Noticing the Deviance from the General Characters in Much Ado Most of the characters in Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing have clear goals and motivations. Beatrice and Benedick, who are influenced by their stubbornness, try to go against what others think or want for them, trying to control their own lives, and Claudio controlled by impulsiveness, who does not think about his actions before engaging in them . These are some examples of character motivations. However, there are also characters in the work who are considerably more difficult to understand. At first glance they might seem like standard characters. Don John, the evil villain, who wants nothing more than to wreak havoc and cause terror in all good people. And Leonato, the father, who loves his daughter deeply and would do anything to protect her reputation. While these typical traits may distinguish the characters to some extent, there is much more beneath the surface, in the thoughts and actions of Don John and Leonato. Don John, the prince's illegitimate brother, is a character who at first glance seems like a stock character, with little to no depth. However, if you look closely, you can see that Don John is deeper than initially noticed. Don John is the antagonist of the story, who constantly tries to thwart the prince's plans. The best information about Don John and his backstory can be found in Act 1 Scene 3, where Conrade and Don John discuss why Don John is feeling down. Conrade states that just recently Don John had rebelled against the prince and that only recently had the prince accepted him again (Shakespeare 1.3.18-24). Don Giovanni states that he has a fatal illness (28) and that “I cannot hide / what I am” (1.3.12-13). This implies that Don Joh... in the center of the paper... delves into the story. You can better perceive each of the character's motivations and what causes certain actions. By understanding the governmental and social pressures on Leonato, the reasons for his outburst at marriage can be discerned. By understanding the circumstances that led to Don John's birth, one can understand why Don John believes he is an outspoken villain and why he is currently in the position he is in. Knowing more about these characters is vital to a more enlightened reading of Shakespeare's play, Much Ado About Nothing. Works Cited Shakespeare, William, Barbara A. Mowat, and Paul Werstine. Much ado about nothing. New York: Washington Square, 1995. Print.Straznicky, Marta. “Shakespeare and the Government of Comedy: Much Ado About Nothing.” Shakespeare Studies22.(1994): 141. MasterFILE Premier. Network. May 10 2014.