The Tale of Two Dogberrys: The Exploration of Masculinity in the Two Film Adaptations of “Much Ado About Nothing” Anonymous 11th Grade

“Much Ado About Nothing” by William Shakespeare brings to life the story of how Count Claudio and fair Hero prepare for their wedding and how Hero’s father, Leonato, and Claudio’s mentor, Don Pedro, choose to pass the time by deceiving Beatrice and Benedick, sworn enemies, to fall in love with each other. During the preparations and deceptions, malevolent Don John tries to ruin the wedding of his brother Claudio and tarnish Hero’s reputation by sparking a deception of his own; however, at the end of the play resolution is found, the two couples marry, and Don John is punished for his misdeeds. Although Shakespeare's play was written in 1599, filmmakers Kenneth Branagh and Joss Whedon adapted the films for modern consumption and put a contemporary perspective on many of the original manuscript’s themes, such as masculinity. The theme of masculinity is especially apparent in Act 3 Scene 3 as the head of the night watch, Dogberry, and his assistant, Verges, organize and instruct the watchmen on their task of guarding Leonato’s house the night before the wedding of his daughter. The stereotypical notion of masculinity present in both films portray men as always in control, dominating, physically and mentally confident, and...