In the book Much Ado About Nothing by William Shakespeare, the entire plot of the play stems from multiple tricks that characters play on each other. Shakespeare is suggesting that tricking people is not right or wrong, for the outcome of the tricks can be beneficial or destructive, or just plain harmless. One example of how deception might be bad is when Don John, bitter about being the “backup Prince,” used trickery to get revenge. When he learned about Claudio’s feelings for Hero and their plan to marry, he was provided with great opportunity to strike everybody at once. Don John decided to spoil Claudio’s love for Hero and sabotage their marriage.
everyone seems to lie; good characters as well as evil ones engage in deceit as they attempt to conceal their feelings: beatrice and benedick mask their feelings for one another with bitter insults; don john spies on claudio and hero; don pedro and his 'crew' deceive benedick and beatrice. who hides and what is hidden? how does deceit function in the world of the play, and how does it help the play comment on life in
‘Men were deceivers ever.’ To what extent can it be argued that Shakespeare’s presentation of men’s attitudes to women in ‘Much Ado about Nothing’ allows for comedy? In Much Ado about Nothing, it can be equally argued that men’s attitudes towards women are actually used for comedy purposes, and it can be argued that their attitudes aren’t. For this argument, the relationship between Beatrice and Benedick at the start of the play can be seen as comical to the audience, as they both claim to dislike each other and take pleasure in making rude remarks to one another. On the other hand, the relationship between Hero and Claudio could be seen as quite dark to the audience, as there are accusations and trust issues between the two. The quote ‘men were deceivers ever’ comes from Act 2 Scene 3 of the play, from the song that Balthasar sings.
This, to the audience, will seem ridiculous and unnecessary creating a subtle sense of humour. Nearing the end of Act 2 we learn about Viola’s plans for her disguise in order to appear less vulnerable. She then goes on to say ‘thou shalt present me as an Eunuch to him’ which will yet again appear an overdramatic act to the audience. In act 3, Sir Toby Belch is introduced into the play. Shakespeare’s wit and word play used even for simply just the names of the characters can build up laughter.
His comment comes across as sarcastic as he is mindful, and perhaps jealous, of the fact that his lover’s father wishes her to marry another man - Demetrius. This therefore makes the play a dramatic comedy as although the sarcasm may be amusing; the multiple love obstacles the characters must overcome make it dramatic. Next, Lysander’s insults accentuate the genre of the play, ‘upon this spotted and inconstant
Although, this could be viewed as justice for him and his daughter being unlawfully marooned on the island and stripped of his dukedom. This act could be justified by this. On the other hand, Faustus’ tricks are never justified and do not contain any real meaning. He uses is 24 years wastefully, traveling the world and not fulfilling any of his original ambitions he wanted to fulfil with his use of power granted by the devil. In act three scene one, him and Mephostophilis travel to Rome to play a tedious trick against the Pope.
Early on in the play (Act 2 Scene 3) the audience enjoys the jovial atmosphere alongside the characters until Malvolio abruptly ruins the mood. “Have you no wit, manners, nor honesty, but to gabble like tinkers at this time of night?” Malvolio seems to relish scolding Sir Toby and the others as he includes the simile “gabble like tinkers” which proves he has taken the time to select the right words to insult them with. The audience dislikes him for disrupting the fun of the scene whilst it provides a specific motive for the conspirators to plot his deception. Shakespeare uses one detail about Malvolio to instantly turn the audience against him: Malvolio is a puritan. At the time the play was written, puritans were not popular with the general public because of their miserable rules against most forms of entertaintment.
In Shakespeare’s play, Much Ado About Nothing, deception is a key theme throughout. There are several main deceptions, beginning with Don John trying to deceive Claudio that the prince woos Hero for himself. When this conniving scheme fails, he embarks on a new master plan, which involves the shaming of Hero at the marriage between her and Claudio. Another key deception, arguably the most important storyline to the play, is the deception of Beatrice and Benedick, who despite their previous feelings about courtly love and romance, gradually begin to fall for each other, under the careful guidance of Don Pedro, Claudio, Hero, Ursula and Leonato. However, throughout the first few scenes, we as the audience are exposed to Beatrice and Benedick’s ‘merry war’ as they exchange witty and sarcastic banter.
ctions, even ifnot purposely. This shows that, in the end, Friar Lawrence is merely ahypocrite offering his distorted option.One of the places that Friar Lawrence offers hypocritical advice iswhen Romeo consults with him on how he wants to marry Juliet. When Romeofirst goes to Friar Lawrence, excitedly telling him about his new love, Juliet,Friar Lawrence is outraged, telling Romeo that he, like most young men, isnot really in love, but simply lusts for a new woman so quickly after he wasdying for his last. He says that Romeo is being too hasty and unwise inmarrying Juliet, and that he will eventually move on to someone else. Butdespite his own advice, the Friar marries the couple.
Why? Shakespeare never tells us. Perhaps Oberon wants to prove his male authority over Titania; perhaps he feels Titania is overindulging the boy and would like to bring discipline into his life. Any explanation the audience comes up with must be based in conjecture, because Shakespeare does not explain Oberon's motivation. No explanation, though, would seem to justify the cruelty Oberon uses in winning the boy away from Titania.