Betrayal is a theme introduced at the very beginning of the play how does the constant stream of betrayal affect the outcome of the plot and which character is most affected.

Betrayal or backstabbing is the breaking or violation of a presumptive contract, trust or confidence that produces moral and psychological conflict within a relationship amongst individuals, between organizations or between individuals and organizations. The theme betrayal is referred to at the beginning of the play and prolong throughout the play in various ways. Betrayal affects many individuals in the play “Much ado about nothing” such as Don Pedro and Don John.

In “Much Ado about Nothing”, by William Shakespeare, the betrayal of Don John, the Bastard, brother of Don Pedro, demonstrates the true meaning of jealously According to Webster’s New World Dictionary, jealously means resentful envy. Don John exhibits envy towards Don Pedro and his property and even towards the happiness Claudio has with Hero. Don John’s jealously leads to the deceitful acts around which the play circles around. Don John’s hideous acts deceive Claudio into believing that his fiancée, Hero, acted unfaithfully on the eve of their marriage. This act and following events showed how Don John takes pleasure in others pain, and pain in others pleasure. Shakespeare emphasizes the point that the causing of mischief comes naturally to those who have as much envy and jealously as Don John.

Shakespeare’s Much Ado about Nothing is a play based around the theme of deliberate deception. Sometimes this deception is malevolent and sometimes benevolent but the entire play hinges upon these deceptions and how they affect the characters. Don John uses malevolent deception to try to ruin the marriage of Hero and Claudio. Don Pedro, Leonato, Claudio, Hero and Ursula use benevolent deception to try to bring Benedick and Beatrice together in marriage. Beatrice and Benedick even try to deceive each other by hiding their true feelings. Deception happens over and over again in Much Ado about Nothing. Beatrice and Benedick hurl insults back and forth while, though maybe not consciously, they hide feelings of love for one another. At the party all the men are wearing masks a form of deception of identity. Benedick uses this deception to try to talk to Beatrice “honestly,” without all of the insults and wit. Don Pedro woos Hero in the name of Claudio at the party. While this wooing is going on, Don John deceives Claudio by telling him that Don Pedro is really wooing Hero for himself and not for Claudio as he promised.

In conclusion betrayal plays an important role in the play “Much Ado about Nothing” it is basically responsible for every plot and the way in which each turn of events occurred. For example the character Hero who is supposedly “dead” is really alive therefore Claudio was betrayed because he embarrassed Hero and her “death” was a form of punishment for him. This caused Claudio to restore trust once more for Hero in order to allow her name to be cleared.