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A dramatic comedy villain should resemble someone of a horrid disposition whose main goal in life

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A dramatic comedy villain should resemble someone of a horrid disposition whose main goal in life is to ruin others. Horace Walpole once said ‘This world is a comedy to those that think, a tragedy to those that feel’ . Don John as the most passive villain in Much Ado seems to settle directly upon this line. The man of few words emerges as the most disagreeable and wicked character in the play. Yet Shakespeare assigns Don John the redeeming quality of his honesty and ensures that he receives a lot of sympathy from the audience through Don John’s description of himself announcing his ultimate punishment by a hypocritical society which rejects him from the very moment of birth. This is due to Don John’s honest and emotional character …show more content…

Shakespeare uses a considerable amount of dramatic irony throughout the play with most of the characters including Hero being naïve towards Don John’s personality and behaviour resulting in dramatic irony being added to the play throughout this consequently adding comic effect to the play of Much Ado about Nothing through the character of Don John trying to act how he is expected to act but not always succeeding. In addition in Shakespeare’s comedy play Merchant of Venice the villain was the character of Shylock who ultimately wanted revenge for the loss of his daughter much like Don John who wants revenge for his brother Don Pedro winning the battle. However it is questioned whether Shylock was a villain or a victim much like the character of Don John, causing the audience to have mixed opinions as to whether Don John is a victim or a villain. Arguably Due to Don John’s ‘illegitimacy’ Bastards are automatically labelled as ‘trouble’- ’Bastards are envious: For he that cannot possibly mend his case will do what he can to impair others.’ Don John acted the way that was expected of him due to social values during the Elizabethan time period the play was set in. Therefore values have changed and people tend to be less stereotypical this not only adds dramatic effect to the play through Don John’s social status it also adds comic effect as Don John does not adequately succeed in playing the role of a villain.

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