An exploration of the ways Shakespeare presents the theme of deception
The theme of deception is ever-present throughout ‘Much Ado About Nothing’; the majority of the plot is based upon purposeful deception, some malevolent while others benign. The play itself, although set in Messina, Italy seems to echo the culture of Elizabethan society in which William Shakespeare lived; the importance of honour and pride at that time induced the need for the people to uphold this status through the constant deception of those around them, whether this was with appearances or words.
Shakespeare creates a world where deception is used throughout the play and on many occasions it was intended for desirable effects; deception for positive effect is known as benevolent deception. One of the first instances where the gap between appearance and reality is portrayed is in the first dialogue of the play. The messenger has come to give news of the return of the men from a battle and speaks of how Claudio was ‘doing in the figure of a lamb, the feats of a lion’. This illustrates the gap between the appearance of Claudio and the reality of Claudio, of how he exceeds the expectations of his age by his actions on a battlefield, and demonstrates how he deceives those around him of his true capabilities. Shakespeare also uses clever word play with the use of an alliterative pattern where the sounds of ‘Figure of a Lamb’ are echoed in ‘Feats of a Lion’, which offers balance syntax to the line and is typical of Shakespearean blank verse.
Although this is an instance where Claudio is deceiving others; this is, however, not prevalent, at all, throughout the rest of the play, instead Claudio is the one who appears to be subject to the most deception due to his gullibility and short-sightedness. One example of Claudio’s foolishness is when Don John deceives him into believing that Don Pedro is wooing Hero for himself where in fact he is doing it on Claudio’s behalf; this is also ironic since at the same time Claudio is attempting to deceive Don John and Borachio that he is Benedick, they however have not fallen for it. This quick reaction to the lies fed to him by Don John makes plain his temperament and emotion driven mentality. Moreover, the fact that at that moment in time there are three layers of deception occurring simultaneously typifies the amount of deception there is in the play. Claudio is further deceived, along with Don Pedro, by Don John when he shows them Hero’s apparent disloyalty and ‘immoral’ nature. In Act 3, Scene 2 Don John approaches Don Pedro and Claudio in order to ‘warn’ them of Hero’s disloyalty. The second line he speaks since he entered their circle includes sibilance, ‘...leisure served, I would speak with you.’ which creates an image not too unlike the hissing of a snake before it attacks. There is also a lot of repetition and carefully constructed dialogue in this exchange on Don John’s part; for example, in reply to Don Pedro he says ‘ I know not that, when he knows what I know’. This repetition of ‘know’ places emphasis on knowledge, and how people’s judgments and actions differ when they know a certain thing. Another point to be made regarding this dialogue and the theme of ‘fitting’ is when Don John comments on how it would ‘better fit your honour’ to not marry Hero, one interpretation of this phrase could include its connotations and implicit links to sex. Claudio’s ‘honour’ is in reference to his penis; a man’s penis, in ancient civilisations such as the Inca, was considered as the symbol of his stature and honour in society and this ideal is not yet lost even in the modern-age. Don John also says how it would ‘better fit’ his ‘honour’ to change his mind, denoting how Hero’s sexual organ is not fit for his ‘honour’ since she has apparently fornicated. Instead of questioning why Don John, previously known for his wicked deeds, is so willing to help, he instead believes him with no questions further demonstrating his infuriating naivety.
