Benedick said to Don Pedro, “Leave him till tomorrow. I’ll think of some awful punishment for him. Play on, musicians!” A group of soldiers return home to Messina, Italy from war, to find love. Only, to be encountered with the villainous character Don John. In Much Ado About Nothing by William Shakespeare, Don John serves as the foil character of Don Pedro by which Don Pedro’s advantageous strengths are illuminated through Don John’s belligerent weaknesses; thus, continually illuminates the idea of good vs evil.
The difference between Don John and Don Pedro is that, Don John is selfish and is a criminal and Don Pedro is a peacemaker and is very helpful towards others. Don Pedro is the helpful, kind, caring brother out of the two. While, Don John is a deceitful, lying, trouble-maker of a half brother. These two characters in the book Much Ado About Nothing are total
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complete opposites. Don Pedro said, “I am at your service” (Shakespeare 25). He was being very helpful towards Claudio. In this part of the book, Don Pedro was planning to woo the Lady Hero for Sir Claudio. Don John said “Any obstacle or barrier to Claudio’s happiness will be like medicine to me” (Shakespeare 71). He said this because he hates anyone remotely close with Don Pedro. He just doesn’t like them, and has hatred towards all of them. Don John is the antagonist in the book, and will stop at nothing to ruin the love story that is unleashing in this book. The reason Don Pedro said what he said was because, he is the kind of guy you want to have as a best friend. So, when the noble Claudio wanted him to woo Hero for him he had a very upbeat, helpful attitude about it and he was more than happy to help his buddy out. Compared to when Don John said what he said about Claudio, and his half brother. Don John hates anyone friends with Don Pedro. And that pretty much confirms his personality of being angry and jealous of all his peers. In all, this just proves how completely opposite these two characters are. But yet even though they are both so different, how can they both be so similar? The similarities between Don John and Don Pedro are that they are both very clever, rich , proud and more.
In these two quotes Don Pedro and Don John both exhibit traits of being proud and confident of their role in Messina. Whether it may be the good guy and or the bad guy. At the very beginning of the book Don John states “Thank you. I’m not a man who talks a lot, but I thank you” (Shakespeare 15). He said this because Leonato was thanking he and his brother for coming to their small town of Messina, Italy. In this he was being a little cocky and proud. And also, Don Pedro stated “I am as magnificent as the glorious god Jove” (Shakespeare 45). He said this because he and the lady Hero were having a conversation at the masked ball. This was all when he was trying to woo Hero for his buddy Claudio. Well, when Don John and Don Pedro both said the things they did they both exhibited the characteristics of being very proud and confident of who they were, and their appearance as a whole. In the end these two brothers may be more alike than you think. But, it all comes down to the individual
itself. In Conclusion, Much Ado about Nothing by William Shakespeare, Don John serves as the foil character of Don Pedro by which Don Pedro’s advantageous strengths are illuminated through Don John’s belligerent weaknesses; thus, continually illuminates the idea of good vs evil. The battling relationship between Don John and Don pedro has influenced the conflict, and the idea of good vs evil greatly. I believe Don John is the machiavellian person out of the two brothers. Meaning he will do anything to get ahead of his brother Don Pedro.
“Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit (Matthew 7:17).” If you are truly a Christian, than you would bears good characteristic. Don John is a bastard in his family, so William Shakespeare give him a greedy characteristic. Don John’s greed makes him do many disgusting things, and he almost kill Hero, the wife of Claudio, using his words. Readers could not find any Christian attitude on Don John. Don John in Much Ado About Nothing did not exhibit Christian attitudes because of his revenge, his dishonesty characteristic, and he is a gossip monger.
Hero is resembled by Claudio as a “well-mannered young lady” who is content with her own unchangeable, elegant personality. This quote shows Hero is matron, and consistent of her elegance throughout the book and it is because of her personality that causes Claudio to be drawn to her. Claudio on the other hand, admits to Don Pedro that he is “hasty in (his) emotions”, which resembles his skeptical and uncertain personality when it comes to actually admitting his love for Hero. This evidence supports how Claudio is unsure of himself, and because of Claudio’s doubtful and unsure qualities he is quick to believe Don John when he says Hero has been unfaithful.
William Shakespeare is known for his use of dramatic irony and complicated story lines. In Much Ado About Nothing, he also adds in the element of disguise to what the characters know, or what they think they know. There are multiple characters trying to ensnare others in different facades, whether it be for better or for worse. The deception and illusion in the play can either assist the characters or completely shatter the situation, but in both cases, Shakespeare advises us to infer about what we hear or see before we jump to conclusions.
