Much Ado About Nothing

In Shakespeare play “Much Ado About Nothing” the theme lie and deception is a major role in getting a couple together but it also was a role to tear a couple apart. The theme deception can be used both good and bad if the intentions are good then the role is good and fair however when the role is negative and causes harm the role is bad. Deception in Much ado about nothing has both importance and relevance to today's society with a slight switch than it did in the 16th century.

Each of the main characters in Much Ado About Nothing is the victim of deception, and it is because they are deceived that they act in the ways that they do. Although the central deception is directed against Claudio in an attempt to destroy his relationship with Hero, it is the deceptions involving Beatrice and Benedick which provides the play's dramatic focus. In Much Ado About Nothing, Deception is relevant to today because like in the play is plays both good and evil. When Don Pedro wanted to use deception to get Beatrice and Benedick to together his intentions were good. In turn in made two very stubborn persons who would not have gotten together if it hadn't been the deception. The outcome was good and that is why it is relevant to today. However, When Don John Wanted to deceive Claudio into thinking that one of his men was sleeping with Hero it was meant to split Claudio and Hero. The intention here was bad there for the outcome was bad. Every day we all deceive to help ourselves out which might sound bad but if it also seems to help the other person or doesn't hurt the other person the deception is good. In a relationship, women have always been known to deceive the man into doing whatever it is she wants him to do for her.

Now that's different than the 16th century because the women didn't have to say in anything heck they were just puppets on a man's string. Even though the play was marked in the 1560s Shakespeare has always had a talent of making futurist plays that have worked till the 21st century 600 years later. In the true 1560s, women had no say women had nothing compared to the men. For the play to be able to allow women the right to speak to men the way Beatrice spoke to Benedick was flabbergasting and the way Hero was given the choice between her men was even more outrageous in that time. Most of the time it was arranged marriage or something along those lines. Leonato wanted Hero to marry Pedro, however, Pedro knew that Hero and Claudio's hearts were with each other and be deceiving Hero into thinking that Pedro was Claudio when telling Hero About how Claudio really felt it made Hero fall more in love with her prince Claudio. That would have never happened in the true 1560s. Thus proving how deception is important and relevant to today's society and how it is the complete contrast of the 16th century.

This essay goes to show how deception is portrayed in the 16th century and how it is contrasted to the relevance and importance to today's society. Everyone walks in the shoes of deception and everyone hears the words of deception. Are you being deceived?

Works Cited

1. Much Ado About Nothing Play

2. https://www.shmoop.com/much-ado-about-nothing/lies-deceit-theme.html