MAAN & Stereotypes

When it comes to stereotypes in Shakespeare's play Much Ado About Nothing it seems to me that a lesson is being taught about misjudging others, yet in a comedic way. Shakespeare wants the reader to disgard their immediate thoughts of class types and gender. Dogberry is the first to discover the truth about Borrachio and Margret, and being a good person he reports his findings to Leonato. However Dogberry's status and overall idiodic demenour detures Leonato from listening to what Dogberry has to say. If Leonato didn't take Dogberry's class into consideration, Leonato might have been able to help Hero much sooner. Another instance where stereotypes come into play is in the case of Beatrice. Beatrice is an incredibly witty woman who doesn't want to be married, but every woman should be married so she's too proud. Shakespeare makes this comedic by adding Benedick as Beatrice's "lover". Benedick has the same wit about him and is made fun of being girly while in love with Beatrice. Although trying to teach the reader a lesson about not judging others Shakespeare keeps up the comedic tone quite nicely.