Jan 5, 2010

Much Ado About Nothing | Dogberry (Character Analysis)

Dogberry is the constable of Messina. This title is a British usage and refers to a police officer or official in charge of keeping the peace. This part was originally written for a famous comic actor in Shakespeare's day, Will Kemp. Kemp's name appears before Dogberry's spoken parts in the Quarto edition printed in 1600. This is one piece of evidence used in establishing the date of composition of this play, because Will Kemp left the Lord Chamberlain's men in 1599.

Dogberry's name refers to an ordinary hedgerow bush or shrubbery, and is perhaps suggestive of the...