Deception When is deception ever justifiable? Some would say that it never is. However, in Shakespeare’s play Much Ado About Nothing, deception is utilized for a good purpose by Don Pedro, a lead character. Throughout the entirety of the play, deception is a main theme. It is used by multiple protagonists and antagonists, each with their own purpose. But what sets the good deception apart from the bad? Is there really a difference? The answer is yes, and Don Pedro’s use of deception is completely justifiable, for three reasons. It is justified because he used it to help his friends, by his social status, and because it was ultimately for a good reason. Firstly, Don Pedro’s deception was justified because he was helping his friends out. In the book, Claudio asks a favor from Don Pedro. Claudio was madly in love with a beautiful girl, Hero. Don Pedro, being a good friend, naturally wanted to help out. He said, “My love is thine to teach,” meaning “I am at your service.” (Shakespeare 24). He decides to pretend to be Claudio and woo Hero for him, …show more content…
First, he sparked true love between two people who hated each other, and mended their broken relationship. This is a good a purpose as any, and even satisfies Biblical commandments. He was mending sin that he saw, and ultimately, his deceit was for a good cause. Compared to his brother, Don John, his deceit was definitely for a good cause. His brother used deceit to tear others apart, while Don Pedro used it to bring others together. So, compared to his brother, Don Pedro clearly used deceit for a good purpose. His ultimate end we was trying to reach was giving joy to his friends. This exemplifies 1st Thessalonians 5:11, “Encourage one another, and build each other up” (BibleHub) and not tear others down. No one was hurt by Don Pedro’s deceit, justifying it. Unlike his brother, Don Pedro’s deceit was acceptable because the ends justified the