Much Ado About Nothing Analysis

For my group's interpretation of Much Ado about nothing we chose to portray the scene where Claudio, Don Pedro, and Leonato trick Benedick into thinking Beatrice is in love with him. The overarching concept is that the play is set in modern times on a college campus. Instead of Claudio and Don Pedro being warriors, they’re part of a different brotherhood, a fraternity. In the middle of a raging frat party Leonato, Claudio, and Don Pedro decide to play a trick on Benedick, to make him think Beatrice is in love with him. In the play the character I portray is Don Pedro. Though in the original play Don Pedro is a nobleman from Aragon, and the other characters often seek wisdom and approval from him, but he is not opposed to stirring up some

They know that Benedick is nearby and can hear them, but they pretend to be none the wiser. Don Pedro often asks if they should tell Benedick about their discovery, “... Shall/ We go seek Benedick and tell him of her love?” (II.III.202-203), even though he knows Benedick has already heard. Don Pedro also makes jabs at Benedick, to fool Benedick into thinking they don’t know he is listening “I love Benedick well, and I/ could wish he would modestly examine himself to/ how much he is unworthy so good a lady” (II.III.209-211). To portray this to the audience Don Pedro talks overly loud, and is overly dramatic. The over-the-top acting from Don Pedro, Claudio, and Leonato is also what makes this scene comedic. Don Pedro pretends to not see Benedick darting around the frat party and hiding, but often directs his speech in Benedick’s direction, to make sure he hears everything. Even if Benedick makes a loud noise, Don Pedro and the others pretend not to hear it. The audience has to know that Don Pedro and the other know that Benedick is listening, and that everything they are saying may not be true, but it is all in the name of tricking Benedict into thinking Beatrice loves him, and the over dramatic acting conveys