Hathing In Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing

“He that hath a beard is more than a youth, and he that hath no beard is less than a man. He that is more than a youth is not for me, and he that is less than a man, I am not for him.” (Shakespeare 39) Much Ado About Nothing, written by William Shakespeare in the late 1500’s, was written during the mid point of his career and is considered to be one of his best comedies. Their is numerous times when noting, (overhearing, gossip, and rumors), is used in this play. The main characters, Benedict and Beatrice, are victims of noting, overhearing in their case. They are tricked into confessing their love for one another and end up marrying each other. Benedict overhearing Don Pedro, Leonato, and Claudio, Beatrice overhearing Hero and Ursula, Don …show more content…
This can be seen in Act III, Scene II when Don John says, “The word is too good to paint out her wickedness; I could say she were worse: think you of a worse title, and I will fit her to it. Wonder not till further warrant: go but with me to-night, you shall see her chamber-window entered, even the night before her wedding-day: if you love her then, to-morrow wed her; but it would better fit your honour to change your mind.” (Shakespeare 97) Claudio and Don Pedro think that Hero has been unloyal and that she will even be unloyal on the day before her wedding. In Act III, Scene II Claudio says that, “If I see any thing to-night why I should not marry her to-morrow in the congregation, where I should wed, there will I shame her.” (Shakespeare 99) Don John has gotten Borachio to have sex with Margaret and stage it where he says Hero, thus when Claudio and Don Pedro are watching they think it is Hero. Claudio is angry that Hero has been unloyal and will shame her at the wedding the next day. This is just one of the many examples of noting in this play. Snapchat, Instagram, and Twitter are some of the biggest social media apps today. The examples of noting from Much Ado About Nothing are similar to things that happen on social media. Twitter for example would be more of the gossiping app. It can be deceiving because of the things people say. Snapchat would be the misunderstanding app. People can post anything they want on there and it can be misleading similar to when Don John mislead Don Pedro and Claudio into thinking that it was Hero having sex with Borachio. Instagram would not really be anything more of a beneficial thing unless the comments come in