Don Pedro Foil

A division in Character

William Shakespeare wrote about 37 different plays. One of these plays includes Much Ado About Nothing, by William Shakespeare he uses the tactic of character foil to show how great traits are in one person by making another having opposite attributes. Don Pedro and Don John, Don Pedro’s illegitimate brother, are great examples of character foil or opposites. The play takes place in Messina and focuses upon Don John and his schemes to ruin whatever Don Pedro, his brother, does. If Don Pedro is trying to help someone fall in love Don John will find a way to obscure the plan. When a person feels insecure they often try and take problems into their own hands to make others fail or look terrible, and this seems to make

Some of the traits that Don Pedro has in this book include: Compassion and trustworthiness. He is comparable, in the play, to cupid because he is almost always able to get two people to fall in love. For example Don Pedro said, “I shall see thee, ere I die, look pale with love” (Shakespeare 9). This quote says that he wants to see Benedick fall in love before he dies because Benedick earlier swore that he would never fall in love. This means that Don Pedro is very determined and that he may have a plan to ensure that he sees Benedick in love before he dies. Don Pedro is very different than Don John especially because he is trying to make love not break it.

In the character foil, Don John and Don Pedro, the reader can learn through their relationship that when a person feels insecure about themselves it is often that they will make some questionable decisions that can ruin their relationship with others. This is mainly learned when Don John and his acquaintances share this conversation:

Borachio

I came yonder from a great supper: the prince

Borachio

Marry, it is your brother's right hand.

Don John

Who? the most exquisite Claudio?

Borachio

Even he.

Don John

A proper squire! And who, and who? Which way looks he? Borachio

Marry, on Hero, the daughter and heir of Leonato.(Shakespeare 15).

This is a quote that shows how Don John likes Claudio’s company as a friend, yet when Don John tries to ruin Claudio and Hero’s wedding, their relationship is ruined. It is important to prioritize friends over mischievous desires.

This play has many messages and life lessons that can be learned while reading. From each character foil there are many new opportunities to learn. From Don John and Don Pedro we learned that friends are more important than getting back at someone. When Shakespeare used character foil, in Much Ado About Nothing, it highlights in the main character’s attributes by having characters that oppose each attribute, in the play. People are more important than things in this life, so it is very important that we treat our family and friends like treasures, which we can learn from Don John’s bad example.

"Much Ado About Nothing." William Shakespeare - Oxford University Press. N.p., 14 May 2017. Web. 18 May