Much Ado About Nothing begins as a comedy of errors. Claudio loves Hero but lacks confidence and has someone else woo her for him. Benedick and Beatrice profess to loathe love and marriage but when tricked by family and friends into believing the other’s passion, they find love with each other. Once Claudio has won the love of the fair Hero, Shakespeare’s light-hearted romp turns dark when Don John plots to besmirch the reputation of Hero, destroy Claudio’s love, and shame her father all in an effort to get back at his brother, Don Pedro. What is the audience to believe has happened here, they enter a comedy and leave a tragedy? Shakespeare saves the day by sending in the clowns.
In a play about confusion, the introduction of Dogberry and Verges comforts the audience that they are still on comedic footing. These petty officials are meant to be the signifiers of nothing. As soon as they are introduced in Act III, Scene 3, Dogberry and Verges display their powers as they interview two watchmen. Dogberry asks if they are good men and true and Verges responds, “Yea, or else it were pity but they should suffer salvation, body and soul.”(3.3.1-3). Salvation is the wrong word in the context of this sentence but it is the correct word for their role in the play as they bumble into the plot just after Don John’s scheme.
Dogberry and Verges are guilty of confusing their words, they commission the two watchmen to become the heroes of the play when Dogberry commands, “… you shall comprehend all vagrom men. You are to bid any man stand, in the Prince’s name (3.3.21-23).” This is exactly what the two watchmen do when they come upon Don John’s henchmen, Borachio and Conrad. Instead of apprehending them as Dogberry means by his command, they listen to detailing of the events that have unfolded and understand the implications of Borachio and Conrad’s actions. This act of comprehension will foil Don John’s plan.
Dogberry and Verges report to Leonato after Conrad and Borachio are captured but Leonato is too busy with his daughter’s wedding. Dogberry announces, “Our watch, sir, have indeed comprehended two auspicious persons, and we would have them this morning examined before your worship (4.1.40-42).” The audience is in on the joke, knowing that this nonsense brought before Leonato is the ado he should be focused on.
Unlike the rude mechanicals in Midsummers Night’s Dream, Dogberry and Verges are central to the plot of Much Ado About Nothing. The rude mechanicals hope to win fame and fortune by presenting their play but all they receive from Thesus’s court is derision. Dogberry in Act V Scene 1 is thanked by Leonato for his “care and honest pains (5.1.297).” The bumbling idiots save the day, receive their fair share of laughter accompanied with the respect of Prince of Aragon’s court.
6 comments:
I loved the title to your post because not only is it funny, but entirely true. Dogberry and Verges are really at the center of the story because they hold the truth, and it feels like a relief when Borachio and Conrad are captured and questioned. They save the day not only for the characters, but for the story itself. They transition the story from becoming a tragedy back into comedy mode, and not only with their dialogue. Bravo!
I am quite happy that these two men are given the respect that they deserve, regardless of their choice phrases that don't truly make any senes. I enjoyed the use of comedy through the two characters and was interested in finding that these two allowed for the "resurection of comedy" within this play (as we have talked about within class). Truly what I was interested in was the fact that the true "Hero" was not the knight in shining armor, but the "common" folk. And personally I was wondering if Shakespeare to do this to shock his audience or to reach out to them (the common people) and let them know that they can too be the ones to save the day.
I like the comparison you make between the rude mechanicals of Midsummer and Dogberry and Verges here. It is true that without their watchful eyes Hero and Claudio would have never been married. Its interesting how this play shows us that no matter your social standing you have an affect upon the lives of the people around you, and even if you are considered an idiot by some, it can be a positive impact.
I agree entirely! These two being introduced settles the play right back on to comedic footing, which was being lost slowly as the play progressed. They may be bumbling fools, but it seems nice that for once the fools get their due and they are the ones that truly save this play in more ways than one. Just goes to show that sometimes the learned man isn't in the right. I also like the contrast between them and the rude mechanicals, this really brings to focus that in Shakespeare's comedies, the lower class don't always save the day, but often they are the ones that save the comedy.
It is pretty interesting to see how much importance is put on Dogberry and Verges considering they aren't the main characters in the play. In Shakespearean time I feel as if the more common folk would have liked to see a play that promoted a knight or a heroic prince to be the savior in a play, but these characters hit so close to home for many people of that time. I wonder if that had any effect on the audience during the time? Would it make the upper class upset seeing lower class folks "stealing the show?" One can only wonder. It is also interesting to see how comedic they really are, if they weren't in the play it wouldn't have had much humor. Shakespeare really plays up their character with the miss-use of words and their idiocy, you did a good job pointing that out.
I really like how what one would consider to be the "fool"s, Dogberry and Verges receive the respect that hey truly deserve. I feel that if anyone else were to save the day the play would not be as effective. I feel that by having what one would consider the common folk saving the day the audience of the time must have been left with many thoughts. To bring it to today's time It is almost like watching a movie and having the ending being totally different than one expected it to be but an ending that pleases the audience either way.
-Liz Miller
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