Foil Characters in Much Ado About Nothing Essay Sample

There are characters who are depicted as the polar opposite of another character in practically every storey or drama. This is called character foils and the play Much Ado About Nothing by William Shakespeare is no exception. There are many examples of character foils in the play such as Beatrice and Hero or Claudio and Benedick but the most notable character foil is between half-brothers, Don John and Don Pedro. Firstly, Don John prefers to be hated by those around him, unlike Don Pedro who likes to be part of the group. In addition, Don John always holds a grudge against anyone who bothers him while Don Pedro forgives them and tries to help. Lastly, they are foils because while Don John is mischievous and likes to cause trouble, Don Pedro acts like a peacemaker. For these reasons, Don John and Don Pedro are clearly character foils. Firstly, Don John prefers to be hated by those around him, unlike Don Pedro who likes to be part of the group. Near the beginning of the play, Don John says he doesn’t care what anyone thinks of him. This is shown in the quote when he tells Conrade “I cannot hide what I am” (1.3). On the other hand, Don Pedro likes to be part of the group based on his willingness to partake in group propositions. This is shown when he organizes the plan to make Beatrice and Benedick fall in love with one another. A quote of this example is when he says “I will in the interim undertake one of Hercules’ labours, which is to bring Signior Benedick and the Lady Beatrice into a mountain of affection, th’ one with th’ other” (2.1). This is one of the main reasons that Don John and Don Pedro are character foils. In addition, the way Don Pedro and Don John also react to being wrong is different. When Don John realizes he is going to get caught for his elaborate scheme he tries to flee Messina but he gets caught. When Don Pedro realizes he is wrong about Hero, he begs Leonato for forgiveness and accepts his punishment unconditionally. Don Pedro and Claudio declare Hero’s innocence at her grave and openly admit they were wrong. This is another reason why Don John and Don Pedro are character foils with one another. Lastly, they are foils because while Don John is mischievous and likes to cause trouble, Don Pedro acts like a peacemaker and leader. Don John is always looking for ways to cause trouble and conflict amongst everyone. He openly admits this when Borachio tells him about the wedding between Hero and Claudio. He tells Borachio “will it serve for any model to build mischief on.” (1.3) This shows that he is always looking to cause trouble, especially when it is against someone who he doesn’t like. Don Pedro is always willing to help anyone by doing anything he can. An example of this is when he plans to woo Hero for Claudio and get Leonato’s consent for their marriage. This is the biggest reason why Don John and Don Pedro are character foils. While they are half-brothers these two characters could not be more different. They are complete opposites of each other. Firstly, Don John prefers to be hated by those around him, unlike Don Pedro who likes to be part of the group. In addition, the way Don Pedro and Don John also react to being wrong is different. Lastly, they are foils because while Don John is mischievous and likes to cause trouble, Don Pedro acts like a peacemaker and leader. These reasons show why Don Pedro and Don John are character foils.