This is an essay that discusses Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing. The essay discusses the question: '"Much Ado About Nothing is a joyful play which celebrates human relationships." Do you agree?'
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Much Ado About Nothing is a joyful play which celebrates human relationships.’
Do you agree?
The dark comedy ‘Much Ado About Nothing’ (‘MAAN”) written by Elizabethan playwright is centered
around deception, resentment and dishonesty. Set in 15 th Century Messina, Sicily, this commentary
on Shakespeare’s London society examines how relationships can be used to manipulate people and
force them to conform to patriarchal expectations. Characters use relationships to scheme and bring
each other apart, as well as betraying those they supposedly love. Additionally, relationships are
used to ultimately silence woman and make them abide to misogynistic traditions. While the middle
comedy features humorous and joyful stories of love. This is overshadowed by dark plots, evil
intentions and the deep-rooted flaws of society.
In ‘MAAN’ characters seek vengeance on those who have wronged them by manipulating their
relationships disregarding the collateral damage. The supposed villain of the play, Don John, takes
advantage of his society’s patriarchy to have revenge on his brother Don Pedro the Prince of Aragon,
with whom he is ‘sick with displeasure’. He is oxymoronically commanded by his follower Borachio
to ‘undo Hero’ and ‘kill Leonato’ in order to ultimately humiliate Don Pedro and his comrade
Claudio. Due to his birth ‘under Saturn’, ‘John the Bastard’ was destined to be ‘[melancholic]’ and he
embraces his evil desires to harm those around him. In line with his saturnine tendencies, Don John
seeks to wreak havoc Leonato’s household foreshadowed by the repetition of ‘trouble’ upon his
arrival. However, while the ‘plain-dealing villain’ is evil his actions, they are influenced by his
environment, where he is mistreated due to his illegitimate birth, not allowed to properly engage in
the joys of life like those around him do. As a result of his soured upbringing, Don John is unable to
build human relationships and is ultimately disconnected from those around him, Shakespeare’s
character of Don John acts as a commentary on the dangers of discrimination and explains how
excluding people from society because of their birth influences them to act dishonestly and with evil
intentions.
Characters in ‘MAAN’ are willing to destroy the relationships they share with people they supposedly
love to help protect their own position in society. Claudio, the ‘lion’, is terrified of becoming the
‘cuckold’ in his relationship and losing his high esteem. After hearing the ‘gossip-like humor’ that
Hero is allegedly cheating on him, he is quick to ‘shame’ her and label her a ‘rotten orange’,
fundamentally ruining her reputation. In a similar fashion, Leonato, the ‘honorable father’, believes
the false scheme and disowns Hero’s ‘foul, tainted flesh’, happy to ‘let her die’. He is happy to
destroy ‘[his]’ daughter’s life without even listening to Hero, whose name represents purity. To avoid
public humiliation and the risk of losing his ‘honor’, Leonato plays into the social hierarchy and
allows his daughter to fall prey to the lies of men. This patriarchal society was designed by these
men to benefit themselves and to diminish the voices of women who become the victims. While Don
John’s overarching plot was designed to harm Don Pedro, Hero, the ‘jewel’, is the one who is
ultimately harmed, losing both her voice and her reputation as a ‘maid’, and eventually any freedom
she has in the transaction of marriage. Hero is viewed as a possession to be traded among men who
are willing to sacrifice her to protect themselves from their own patriarchal society. Shakespeare’s
use of Claudio and Leonato’s disregard for Hero exemplifies the misogynistic trends and behaviour of
this era and challenges the unfair treatment of women who are conclusively trumped by the
opinions and desires of men. Relationships in ‘MAAN’ are used to manipulate and control characters.
Leonato, governor of Messina, who assumes the role of ‘uncle’ to the orphaned Beatrice is
determined for her to be ‘fitted with a husband’, even though she would rather ‘lay in the woolen’.
Similarly, Benedick of Padua ‘would not marry’ instead clinging to his ‘bachelor’ title. The couple
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