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Don Pedro

DON PEDRO: If we can do this, Cupid is no longer an archer; his glory shall be ours, for we are the only love-gods.

Don Pedro’s plan

Don Pedro’s plan

  • Don Pedro’s use of the conditional tense (“if”) suggests that he knows that it will be no easy task to make Benedick and Beatrice fall in love.
  • He talks of Cupid’s “glory”, implying he takes a great deal of pride and honour in successfully matching couples.
Hamartia

Hamartia

  • His self-comparison to Cupid could be viewed as arrogant, especially by a more modern audience.
  • Again, structurally this hint at Don Pedro’s over-confidence relates to the concept of fatal flaws (hamartia) in a classical tragedy.
Act 5, Scene 1

Act 5, Scene 1

  • It also prepares the audience for his disrespectful attitude towards Leonato and Antonio in Act 5, Scene 1.
Jump to other topics
1

Key Terminology

2

Structure & Form

3

Act 1: Plot Summary

4

Act 2: Plot Summary

5

Act 3: Plot Summary

5.1

Act 3, Scene 1

5.2

Act 3, Scene 2

5.3

Act 3, Scene 3

5.4

Act 3, Scene 4

5.5

Act 3, Scene 5

6

Act 4: Plot Summary

7

Act 5: Plot Summary

7.1

Act 5, Scene 1

7.2

Act 5, Scene 2

7.3

Act 5, Scene 3

7.4

Act 5, Scene 4

8

Key Themes

9

Recap: Main Quotes

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