Much Ado About Nothing Counterfeit Analysis

867 Words4 Pages
In William Shakespeare’s play “Much Ado About Nothing”, the role of counterfeit is an important one that is played to its fullest. The play is based upon purposeful deceptions and numerous schemes that are used to manipulate the thoughts of nearly every character, all while the characters deceive themselves by putting on a different public facade instead of showing their true feelings and personalities. The accusations of counterfeiting in the play and film are all overheard conversation. Sometimes the fraud is malicious and sometimes beneficent, but the entire play hinges upon these deceptions and how they affect the characters. It is through Don John’s schemes of trying to ruin the marriage of Hero and Claudio that we encounter the use of…show more content…
We begin with the counterfeit of Don Pedro masking himself in hopes to woo Hero for his companion Claudio. While this wooing is taking place, Don John and Borachio deceive Claudio into believing that Don Pedro is actually wooing Hero for himself. While being tricked by Don John and Borachio, Claudio also uses the disguise of a mask in attempt to deceive them by pretending to be Benedick in order to find out more information, but Don John and Borachio know it is Claudio. This scene is portrayed in the same manner in Whedon’s film, wherein Don John and Borachio, accompanied by Conrade, go to Claudio to advise him of the incorrect information. Another example of the use of the mask at the party is Benedick’s scheme on Beatrice in pretending to be someone else. However, Beatrice realizes it is Benedick hiding under the mask and plays along with it to playfully insult him by calling him “the Prince’s jester” and “a very dull fool”…show more content…
Their plan is arranged to make it appear like Borachio and Hero are making love, when in reality it will be Borachio and Margaret. This is set up to convince Claudio that his “virgin” wife-to-be is deceiving him the night before their wedding. In hearing of Hero’s unfaithfulness from Don John, Claudio declares that “if I see anything tonight why I should not marry her, tomorrow in the congregation, where I should wed, there will I shame her” (3.2.97-98). This act of deceit overlaps into Act IV, scene III, which presents yet another case of counterfeit when Hero pretends to be dead. Because of the insult on Hero’s character at the wedding, Friar Francis comes up with the idea that they shall pretend that Hero is dead so that Claudio can now marry Hero’s cousin, Claudio accepts the proposal given by Leonato to be his nephew. On the day of the second wedding, “Hero’s cousin” comes walking down the aisle in a mask (the veil). This mask of course is to hide the fact that she is really Hero, not this unknown cousin of hers. When Hero removes her mask and reveals her true self, everyone is astounded, especially Claudio. Hero then tells Claudio, and reassures him that “one Hero died defiled, but I do live, and surely as I live, I am a maid”
Open Document