MAAN~Stereotypes

Stereotypes bind us to what we were born with. They limit our abilities and status and most of all interfere with our futurs. In the play Much Ado About Nothing, Shakespeare presents a few characters that are bound by the stereotypes placed on them. The first character that comes to mind is Don Jon. He is the illegitimate half brother of the Prince and so has never had any right to the throne. He has always been belittled and felt infereior to his brother. This is shown in his speech (I.1.25-35) where he says he would rather be "a canker in a hedge than a rose in his grace," He is refering to how he so dislikes his brother. All of his anger is also shown when he plans to ruin Claudio's wedding. His years and years of suffering under his brother make him the villain in this play.
Another character who is bound by stereotypes is Dogberry. He has had no education and has very little charm. When he tries to tell Leonato that his daughter was 'belied', Leonato shrugs him off because Dogberry has been stereotyped to be the mindless fool of the play. Consequently, Leonato's daughter Hero is shamed and he wishes she were dead. Finally when the truth comes out, Leonato treats Dogberry with more respect but still internally mocks him for the foolish way he rambles.
I think that Shakespeare is trying to teach us a lesson when he presents to us these stereotypes. The reason that the 'good' characters suffer is that they underestimated those who were thought of as infereior.