Much Ado About Nothing | Criticism

  • Overview

    In the first excerpt, Barbara Everett contends that Shakespeare's female characters in Much Ado About Nothing are essential in establishing and maintaining the atmosphere of the play. In the second piece, John Crick explores the play's concern with individuals' potential for evil in a self-absorbed society, such as Much Ado's Messina. Finally, Kenneth Muir offers a general historical and literary assessment of the play.

  • Appearance Vs. Reality

    In this piece John Russell Brown examines the ability of "love's truth" and "lover's imagination" to reveal Truth and Beauty despite false appearances as demonstrated in Much Ado About Nothing. In his examination of this theme, he offers a reconsideration of Claudio, asserting that, contrary to popular criticism, the character is interesting in his own right.

  • Music and Dance

    In the first excerpt, W. H. Auden argues that Balthasar's song in Act II, scene iii marks a pivotal moment of the play when Claudio's infatuation is at its climax and, at the same time, the lyrics inspire Benedick to think on Beatrice. In the second excerpt, Paul N. Siegel compares the action of the play to a dance.

  • Beatrice and Benedick

    In an essay originally published in the Saturday Review in 1898, Bernard Shaw claims that Beatrice and Benedick are essentially vulgar and indiscriminate individuals whose inadequacies are concealed by Shakespeare's linguistic skill. Next, Denzell S. Smith argues that Beatrice's command, "Kill Claudio," represents the climax of the character development of both Beatrice and Benedick.

  • Hero and Claudio

    In the first excerpt, John Wain offers his understanding of why the Hero-and-Claudio plot failed, despite Shakespeare's craftsmanship. In the second excerpt, John Crick contends that Hero and Claudio act as a conventional heroine and hero in contrast to the unconventional Beatrice and Benedick. Lastly, S. P. Cerasano examines the slander of Hero in light of historical treatment of slander, especially against women.

  • Dogberry

    In the first essay, James Smith refutes Samuel Taylor Coleridge's claim that Dogberry is a dispensable character. In the second essay, Anthony B. Dawson examines Dogberry's role in interpreting messages in Much Ado About Nothing. Interestingly, both essays make a comparison between Dogberry and Bottom of A Midsummer Night's Dream.