Darren Later

Mr. Anderson

English 12

April 14, 2010

Trickery and Love

Two main themes in Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing are trickery and love. He uses deceitful characters to build up the love plot that keeps the romance flowing. Don Pedro is a key instigator for Cupid’s love arrow to fall. Signior Benedick uses trickery to hide his love for Beatrice. It goes both ways when Beatrice hides these same feelings. Love and trickery are key parts to this story.
Throughout the play there are feelings of love all around. Due to personalities of different characters the love is either hidden or unable to show its true colors. This is where Don Pedro steps in. Don Pedro uses his cunning to trick Hero to fall in love with Claudio. “And, as I wooed for thee to obtain her, I will join with thee to disgrace.” (III.II.120). Don Pedro is very good at what he does and Claudio is at first convinced he stole Hero. Not only does he woe Hero for Claudio but helps in the master plan of uncovering Benedick and Beatrice’s love. Without Don Pedro there may have been no weddings.
This love story gets trickier when Benedick and Beatrice come into play. Benedick convinces his friends he will never marry. “With anger, with sickness or with hunger, my lord; not with love. Prove that ever I lose more blood with love than I will get again with drinking, pick out mine eyes with a ballad-maker’s pen and hang me up at the door of a brothel house for the sign of blind Cupid.” (I.I.240). Although his love for Beatrice is there he disguises it and pretends to hate her.
Beatrice is the second half to this complicated love story. Arguments between Benedick and Beatrice often come up. Beatrice talks ill heartedly of Benedick to hide her true love. While talking in big groups Beatrice speaks of her fake feelings towards men.
Leon. Well niece, I hope to see you one day fitted with a husband.
Beat. Not till God make men of some other metal than earth. Would it not
grieve a woman to be overmastered with a piece of valiant dust? To make
an account of her life to a clod of wayward marl? No, Uncle, I’ll none. Adam’s
sons are my brethren, and truly I hold it a sin to match in my kindred.
(II.I.54-60).
Beatrice convinces everyone that she has no feelings for men. She masks her feelings towards Benedick even better by pretending to hate him when they argue. This twisted romance is a big part of Shakespeare’s play.
Throughout the entire play people are tricking and deceiving through love. Don Pedro is very smooth about setting up Claudio and Hero. While Benedick and Beatrice add a funny love story to the plot. Shakespeare does an excellent job of writing through trickier and love.