Throughout the beginning of Much Ado About Nothing, Beatrice and Benedick are always seen bickering and insulting each other. Both characters strongly believe that they shall never fall in love, especially with each other. Nevertheless, Don Pedro with the help of the family members manage to manipulate Beatrice and Benedick into loving each other by letting them overhear good things about each other. Firstly, Leonato, Don Pedro, and Claudio talk highly of Beatrice and her supposed love for Benedick while he overhears the conversation. As Leonato states, “By my troth, my lord, I cannot tell what to think of it, but that she loves him with an enraged affection, it is past the infinite of thought” (2.3.81-83). As Leonato is a well respected man, Benedick is easily tricked into developing feelings for Beatrice. Correspondingly, the same tactics are used with Beatrice and she starts developing feelings for Benedick as well. This demonstrates the use of deception in a more positive way. Although deception may be the villains tool, it can be used by friends and family to better each others …show more content…
Don John is considered the “villain” or “bastard” of the play. He has a reputation of creating conflicts for his own self pleasure. In the beginning of Scene II, Act II, Don John and his good friend, Borachio, conspire a plan that will ruin Claudio and Hero’s relationship forever. Borachio comes up with the plan. “Offer them instances, which shall bear no less likelihood than to see me at her chamber window, hear me call Margaret “Hero,” hear Margaret term me “Claudio,” and bring them to see this the very night before the intended wedding…” (2.2.40-42). As exemplified by the quote, Borachio plans to make it seem as if Hero is meeting with a man at an unlawful hour. In reality, Margaret would be in Hero’s room with Borachio. Don John and Borachio's machination is successful, and both Claudio and Don Pedro are tricked into thinking Hero is disloyal. However, Claudio decides not to break off the wedding, so he could same and mortify the “unfaithful” Hero. On the day of the wedding, Claudio, backed up by Don Pedro, publically humiliate Hero and her father. Claudio declares, “All you that see her, that she were a maid by these exterior shows? But she is none. She knows the heat of a luxurious bed. Her blush is guiltiness, not modesty” (4.1.36-39). Consequently, Hero is disowned by her father and dishonored by her supposed lover. In this case,