Deceit Within Much Ado About Nothing and the Taming of the Shrew

Deceit is a common theme that Shakespeare uses in his plays to advance the plot. In The Taming of the Shrew and Much Ado About Nothing he uses deceit to advance the play to reach the end of the play which is a wedding between two people that were meant to be together. Shakespeare could have used many different ways of making his plays reach the climax without using deceit but that was the most appropriate way.

In the play Much Ado About Nothing Shakespeare uses the theme of deceit to advance the plot between Beatrice and Benedick. There was a scene in the garden where Don Pedro, Claudio and Leonato set up Benedick to fall in love with Beatrice. Even though he already liked her but was unwilling to let her or anyone else know that. Don Pedro Claudio and Leonato use the idea that Beatrice already likes him but she will not say anything because she knows that he does not like her so it is not worth her time but if Benedick was to make her see that he likes her then it would work. While in the garden Don Pedro, Claudio and Leonato were talking and realize that Benedick is there but they act like they do not know that he can hear them talking. So they use this as a chance to deceive Benedick into going after Beatrice. They convinced him that she already liked him and he just needed to do something about it.

Also in the play Much Ado About Nothing there was a similar situation between Beatrice, Hero and Margaret. Hero and Margaret were setting up Beatrice to fall in love with Benedick even though they both were suppose to hate each other so much. They also use similar tactics for getting Beatrice to fall for him. Such as talking like they do not know she can hear them talking and making her think that Benedick already loves her but will not do anything because he feels that she does not like him in the same way.

I feel that deceit in this play was a valid and well done theme that Shakespeare used to make two people who acted like they never wanted to be married at all into people that fell in love. This quote shows the fact that Don Pedro, Claudio and Leonato tricked Benedick into going after Beatrice.

D. Pedro. She cannot endure to hear tell of a husband.

Leon. O, by no means, she mocks all her wooers out of suit

D. Pedro. She were an excellent wife for Benedick. (II.i.375)

They were talking as if Benedick could not hear them talking and this allowed them to be successful in their plot to make Benedick think that Beatrice already loved him and that other people thought they would be a great couple.

Shakespeare also uses deceit in the play The Taming of the Shrew when Kate becomes pursued.