Much Ado About Nothing Appearance Vs Reality Analysis
752 Words4 Pages
Throughout the play Much Ado About Nothing William Shakespeare uses the recurring theme appearance verses reality to demonstrate the need for a full understanding of any situation before reacting. Through several schemes and even some imagery, Shakespeare does a brilliant job at expressing how reacting too quickly can result in numerous consequences. First, there were several schemes to make a situation appear different than it actually was. One of the first schemes to happen in the play was developed by Don John. Don John convinced Borachio to impersonate Claudio to make it appear as if Hero was impure. Don John says to Claudio, “I came hither to tell you; and circumstances shortened, for she has been too long a talking of, the lady is disloyal…show more content… The reader first gets a glimpse of this image at the masquerade ball that takes place during Act II. “Nor will you not tell me who you are (II.i.99)?” In this scene Beatrice is pretending not to know that Benedick is behind the mask since Benedick was trying to get Beatrice’s opinion on him. Also during Act II, Don Pedro volunteers to dress up as Claudio in order to woo Hero for him. Claudio was fearful that Hero would reject him, which is why Don Pedro and Claudio devised this scheme. Shakespeare also uses the mask imagery at Claudio’s wedding. After Claudio ‘kills’ Hero, Leonato shows Claudio forgiveness and asks him to marry Leonato’s brother’s daughter. At the wedding there are several masked girls. Claudio declares, “Why then she’s mine. Sweet, let me see your face (V.iv.56).” This is the moment that it is revealed to Claudio that Hero is alive. They proclaim their love for each other once again and have the much-awaited wedding. In conclusion, Shakespeare uses the image of a mask to repeatedly demonstrate that when we pretend to be what we are not, we lose a part of our voice, a part of who we