Don John And Don Pedro In Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing

In Much Ado About Nothing by William Shakespeare, there are many examples that show how Don John and Don Pedro are opposites. Don John ruins Don Pedro’s helpful plans and gets in the way of people’s happiness. On the other hand, Don Pedro consistently helps and cares for others. In the novel, Don John is used as the foil to Don Pedro by which Don Pedro’s kindness and helpful attitude are illuminated through Don John’s deceitful mindset; thus this influences the idea of kind and mean.

Throughout the play Don John repeatedly tries to wreck the plans of Don Pedro when Don Pedro is just trying to help others. One example of this is when Don Pedro wants to win over Hero for Claudio. Don Pedro said, “Thou wilt be like a lover presently, And tire the hearer with a book of words. If thou dost love fair Hero, cherish it, And I will break with her and with her father, And thou shalt have her. Was't not to this end That thou began'st to twist so fine a story?” (Shakespeare 11). Don Pedro has just told Claudio that he would be happy to help him. This shows Don Pedro’s kindness and caring for his friends and others. Don John said, “Come, come, let us thither: this may prove food to my displeasure. That young start-up hath all the glory of my overthrow: if I can cross him

To continue on with this mean way to get back at his brother, Don John then takes them to “see” Hero being unfaithful. Don John says, “I will disparage her no farther till you are my witnesses: bear it coldly but till midnight, and let the issue show itself” (Shakespeare 50). Don John is able to trick Don Pedro because he is so nice and would never lie to someone. Disregarding the false information part, Don Pedro was ready to back his friend up on anything. Don Pedro says, “And, as I wooed for thee to obtain her, I will join with thee to disgrace her” (Shakespeare 50). This again shows Don Pedro’s kindness and helpfulness and Don John’s