Making Order from Disorder in Much Ado About Nothing Essay Example

his fellows. Dogberry’s examination is a true example of disorderliness. Shakespeare uses absurd malapropisms to expose Dogberry’s common education and status, and thus his inner disorder. However it is the strangely observant though somewhat unintelligent and pompous Dogberry that truly sees the fictitiousness of the deception and therefore it is Dogberry who is the only one able, with the help of the watchmen, to bring about order in the governing house of the nobility.

Shakespeare uses this irony to show the ignorance of the nobles and also their ability to jump to rash conclusions, like Claudio and Don Pedro who refused to listen to the words Hero had to say in her defence. Order is thus brought about in the examination through Dogberry’s uncanny ability to see the truth in the matter, and restore order not only in his own interview, but also in the initial deception. The third deception is of Beatrice and Benedick. The two, by words spoken by their friends and relations, are tricked into wondering if they are in love with the other.

This naturally causes a degree of affection between the two, and through this a certain degree of disorder.

This disorder is the most easily solved, because though the two discover that they were tricked, they also discover that they indeed do love one another, and it is not the same courtly love shown by Hero and Claudio, but a deep and intimate relationship. Order is located through this discovery. This is the most satisfactory discernment of order from disorder in the play as a whole.

In conclusion, of the three deceptions in the comedy, order is found underneath

disorder through the abilities of the commoners, and of ideal, common sense. This shows that the idea of making order from disorder is central to the themes and lessons of Much Ado About Nothing as a whole, using Shakespeare’s ironic sense of humour as a guide. The centrality of this idea is shown throughout the play, making it important to the extent of crucial.

Indeed, if this idea were not so centred in the text, the play would not be so clever and therefore not so appealing as a whole.