Deception is a theme prevalent throughout the play and most of the main characters are deceived in both in positive and negative ways, showing it as a double edged sword. Nearly all the characters also deceive other characters, further showing it as a double edged sword as it can be used by or against someone. Much of the deception in the play occurs as a result of the events at the masked ball, as the masque represents the beginning of both plots of deception by the two princes- Don John starts to break apart the romance between Hero and Claudio and Don Pedro begins to match make Beatrice and Benedick. This is a motif which Shakespeare uses as a dramatic device to cause confusion. After the events of the ball, a dramatic device of a double plot is used to contrast how deception can be used against the human condition in both a malicious and benign manner. The main deception of the play is directed by Don John towards Claudio, although the main dramatic focus of the play is deceptions involving Beatrice and Benedick. To a great extent, the reasons for deceiving others and reactions to deception are able to reveal serious aspects of the human condition.
Deception as a malevolent tool is used in part of the double plotline is used by Shakespeare to show the evil part of the human