Don John's Character Foil In Much Ado About Nothing

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.

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

When thinking about the well known comedy Much Ado About Nothing, by William Shakespeare the audience is quick to focus on the wit and comedy that the play has to offer, rather than the understated villain who easily disappears in the background. While reading the play, one can posit that Don John is not the typical villain who acts with a specific motive in mind, rather, he is acting out of an obligation he feels to serve as an antagonist considering his position as a bastard. This is demonstrated in his dialogue, which reveals his inner turmoil on being chained to the villainous role and his willingness to act on any malicious opportunity that presents itself to him. This is significant in that, it provides another layer to our villain and causes the audience to think beyond the first layer that is easily presented, and into the true inner motives of the character.

Drama text, Much Ado About Nothing by William Shakespeare is a romantic comedy revolved around marriage, dishonesty and love. In 2007, the original play had been interpreted and adapted into a new film text; Much Ado About Nothing Shakespeare Retold. This new film version is an adaption for the modern audience who’s views around love and marriage have changed since Elizabethan times. Brian Percival ‘Retold’ the original play, first published in 1623 by reinterpreting it into his own understanding of modern society with the focus of women’s roles nowadays. Whilst doing this Percival has maintained many of Shakespeare’s intentions.

Shakespeare’s comedy, Much Ado About Nothing, is a play that follows a small group of friends from a high-class society in Massina. Two of this group are friends are Claudio and Benedick. In the beginning of the play they are seemingly similar, in that they both are of an upper-class upbringing and do their best to maintain their social reputation. The characters are made as to enhance their differences by the end of the play; they are foils to one another. Both Benedick and Claudio find themselves fooled by other characters in the play and have to decide what they are willing to believe is true and what is false, furthermore both

  Much Ado About Nothing raises many important issues concerning the institution of marriage. Perhaps Shakespeare's purpose in writing this play was to question the existing approach to relationships and marriage. Shakespeare reveals the faults of the process through the characters of Hero and Claudio and also Hero's father, Leonato. Shakespeare also may be suggesting an alternative approach to marriage and relationships through the characters of Beatrice and Benedick.

In Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing, Don Pedro, the Prince of Aragon, holds the highest rank and most power, but he regularly acts selfishly and leaves himself susceptible to manipulation, proving him to be an inadequate ruler. When he decides to set up Beatrice and Benedick, Don Pedro definitively claims he can easily trick them into falling in love, saying “Cupid is no longer an archer; his glory shall be ours, for we are the only

   William Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing is a comedy in which he uses one of his more peculiar villains. The antagonist in this play is Don John, the bastard brother of Don Pedro. In this paper I will discuss the role of Don John as well as his motives and the character himself. I will also delve into Shakespeare's use of Don John as the antagonist. I will be comparing Don John to other characters in the play as well as to other villains in Shakespeare's works. While Don John does not spend a great deal of time on the stage in Much Ado About Nothing, he still plays a vital role in the plot of the play. The plan that he sets in motion is one of the two main stories within

what I am: I must be sad when I have cause, and smile at no mans jest:

In Much Ado About Nothing by William Shakespeare “Leave him till tomorrow. I’ll think of some awful punishment for him…”. The play is about how Don Pedro is the good guy who tries to keep every one is peace to each other, Don john is the one in the play that tried to ruin everything for everyone. Don john does not like his brother, and Don Pedro also does not like his brother because he is not mean to people. Don john will be one that triggered the plot, and Don Pedro will be the one who will try to stop his brother.

The scene Don John next appears in is Act II scene I. This part of the

Much Ado about Nothing predominately revolves around the endeavours of two couples, the younger of which in more distinction; Claudio and Hero. As many could say that another element of Shakespearean comedies could be love, it would seem a more defined term is the love between two younger people, this young couple in particular then faces hindrances that are thrown their way, eventually working through them. Whereas there is still Beatrice and Benedick who work to overcome their egomaniacal ways and eventually initiate a romance, it would seem Claudio and Hero’s complications seem to have more significance to the storyline of the play. This is also due to the fact that the elements of comedy and key plot points are in relation to their complications, such as being the younger couple and facing the mistaken identity ordeal. Nevertheless, Hero and Claudio, being the young couple, face a string of tribulations in which define them as a couple, the majority of these, come from Don John’s

The ‘Much Ado about Nothing’, part of Shakespeare’s ‘First Folio’ released in 1623 ,and later adapted into a film by Kenneth Branagh in 1993, was a comedic play set within the 16th century, in Messina, Sicily. Prior to the story Don Pedro, also known as ‘The Prince’ had just come back from a war against his half brother John ‘The Bastard’. Many universal themes and issues within Much Ado about Nothing as well as other Shakespearian plays are still relevant in today’s society as the themes of lies and deception, manipulation and power as well as love are all aspects of the human condition and as such part of human nature. This includes: The importance of honour, love and power and manipulation. Through the use irony, metaphor, symbolism and

Revenge, love, faith… These feelings are the foundations of the Much Ado about Nothing which is one of the rare comedies written out by Shakespeare. It maintains its importance even though four and half centuries passed after it’s been written. Surely most important factor of this success is its cleverly fictionalized plot. Shakespeare gives us the chance to observe the behaviors and moves of people when they faced something wrong with their love or lover. We can easily recognize that most wise and logical person can move unconsciously when it comes to love. For example, Claudio and Hero’s love is one the best example at this point. The royal, gentleman and brave character of the play is undoubtedly Claudio. When he learns that Hero cheated on him, that romantic guy