Dogberry in "Much Ado About Nothing"

A detailed Summary of Dogberry in "Much Ado About Nothing"


In "Much Ado About Nothing," Shakespeare presents a kind of drawing-room comedy, where people's efforts to demonstrate the social graces of the day create all sorts of problems. Beatrice has a sharp tongue but gets away with it because her words are formed in the style of the day. Her cousin Hero, however, is greatly harmed by other people's talk, with her character badly maligned. The story really is much ado about nothing, because the events never would have happened if people had kept true civility behind their words. This misuse of words is emphasized in the play in the character of Dogberry.

Since the play is a demonstration of social norms, including those regarding manner of speaking, gone awry, Dogberry plays an important role. Dogberry's name gives the viewer a clue about his nature, because it evokes an image of dog excrement. Dogberry raises the art of using words in extravagant ways to the heigh


Leonato responds sarcastically: "All thy tediousness on me! ha?"

"If you meet a thief, you may suspect him, by virtue of your office, to be no true man; and, for such kind of men, the less you meddle or make with them, why, the more is for your honesty...The most peaceable way for you, if you do take a thief, is, to let him show himself what he is and steal out of your company."

Dogberry also provides humor in serious moments, such as when the treachery against Hero is revealed. As Dogberry is about to interrogate a prisoner, he says, "Is our whole dissembly appeared?" instead of assembly. At important times, Dogberry complicates his language so much that it makes no sense, even asking several times that people record him as "an ass."

Throughout the play, other characters take the style of expansive and elaborate language to the breaking point, but Dogberry's absurd use of language punches the lesson

Some common words found in the essay are:
III Scene, Ado Shakespeare, Exasperated Leonato, advice absurd, character dogberry,

Approximate Word count = 614
Approximate Pages = 2 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: Arts

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