Much Ado About Nothing Research Paper

In the twenty-first century, stories of love being damaged by deception have become cliché. Tales in the current period of writing often display relationships being torn apart by lies and trickery, only to be repaired when the evil deeds are uncovered. However, this common theme appears in literature as far back as the Elizabethan Era. It is not surprising that William Shakespeare’s ideas would be recycled and modernized; he is the second most quoted source in the English language, only preceded by the bible (“William Shakespeare Timeline”). In one of his most famous plays, Much Ado About Nothing, Shakespeare conveys his idea that a person must be wary of others attempting to manipulate his life through the use of duplicity. Although this trickery is sometimes used to assist a person to realize something that he normally would not, it is also used to try to ruin a person’s life. Shakespeare’s clever development of his theme begins with the title. “Much Ado About Nothing” seems to express the idea that the characters in the play exaggerated the seriousness of their situation. However, it must be remembered that this play was written in the late sixteenth century. The word “nothing” was pronounced the same way as “noting.” “Noting” meant to "take notice of something; to hear, observe, eavesdrop” (Squires). In the play, eavesdropping led to incorrect ideas and avoidable problems. Had people decided to confirm their hypotheses with evidence more valid than hearing a fragment of a conversation, they would have realized that they were truly creating avertable problems about nothing. Shakespeare used this cunning pun to establish that, by ensuring the legitimacy of something before believing it, a person can prevent much dilemma. The play explores the relationships of two pairs of lovers. The first, Benedick and Beatrice, begin the play in a sort of “merry war.” It becomes evident in Act I that they had known each other before he went away for battle.