Much Ado About "Something"
             The main themes of the play grow out of the "game of love" – the nature of attraction between man and woman, the role of marriage in society, gender roles, romance, and standards of sexual mores. A related theme, the nature of truth and reality versus appearance, explores how one lover constantly tries to determine the other lover's faithfulness through outward signs and actions.
             Plot development and comedy in Much Ado rely heavily on the use of that certain "something", and that something is love. The play appears to have a simple plot; the romantic couple, Claudio and Hero, are denied marital joy by the evil Don John while the sub-plot, Beatrice and Benedick resisted but growing love, provides us with some humor until order and happiness are re-established in Messina. However, Shakespeare cleverly employs the many forms of noting (observation, misunderstanding, misreporting) to move the dramatic action forward. The main plot and the sub-plots are laced together with this device and, to emphasize the importance of love, the audience is denied viewing the vital episode where Claudio and Don Pedro witness what they think is Hero's affair. We observe the Watch eavesdropping on Borachio recounting the event to Conrade. This eavesdropping reminds us of the orchard scenes where Beatrice and Benedick are tricked into loving each other. They both come closer to a position of self-knowledge and this enables the merry war of Beatrice and Benedick to move a step further to its conclusion.
             There are two sets of brothers, Don Pedro-Don John and Leonato-Antonio potentially allowing Shakespeare to contrast them. This also could allow for parallel action: what happens between one pair of brothers may mirror what is happening between the other pair. There also are two women of aristocratic family and two young lords. The relationship of one set can be compared to that of the second set. ...