"Though those who are betrayed keenly feel the betrayal, yet the traitor is in the worst of misfortunes" (Cymbeline, III.iv). Shakespeare's carefully crafted world of deceit and deceit within Much Ado About Nothing thrives on deceptive characters, both malicious and virtuous, whose manipulation of information gives them control and power they would not otherwise enjoy. While hidden identities and meanings are achieved through deception by nearly all of the main characters, the motivations behind these deceptions vary from Claudio's pursuit of love to Don John's evil plot to gain a fortune. Benedick and Beatrice's deceptive courtship based on false statements, Claudio and Hero's engagement initially based on a lie, and Don Pedro's plot to prevent said marriage through deception allow Shakespeare to demonstrate the role of deception in world of play and to comment on theater in general. We say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay Benedetto and Beatrice hide their true feelings for each other by hiding behind masks of witty quips and biting insults. Even when Benedick is not nearby, Beatrice takes refuge in her criticism of him, remarking to a messenger that Benedick "will cling to [Claudio] like a disease" costing him "a thousand pounds before he is cured" (Ii). This verbal bombardment is described by Leonato as "a kind of cheerful war between her and Signor Benedetto", introducing the reader to the idea that perhaps the biting insults hurled between the two are indicative of something else (Ii). The first exchange that occurs between Beatrice and Benedick occurs when Benedick believes that the mask he wears hides his identity. Beatrice, who is aware of his identity despite his deception, attacks the unsuspecting Benedick with a barrage of vicious accusations, claiming that "he is a prince's jester" and "a very narrow-minded fool" (II.i). Because both characters find comfort in their own deception, it is impossible for either to consider the hidden meaning of their verbal té-ê -tés. Ironically, it is only through the masterful intrigues and deceptions of Claudio, Hero, and their accomplices that Benedick and Beatrice become aware of their true feelings for each other. Shakespeare's dual and contrasting use of deception, both to keep Benedick and Beatrice apart and to bring him together, creates subtle complexities that give the world of the play a decidedly richer feel. More generally, however, Shakespeare uses these same motifs to comment on the contradictions of theater in general. Benedick and Beatrice's courtship, thwarted and enabled by concealment, is, therefore, a parallel to theater in general. The fates of Claudio and Hero strangely mirror those of Benedick and Beatrice. Although Claudio does not hide behind a mask of insults and slander, he instead settles for a literal mask in the form of Don Pedro. After mischievous plots, Don Pedro devises a plan to appear "in disguise" and "take the audience prisoner by force and the strong encounter of my love story" (Ii). Claudio's inability to woo in his own name means that he must turn to Don Pedro to aid him in his deception. While Don Pedro's seductive charm and grace, which leads him to command Hero "Speak softly, if you speak love" wins his heart for Claudio, this glorious feat is accomplished through presumably unnecessary deception (II.i). Claudio, posing as Benedick, is mistakenly informed through Don John and Borachio that Don Pedro has courted Hero for his own purposes, pushing him.