In Much Ado About Nothing, love is fickle and volatile. Multiple pairs of characters fall in love at any given time, and a few accept their emotions without question. Many complex events cause these sudden emotional changes. Each character in Much Ado About Nothing plays a role in changing the feelings of another, but one man, Don John, sets in motion the events that provoke the most radical of these affairs. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essayDon John is the bastard brother of Don Pedro, the Prince of Aragon. The prince despises him but respects him like a brother. Seeing this, many characters follow suit. Leonato said to Don John: “Being reconciled with the prince your brother, I owe you all my duties” (Shakespeare, II125-126). This way, Don John easily slips into the background of the play without the other characters interacting with him much. He thus plays a major role in the plot without appearing relatively often on stage. This means that each appearance is essential to his development as a character. Before the play begins, the brothers fought a great battle in which Don John's army was brutally defeated (Ii-iii.). Although this saddens him, he admits that he is already predisposed to silent suffering and stoic depression towards his confidant Conrad. He tells her and the audience, “I can’t hide what I am. I must be sad when I have a reason” (I.iii.10-11). However, Don John's words, read from the script, cannot fully portray the man's true underlying characteristics and motivations. Don John's performance at different points in the play is pivotal in that it can portray him as a malevolent schemer who uses his resources to cause unwarranted mischief, or alternatively as a dull individual whose discontent and powerful spirit are inclined to fulfill the dark plans of others. In the third scene of the first act, Conrad discusses with Don John the full extent of his sadness at his current situation. Don Pedro had already accepted him into his company after the battle. If Don Jon is to be considered used, Conrad could be described as convincing a sullen and inactive Don John that unless he acts on his grief, the rest of his life will be lived under the guidance of his older brother, the prince. Conrad tells him: “It is necessary that you define the season for your own harvest” (I.iii.19-20). Don John responds: “It is better for me to be disdained by everything than to build a car to steal love from anyone” (I.iii.22-23). He would rather just silently hate everyone than come up with a plan to hurt anyone. Conrad goes on to ask if Don John would let his discontent go to waste instead of using it as fuel for an evil act (I.iii.30). “I make full use of it, because I only use it,” he replies (I.iii.31). If performed sadly, at length, and monochromatically, Don John seems restless and unwilling to use his sadness for any task other than wallowing in it. Rather, if Don John is to be portrayed as the scheming user, a different performance must be used. With his hand against his chin and a lighter inflection, as if pondering Conrad's words, Don John's first response seems to question his own disposition. Would he rather quietly disdain his brother, or take action to prevent his fate as an inferior bastard from being sealed? After theConrad's second production, the performer of Don John may wish to show Don John as interested with more movement and dynamic hand gestures. He becomes proud and defensive over his own emotion, telling Conrad to stop instigating him because he will actually use it and it is only him to control. A second point where performance controls Don John's character is in the second scene of the second act. . Borachio and Don John consider a way to reverse Hero and Claudio's marriage. In order to play the role of user, Don John will have to show extreme interest in Borachio's projects. If the actor remained focused on Borachio's face and gestures, occasionally mirrored his actions, and responded with rapid, excited retorts, Don John would appear as if he were very attentive, ready to employ whatever strategy his sidekick could create to stop the marriage. Combined with the payment of a thousand gold pieces, this performance demonstrates that Borachio is acting as a servant to Don John (II.ii.43-44). If Don John were to continue his role as a used tool, the performance would require a difference. color. Slow to respond with a worried inflection, Don John's question "What proof must I give of this?" seems serious (II.ii.23). He will seem unsure of Borachio's plan, almost unwilling to comply with it. Unlike the relationship developed in the user's performance, this depiction highlights that Borachio is manipulating Don John. The plan to deceive Claudio and Don Pedro with Margaret is, after all, entirely Borachio's work. In the third act of the play, a third critical moment presents itself in the second scene. Currently, Don John is carrying out his part of the plan created earlier by Borachio. He must convince Don Pedro and Claudio that Hero has been disloyal and that they must follow him to witness his disloyalty that very night. Don John's character in this scene can be determined by how a particular line is performed. When he says, “You think perhaps I don’t love you” (III.ii.78). This line is spoken just before the start of his lie and carries the weight of the performance. A melancholic inflection, a relaxed body position and perhaps placing a hand on his brother's shoulder would support the characterization used. This performance would show Don John's feelings of apprehension about deceiving his brother and Claudio. I see this as his attempt to identify with Don Pedro and inwardly apologize for the wrongdoings he is about to commit for Conrad and Borachio. Throughout this scene, Don John would be portrayed as passive, slow, pensive, and slow to deliver bad news in order to create a saddened character who acts outside of his own interests. Many opposing traits would be applied to create the user's characterization. When he tells the two men that they believe he doesn't love them, a boastful tone, exaggerated body movements, and rapid delivery would together present to the audience a clever villain trying to hide his lies in the guilt of his enemies. The entire scene would play as if Don John was trying to clearly break the bad news to Claudio and Don Pedro in the smoothest and most effective way possible. The phrase about love was designed by Don John simply to grab their attention and entice them to listen fully. A smirk can grace his lips as the three men exit, signifying the user's happiness in the effectiveness of his words. A fourth and final important moment for the portrayal of Don John occurs at the beginning of act four. At this point, Claudio accuses Hero of being immoral and godless. The plan implemented by Borachio and Don John finally comes to fruition..