Examples Of Deception In Much Ado About Nothing

Mayra Miranda
Per. 3
Deceit and trickery Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing is a play based around the theme of deception and love. The play hinges upon these deceptions and how they affect the characters.These deception can be good and lead to love; or be malevolent and lead to heartache. Don John uses malevolent deception to try and ruin the marriage of Hero and Claudio. Don Pedro, Leonato, Claudio, Hero and Ursula also use deception to try and bring Benedick and Beatrice together. Deception occurs over and over again in Much Ado About Nothing. Beatrice and Benedick insult each other while, unconsciously, hide feelings of love for one another. For example Beatrice said “I wonder that you will still be talking, signor Benedick, nobody marks you.” (1.1.115) Both Benedick and Beatrice were tricked into revealing their true feelings for each other. Beatrice walked into a conversation that Hero staged to say how much Benedick loved her. “Whisper her ear and tell her I and Ursula walk in the Orchard and our whole discussion is all of her.”(3.1.4-5) Benedick Was also deceived by Claudio and Don Pedro in the same way Beatrice was. “[aside to Leonato] Bait the hook well; this fish will bite.” (2.3.116-117) Claudio, Don Pedro and Leonato convinced Benedick that Beatrice loves him.
At the party all the men are wearing masks a

Borachio and Don John had conspired to cause Claudio and Don Pedro To slander Hero. “Not honestly, my lord, but so covertly that no dishonesty shall appear in me.”(2.2.9-10) They devised a way to make it look like Hero had had a romantic affair with Borachio,and set it up so that it would be discovered by Claudio the night before the wedding took place. Claudio then swore that he would shame her with what he saw overnight. Don John’s goal was to steal happiness from his brother and brother’s friends in any way possible, solely out of