Much Ado About Nothing Tragedy Analysis

Much Ado About Nothing is an intricate web weaved by William Shakespeare that encompasses many aspects of human nature and emotion. The play is thought to have been written between 1598 and 1589, and crafted towards the middle of Shakespeare 's career. (SparkNotes) Much Ado About Nothing is one of the several plays of his where, despite having some darker components, it ends in happiness and no one dies. Which when looking at the number of plays Shakespeare wrote and their stories, no one dying in a play is actually a rarity in Shakespeare’s works. The play also contains elements of both hamartia and catharsis in both the characters, and story line. Though categorized as a comedy, Much Ado About Nothing, while encompassing humor, love and wit, also has its fair share of trickery and deceit. Showing that this play is also a tragedy, and at times can be more of a tragedy than a comedy. There are three major love components in the play. The romantic love between the characters Claudio and Hero, along with Beatrice and Benedick. The familial love between Leonardo, Beatrice, and Hero, and lastly the fraternal love between Benedick and Don Pedro. Out of those pairs, the one that holds the most amount of tragedy is that of the main characters, the lovers Hero and Claudio. Although these two characters …show more content…
The jealously spurned from one mans self-loathing and hatred. Don John, the illegitimate, younger brother of Don Pedro. Don John is described as a “melancholy and sullen” (SparkNotes) character that is incredibly envious of his older half-brothers social status. Due to this, he is actually the villain of Much Ado About Nothing. He along with his confidant, Borachio, and Borachio 's friend, Conrad, concoct one the two big tragedies of the play. Borachio overhears Claudio and Don Pedro 's conversation, and reports it back to Don John, who would love nothing more than to ruin either man 's possible