Don John dislikes Don Pedro because Don John is the illegitimate brother, a bastard child. This means that he isn’t recognised by the court of Messina or by anyone. Although Don John is of royal blood, his royal blood would’ve been respected but not him. In those times, Don John would have had the social status of a prostitute. This is no fault of Don John, but only because his parents weren’t married when he was conceived. Don John is always so gloomy because he isn’t respected, he says to Conrade “There is no measure in the occasion that breeds, therefore the sadness is without limit”. Don Pedro the legitimate brother is highly respected by everyone and is probably very wealthy, Don John would have had nothing. Don is jealous of his brother because of all the admiration he gets from others. In Shakespearean times, everyone would have expected Don John to be evil because he was a bastard. No one would been surprised when Don John tried to ruin Claudio’s hopes of mar...
BP1-Even before Much Ado begins, the main character Don Pedro is described in the cast as the Prince of Aragon, while Don John is noted as his illegitimate brother. These words show the difference in the two characters as one brother being seen as noble and and strong and the other being seen as an undesirable in those times. In Act 1, scene 3, we learn how Don John sees himself. “I had rather be a canker in a hedge than a rose in his grace,”(Shakespeare 23) about not wanting to be in Don John’s favor. “And it better fits my blood to be disdained of all than to fashion a carriage to rob love from any. In this, though I cannot be said to be a flattering honest man, it must not be denied but I am a plain-dealing villain.” Don John is not looking to be loved and accepted but instead accepts his role and his place in the shadows of his brother.
Shakespeare, William. Much Ado about Nothing. Ed. Paul Werstine, Barbara A. Mowat, and Gail Kern. Paster. New York: Simon &ump; Schuster Paperbacks, 1995. Print.
This meaning is illuminated by the character foils Don John and Don Pedro by their opposite traits of honesty and dishonesty. To illustrate, Don Pedro is quite honest. We can see this when he finds out that Claudio’s accusations against Hero were untrue. “And yet to satisfy this good old man I would bend under any heavy weight that he’ll enjoin me to”(Shakespeare 90). Don Pedro admits that he was wrong and asks for just punishment.
William Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing is a play involving by deception, disloyalty, trickery, eavesdropping, and hearsay. The play contains numerous examples of schemes that are used to manipulate the thoughts of other characters; it is the major theme that resonates throughout the play. Ironically, it is one of these themes that bring serenity to the chaos that encompasses most of the play.
Rossiter, A.P. “Much Ado About Nothing.” William Shakespeare Comedies & Romances. Ed. Harold Bloom. New York: Chelsea House Publishers, 1986.
Rossiter, A.P. "Much Ado About Nothing." William Shakespeare Comedies & Romances. Ed. Harold Bloom. New York: Chelsea House Publishers, 1986.
Don John plays an essential role for nearly all of the trickery and deception in this play. He acts like a catalyst and an instigator for trouble, whose sole aim is to marmalize the love and happiness between Claudio and Hero. Shakespeare uses foreshadowing of Don John’s villainy to display the trickery and deception: ’It better fits my blood to be distained of all than to fashion a carriage to rob love from any, in this, though I cannot be said to be a flattering honest man, it must not be denied but I am a plain-dealing villain. I am trusted with a muzzle and enfranchized with a clog: therefore I have decreed not to sing in my cage. If I had my mouth, I would bite, if I had my liberty, I would do my liking.
Secondly, throughout Much Ado About Nothing Don John the bastard is considered an outsider. In Act 1, scene 3 Don John and his companion Conrade are having a discussion about Don John’s sadness. During this conversation Don John
With its entangled plots and eloquent use of words, Much Ado About Nothing is a story that has the ability to entertain the masses, both young and old. Shakespeare’s use of figurative language along with situation creates such vivid imagery that carries the drama from beginning to end. For example, when we look at Act 1 Scene 1 of the play, we are quickly introduced to the sharp tongued Beatrice as she verbally annihilates her unseen co-star Benedick.... ... middle of paper ... ...
Don John is the illegitimate half brother of Don Pedro in the play. Don Pedro is the Prince of Aragon and is highly respected throughout the play, whereas Don John is treated with cautious attention and indifference. In Act one scene three, Leonato greets Don Pedro rather enthusiastically and respectfully,
When being an illegitimate child like Don John, one begins to think of themselves the way people treat them. Therefore, when Don John acts in his villainous ways, one blame it on Don John or rather the people who made him feel that he is less than human. Don John believes that his only way to be acknowledged is to act in a way no one will forget, therefore he acts as the villain in Much Ado About Nothing, because that what society made him out to be.