Much Ado

Do you think Shakespeare believed in the stereotypes he presented or do you feel he was attempting to teach his audience a lesson about misjudging others or about forcing people to conform to tradition?



Shakespeare's play, Much Ado About Nothing does deal with many stereotypes. For instance, Hero and Claudio are the young couple who are so innocent that they fall madly in love at the moment they see each other. I wish I could say that that happens in real life, but even a hopeless romantic like myself knows that it's a stereotype of people my age.

Dogberry is also a stereotypical character in the sense that he sounds uneducated and ignorant for a person of his class. Although Dogberry is the example that leads me to believe that Shakespeare didn't believe in these stereotypes himself. Dogberry and the watchmen, uneducated and low-class characters, are key roles in the story. The watchmen are the ones who overhear Borrachio's plan and apprehend him. Additionally, if Leonato had listened to Dogberry when he said that he had taken two into custody in a matter that might interest Leonato, he is ignored, which brings upon Hero's public slander.

I think by showing how even the most simple of people can help with important things, Shakespeare disproves the stereotypes made by his own play.

Lies lies lies!

Is lying ever ethically or morally justified?

I think so. It's such a broad topic that it's hard to say. If you're friend asks you if she looks alright, but she looks completely awful, wouldn't you tell a bit of a white lie to be less blunt? And what if you're trying to protect someone? If you're friend who your parents hate broke your mom's favorite vase, and you knew they wouldn't care if you had done it, would you lie for your friend? But then there are times when the lies can be harmful. In a criminal trial, it's completely wrong to lie about who killed whom, who shot someone, anything that could put an innocent person in jail and a convict back on the streets.

I lie. I'll admit that, but I don't lie about harmful things and I don't lie about anything that could harm my trust with other people. I may tell a friend she looks wonderful when it's maybe not her best day. I try to help my friends with fights by embellishing the details of their regret just slightly enough to make both sides realize it's completely dumb. I don't ever want my friends to have hurt feelings or low self esteem, so I tell the occasional white lie.

Benedick and Beatrice's relationship was fueled by lies to get them to admit their affection for each other, but there are many lies that could have hurt them, much like the lies about Hero that are fueled by Don John. I approve of the former, and must condemn the latter because it is not going to get you anywhere to bring down others. I think it is ethical to lie sometimes, but it all really depends on the situation.

Have a good break everyone! :)