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Examples Of Trope In Much Ado About Nothing And Pericles

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A comedic convention which can easily be compared between Much Ado About Nothing and Pericles are the character tropes employed in both plays. Both plays employ similar tropes for their characters, though they both most notably employ the ‘lovers’ trope. In Much Ado About Nothing, two pairs of lovers are established by the end of the first act: Hero and Claudio and Beatrice and Benedict. The relationship between Hero and Claudio in particular forms rather abruptly and seemingly out of thin air – immediately after returning from war and meeting Hero in Messina, Claudio confided in Benedict, saying, “In mine eye she is the sweetest lady that ever I looked on” (1.1.153-154). Beatrice and Benedict are also implied as potential lovers early …show more content…

In traditional comedic plot structure, there is typically a build-up of tension and quarreling that leads to a crisis towards the end of the play which has the potential to end tragically. In the case of Much Ado About Nothing, such tension centers around the pairs of lovers and is built up as a result of all the characters ‘noting’ each other throughout the play and thus misreading reality entirely. This tension, in fact, leads to the generic comedic convention of ‘death’ when Hero ‘dies’ after being falsely accused of adultery, though Leonato says of this, “Death is the fairest cover for her shame that may be wished for” (4.1.______). Hero’s ‘death’ brings forth the potentially tragic tipping point of the play: Benedict pledges to duel Claudio, Leonato is heartbroken and angry with Don Pedro and Claudio, and all pairs of lovers are effectively broken off. Nonetheless, this tragic tipping point is ultimately avoided based on three concepts that are typical of comedic endings: rebirth, reunion, and recognition. Once Claudio and Don Pedro learn of Hero’s innocence, Claudio says of the news, “I have drunk poison whiles he uttered it” (5.1.______). This begins Hero’s transformation from a symbol of disloyalty into someone sorely missed and loved, thus allowing her to be ‘reborn’ on her second

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