Don Pedro vs. Don John in Much Ado About Nothing

Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing, whether in film or text or on a stage, is a story about duality and duplicity.  Most of the main characters have close bonds but clear distinctions from at least one other character, making no short supply of opportunities to compare and contrast.  Don Pedro and Don John, though less well recognized than the romantic leads and love objects so often seen in Shakespeare's works, are excellent for comparing and contrasting because while their roles are dramatically different, there are enough similarities in their methods that the differences between the two men are subtle and interesting.

These two characters are closely intertwined in a variety of ways.  Firstly, they are both men of power.  While Don Pedro is the king, Don John’s position as a prince and Don Pedro’s brother makes him the second most politically powerful person in the story.  The two are very similar in that they are personally above question or reproach of all the other characters.  Of course, Don Pedro is superior in rank and when the proof is found of Don John’s evil dealings, the villain is charged and caught (“Much Ado About Nothing”).  By making the main villain so powerful, Shakespeare ensured that he would not be too easily overcome even if the heroes outsmarted his trickery.  The theme of the play is clearly a comedy, however, since the means of finally overcoming Don John, his brother, is so readily available and willing to help.

The similarity of the roles of the two Dons is what keeps that inevitably happy ending from coming about too quickly.  Both Don Pedro and Don John resort to trickery and deceit for their own amusement.  But while Don Pedro’s game of bringing first Claudio and Hero and then Benedick and Beatrice together through trickery has good intentions, Don John’s game of ruining Hero’s life and tearing her and Claudio apart is most definitely cruel.  It is also possible, from the brief success of Don John in manipulating his brother against Hero, that another contrast between the two men is that Don John is a touch cleverer and more effective at deceit than Don Pedro (“Much Ado About Nothing”).  It is also possible that Shakespeare was making a cynical observation about the world, that evil has an advantage over good because it has no limits while good might look at a situation and take it at face value.  Don Pedro was quick to trust, even when he thought his initial trust was being betrayed.

A final comparison and contrast between Don Pedro and Don John is the way they respond to the unraveling of events.  While Don John only sticks around long enough to see his mischief completed and then leaves before the house of cards come tumbling down around him, Don Pedro stays and accepts the blame for his part in Hero’s apparent death.  The earlier difference between the station of the two Dons might also account for this sense, no matter the degree of his blame, Don Pedro is not held accountable in any significant way.  It is Claudio who is challenged to a duel while Don Pedro enjoys the protection of his station, protection that Don John did not have (“Much Ado About Nothing”).  As is often the case with Shakespeare’s portrayal of people in power (such as in As You Like It), this could be considered a jab at royalty.  Don Pedro enjoyed the unspoken protection of his station.  It was simply understood that Claudio would be held accountable instead.

Though Much Ado About Nothing is generally cheerful and ultimately comedic, its supporting characters like Don Pedro and Don John suggest some darker matters at work.  There are enough differences between the two that they are obviously aligned with good and evil, respectively.  But the similarities of the two men, mostly with regards to their methods, should be a warning about how fine the line is between good and evil, and how easy it is for good to serve evil’s purpose when it does not keep a safe distance.

Work Cited

Much Ado About Nothing. Dir. Kenneth Branagh. Perf. Emma Thompson, Richard Briers, Kate Beckinsale, Denzel Washington. American Playhouse Theatrical Films, 1993. DVD.