Don Pedro Character Foil
Don John & Don Pedro Character Foil Don Pedro is a friend to all and a beloved prince, but on the other hand, his evil brother Don John is a lying trickster. How are the brothers so different, and why do they contrast each other so much. The brothers are in a royal family, but Don John is the bastard child so he had no right to be the prince and is treated unfairly by most of society. Don Pedro acts nice and caring to all because of his happy life and right to the throne. In “Much ado about nothing” by William Shakespeare, Don John is a character foil for Don Pedro because of their contrasting actions, morals, and dialogue. When Don Pedro and Claudio devise a plan to win the lady hero for Claudio and marry them, Don Pedro helps him and supports their marriage, while Don John dissuades him from the marriage and shows how much is actions differ from that of Don Pedro. In Act 1 Scene 1 Don Pedro says “Thou wilt be like a lover presently. And tire the hearer
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with a book of words. If thou dost love fair Hero, cherish it” (Shakespeare 15). Don Pedro tells Claudio to cherish their love, he clearly supports their marriage. Yet in Act 2 Scene 1 Don John states this to Claudio at the ball while Don Pedro woos hero for Claudio, “ He is enamoured on Hero. I pray you, dissuade from her; she is no equal for his birth.” (Shakespeare 26). Don John, in this scene, goes to Claudio and convinces him that Don Pedro has taken hero for himself, and encourages he doesn't marry her. They both foil here because of how Don Pedro supports the marriage, and Don John lies and discourages Claudio away from marriage. They also have completely different moral compasses, for example, in Act 3 Scene 2 Don John tries to convince Claudio and Don Pedro that Hero has been cheating on him. Don John said “ I came hither to tell you ,and,circumstances short’ned (for she has been too long a-talking of), the lady is disloyal.” (Shakspeare 53). Then Don Pedro responds with “I will not think it...Bear it coldly but till midnight show itself.” (Shakspeare 54). Don John clearly here has no morals and will lie and deceive to try to destroy somebody's marriage. On the other hand, we see Don Pedro try to stand up for her saying that will not believe it until he has true evidence. Don Pedro has strong morals and always tries to what's right, unlike his brother who will lie just to make somebody unhappy, with no personal gain, he just does it for fun. Their personalities completely differ as well, while Don Pedro is outgoing and has a very charismatic personality Don John is quiet and keeps to himself for the most part.
In the very beginning of the story when the men first arrive in messina we see two clear examples of their personalities and dialogue. In the very beginning when they first arrive Don Pedro greets Leonato as so, “Good Signior Leonato, are you come to meet your trouble? The fashion of the world is to avoid cost, and you encounter it.” (Shakespeare 8). He is outgoing and greets everybody while Don John sits in the back and keeps to himself. Later, when Leonato invites Don John to come inside into his house with the rest of the group and he responds with, “I am not a man of many words, but I thank you.” (Shakespeare 10). You can clearly see how the two are opposites in their dialogue and personality. Don John only speaks when spoken to, and has a very melancholy personality; While Don Pedro is a people person who loves the center of
attention. Don John and Pedro, the brothers in “Much Ado About Nothing” by William Shakespeare are character foils because of their differing actions, morals, and dialogue. The nobleness and charismatic nature of the prince highlights the evil and immoral actions of his brother. Through the whole play Don John is pinned as the bad guy because he ruined hero's wedding, manipulated Claudio, and lied to everybody in the play. Don Pedro was a noble prince who everybody wanted to see from the beginning, he matched Claudio and Hero together, mostly stayed out of shaming hero, and stayed loyal to his friends the whole time. Everybody has a foil, and being able to spot them is a good trait to have. You can read different people and understand their personalities better if you look for foils, whether it be in literature or real life.
with a book of words. If thou dost love fair Hero, cherish it” (Shakespeare 15). Don Pedro tells Claudio to cherish their love, he clearly supports their marriage. Yet in Act 2 Scene 1 Don John states this to Claudio at the ball while Don Pedro woos hero for Claudio, “ He is enamoured on Hero. I pray you, dissuade from her; she is no equal for his birth.” (Shakespeare 26). Don John, in this scene, goes to Claudio and convinces him that Don Pedro has taken hero for himself, and encourages he doesn't marry her. They both foil here because of how Don Pedro supports the marriage, and Don John lies and discourages Claudio away from marriage. They also have completely different moral compasses, for example, in Act 3 Scene 2 Don John tries to convince Claudio and Don Pedro that Hero has been cheating on him. Don John said “ I came hither to tell you ,and,circumstances short’ned (for she has been too long a-talking of), the lady is disloyal.” (Shakspeare 53). Then Don Pedro responds with “I will not think it...Bear it coldly but till midnight show itself.” (Shakspeare 54). Don John clearly here has no morals and will lie and deceive to try to destroy somebody's marriage. On the other hand, we see Don Pedro try to stand up for her saying that will not believe it until he has true evidence. Don Pedro has strong morals and always tries to what's right, unlike his brother who will lie just to make somebody unhappy, with no personal gain, he just does it for fun. Their personalities completely differ as well, while Don Pedro is outgoing and has a very charismatic personality Don John is quiet and keeps to himself for the most part.
In the very beginning of the story when the men first arrive in messina we see two clear examples of their personalities and dialogue. In the very beginning when they first arrive Don Pedro greets Leonato as so, “Good Signior Leonato, are you come to meet your trouble? The fashion of the world is to avoid cost, and you encounter it.” (Shakespeare 8). He is outgoing and greets everybody while Don John sits in the back and keeps to himself. Later, when Leonato invites Don John to come inside into his house with the rest of the group and he responds with, “I am not a man of many words, but I thank you.” (Shakespeare 10). You can clearly see how the two are opposites in their dialogue and personality. Don John only speaks when spoken to, and has a very melancholy personality; While Don Pedro is a people person who loves the center of
attention. Don John and Pedro, the brothers in “Much Ado About Nothing” by William Shakespeare are character foils because of their differing actions, morals, and dialogue. The nobleness and charismatic nature of the prince highlights the evil and immoral actions of his brother. Through the whole play Don John is pinned as the bad guy because he ruined hero's wedding, manipulated Claudio, and lied to everybody in the play. Don Pedro was a noble prince who everybody wanted to see from the beginning, he matched Claudio and Hero together, mostly stayed out of shaming hero, and stayed loyal to his friends the whole time. Everybody has a foil, and being able to spot them is a good trait to have. You can read different people and understand their personalities better if you look for foils, whether it be in literature or real life.