him. He swears on the fact that he will never be wed or even fall for a woman. Yet he asks himself this story altering, climax of a question “May I be so converted and see with these eyes?” (2.3. 19 20). After this, we can start to see deep down who he really is, and that he may be capable of love after all. What happens with Benedick? Does he really have it in him to stay away from women, even one who is

All the character deception in The Taming of the Shrew creates dramatic irony. Dramatic irony involves the reader/audience knowing something about what’s happening in the plot, about which the character(s) has/have no knowledge. Dramatic irony can be used in comedic plays, such as this one to engage the reader/audience. Throughout the play, characters are may be oblivious to recognising the truth, however, the reader/audience can sympathise with this character because the reader/audience knows the true motives of the circumstance. The characters mentioned earlier create examples of dramatic irony. Lucentio disguises himself as Cambio; Bianca’s Latin Tutor, little does Bianca or Baptista (Bianca and Katherine’s father) know about

Don Pedro and his men return from the war and visit the house of Leonato and his brother, Antonio. This sudden meeting reunites Beatrice with her archrival, Benedick, and it is here that Claudio and Hero fall in love.

Don Pedro and Hero try to get Beatrice and Benedick to declare their love for one another

Each of the main characters in Much Ado About Nothing is the victim of deception, and it is because they are deceived that they act in the ways that they do. Although the central deception is directed against Claudio in an attempt to destroy his relationship with Hero, it is the deceptions involving Beatrice and Benedick which provides the play's dramatic focus.

Shakespeare uses the literary device, motif with the image of the masked characters and with the masked language of Benedick and Beatrice. In each instance that a masked character or masked language is used, deception intensifies. In Act I, Scene 1, Claudio says about Hero, “That I love her, I feel” (Shakespeare 1.1.205). Bear in mind, Claudio just arrived in Messina and laid eyes on Hero for the first time. Thus, his declaration of love seems impulsive and uncertain. Claudio knows little about Hero, so his desire to have her must rest on her appearance alone. Still, Don Pedro offers to help unite Claudio with Hero. He initiates a matchmaking scheme. He says, “I will assume thy part in some disguise / And tell fair Hero I am