Much Ado about Nothing and Macbeth

In Shakespeare’s plays, Much Ado About Nothing and Macbeth, the author’s purpose is to show the negative effects of usurping of power and the importance of not killing the king in power. Much Ado About Nothing more effectively achieves the author’s purpose by keeping the audience entertained with a lighthearted comedy, whereas the author’s purpose wasn’t fully understood in the tragedy of Macbeth.

In the tragedy of MacBeth, King Duncan receives the news that Macbeth and Banquo were victorious against two armies from Macdonwald and Norway. After they defeat the two armies, Macbeth and Banquo encounter three witches. The witches predict that Macbeth will become the Thane of Cawdor and King of Scotland. The witches also predict that Banquo will raise Scottish kings, but never become the king himself. Both Macbeth and Banquo are reluctant to believe the witches predictions until Macbeth is named Thane of Cawdor. After Macbeth tells his wife, Lady Macbeth about what the witches told him and Banquo. Lady Macbeth convinces Macbeth to murder Duncan at dinner later that night. In his sleep, after Macbeth killed both Duncan and his chamberlains, Duncan’s two sons flee to escape the person who killed their father. Since the witches told Macbeth and Banquo that Banquo’s sons would become kings,

Macbeth hired someone to kill Banquo’s son. During a feast, Macbeth is visited by Banquo’s ghost. Macbeth alarms the guests at the banquet with his unusual behavior, and goes to see the witches. The witches tell Macbeth to beware of Macduff, who did not agree with Macbeth becoming king. Macbeth has Macduff’s wife and children murdered. Lady Macbeth starts to sleepwalk and see blood on her hands. Later on, Macbeth is told that Lady Macbeth killed herself. In the battle against Macduff, Macbeth is killed and his head is cut off. Duncan’s son then becomes king.

In Much Ado About Nothing, Leonato and his daughter Hero, along with his niece, Beatrice, welcome home soldiers from a war. Hero falls in love with Claudio and they plan to get married. Leonato’s niece, Beatrice is constantly arguing with Benedick, but they are clearly perfect for one another. Hero and her friends make a plan to make Benedick and Beatrice realize that they love each other. Don John makes a plan to trick Claudio and has Borachio meet Margaret in front of hero’s window at night. Claudio is mistaken, and believes he has caught Hero being unfaithful to him. At his wedding, Claudio accuses hero of cheating on him and leaves her at the altar. Hero’s family has her pretend to die of shock and after Borachio and Conrad are arrested when they are heard confessing their crimes. Claudio learns that Hero was innocent and mourns her death. Leonato arranges for Claudio to marry his niece, which is actually Hero. Claudio is overjoyed when he realizes that the woman he was going to marry is actually Hero. Beatrice and Benedick and Claudio and Hero have a double wedding.

The tragic events included in Macbeth take the reader’s attention away from the author’s purpose. These events, such as, the deaths of Duncan and Macbeth make it more difficult for the

reader to understand the author’s purpose. The eerie visit of Banquo’s ghost and the beheading of Macbeth in the end also contribute to the misunderstanding of the author’s purpose. Shakespeare
captures the reader’s attention in the beginning of the play, Much Ado About Nothing, by including the lighthearted scene of the women in the village getting ready to welcome home the men from war. Other comedic details in Much Ado About Nothing, such as the bickering between Benedick and Beatrice help contribute instead of distract from the author’s purpose. Overall, the author’s purpose was more clearly understood in Much Ado About Nothing.

Out of two of Shakespeare’s plays, Much Ado About Nothing and Macbeth, it is easier for the reader to understand the author’s purpose in Much Ado About Nothing. The tragic events in Macbeth make the author’s purpose, to show the importance of not killing the king, unclear. Much Ado About Nothing more effectively achieves the author’s purpose.

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