Hero and Claudio were once the ideal couple, however their purity is wrecked by a web of deceit built by Don John to punish Claudio for defeating him at war. Don John enlists his partner Conrade to assist him in this master plan to ruin Claudio and Don Pedro, Hero being the collateral damage of the horrible event; beginning with the masquerade ball and causing trouble between Don Pedro and Claudio, Don John brings it all to ruin when he sets the scene of Hero in bed with another man one night and leads Don Pedro and Claudio to see Hero being unfaithful. Although Hero was not unfaithful to Claudio, deceit is just as strong as an action because Claudio denies Hero’s hand in marriage and destroys her reputation putting her into a fake death constructed by the Friar and Leonato. The perfectly harmonious relationship is dramatically destroyed by Don John’s brotherly rivalry. Benedick and Beatrice end their relationship in a less public way, however their relationship ends all the same. Benedick is referenced as a playboy many times in the book, especially when he tells Beatrice she is the only woman to not worship him. Their relationship most likely ended as an effect of Benedick’s unfaithfulness or because Beatrice did not return the love which Benedick felt for her. …show more content…
After the reader endures a terrible tale of Hero and Claudio’s lost love, the final act of deception comes out as an act of reconciliation between two lovers. After much more drama involving the scandal, Claudio discovers Hero’s innocence and goes to Leonato with a heavy heart; he follows Leonato’s instructions to tell all of Messina of the betrayal against Hero, and he pledges to marry a relative of Hero, only to be rewarded when it is Hero who is unveiled at the altar. Claudio felt there was no hope for him and Hero because she was said to have died from the stake of slander by her fiancé and Don Pedro. This celebration is epitomized by the miracle of deception; the same weapon, which ruined the harmony they shared, is now celebrated. The angel of deception, which seems to lurk around Messina, rewards Benedick and Beatrice similarly. Benedick and Beatrice are tricked into leaving heir war of wits and falling back in love, Hero and Margaret trick Beatrice and Claudio tricks Benedick into loving each other. Benedick is better of in love because he trusts Beatrice and is one of the first people to suggest Hero’s innocence, contradicting his previous assumption of all women as cheaters. Benedick and Beatrice are ricked into falling in love, but cannot deny their love is true when love poems come