Don Pedro
English Lit: AQA GCSE Much Ado About Nothing, topic 9.1.16
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.
Key line
- 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 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
- 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
- It also prepares the audience for his disrespectful attitude towards Leonato and Antonio in Act 5, Scene 1.
Don Pedro
Don Pedro feels that his involvement in this arrangement has harmed his reputation.
Key line
- DON PEDRO: I stand dishonour’d that have gone to link my dear friend to a common stale
Male reputation
- The importance of male reputation is illustrated here through the anger Don Pedro feels towards Hero.
- He feels that in making such an ill suited match, that his own honour has been compromised.
Leonato reaction
- Don Pedro’s attitude, as well as his superior social standing to Leonato, may account for the treatment Hero receives from her father once Claudio, Don Pedro and Don John exit the scene.
Misogyny
- The juxtaposition of the noun phrases “dear friend” and “common stale” illustrate both the inherent misogyny in Messinian society within the play and the different standings of men and women with a patriarchal society.
Hypocrisy
- In Act 1, Scene 1, Benedick can proudly boast he is “loved of all ladies”, and he and Leonato can make light of the question of Hero’s parentage whereas a promiscuous female is labelled a “common stale” or prostitute.
- Perhaps Shakespeare’s intention was to illustrate the hypocrisy in such attitudes.
Test yourself on Don Pedro
What does Don Pedro call Hero in Act 4, Scene 1?