Essay/Term paper: Much ado about nothing

Essay, term paper, research paper:  Cliff Notes

How is Dogberry the fool or jester of the play? What is the significance of Dogberry's discovery

about the plot against Hero? Do you think that Dogberry's ignorance is actually knowledge about

life? Support your answers with details from text.



"Marry, sir, they have committed false report; moreover, they have spoken untruths;

secondarily, they are slanders; sixth and lastly, they have belied a lady; thirdly, they have verified

unjust things; and, to conclude, they are lying knaves (5.1.225-233)." I don't think anyone could read

these lines without a smile. Not only Dogberry can't count, but he repeats the same accusation,

without realizing that it's all one crime. Dogberry's stupidness brings him a role of a jester in the

play, providing comic relief in the event of Hero's tragedy.

Dogberry has a great significance in the play. Although, Dogberry's presence is a lampoon

of authority, by uncovering the plot, he proves that even people like him can be somewhat of

importance, because their simple foolishness and "dumbness" can catch very important points. "What

your wisdoms could not discover, these shallow fools have brought to light...(5.1.242-244)." If

Dogberry has not had the control, Hero, most likely, would still carry the false accusations.

I think that Dogberry could be the real hero of the play because out of his ignorant, pompous

and stupid character comes an individual with the ability to discover the truth of deception of Claudio

and Hero. "Dost thou not suspect my place? Dost thou not suspect my years? O, that he were here

to write me down an ass! But masters, remember that I am an ass, though it be not written down,

yet forget not that I am an ass.--No, thou villain, thou are full of piety, as shall be proved upon thee

by good witness. I am a wise fellow and, which is more, an officer and, which is more, a householder

and, which is more, as pretty a piece of flesh as any is in Messina, and one that knows the law, go to,

and a rich fellow enough, go to, and a fellow that hath had losses, and one that hath two gowns and

everything handsome about him.--Bring him away.--O, that I had been writ down an ass!(4.2.76-89)"

We laugh at Dogberry because he is primitive and self-important - yet he commands the respect of

his underlings and knows when to defer to those above him. The watch listen to his order to pay

attention at the activity around Leonato's house, and consequently catch the villains. For Dogberry's

respect of those higher of him, he gets thanked and rewarded. ("I thank thee of thy care and honest

pains.(5.1.329)") Dogberry proves that we should listen to people like him, and, perhaps, sometimes

try to be people of lower class. We should try to see things from the "lower-class-point-of-view, we

can actually get rewarded, by others for seeing importance and rewarded with knowledge.