Lying can be good or bad, although it commonly seems to end up with negative results. I think that lying for the sake of wrong-doing is bad (such as lying to your parents that your little brother broke the vase, when it was really you), while lying to protect someone or just for good intentions can be good (such as lying to a friend and telling her that her crush really likes her so that she'll pluck up the courage to ask him out). In Much Ado About Nothing, lying proves to be both good and bad.
Don John lies frequently for the sake of evil. For example, when he lies to Claudio and Don Pedro about Hero's virginity and plays a trick on them to make them believe that she is no longer a maid. He told them, "I came hither to tell you, and, circumstances shortened (for she has been too long a-talking of), the lady is disloyal" (III.2.91-93). That was obviously a lie, because we know it was Margaret and not Hero that Claudio and Don Pedro saw in the window. And in this case, lying proved to be a very bad thing, because it resulted in Claudio dumping Hero in a very traumatic way. He tells the public, "She is none [a maid]:/ She knows the heat of a luxurious bed;/Her blush is guiltiness, not modesty" (IV.1.37-39). Because of Don John's lie, Claudio and Hero's marriage was ruined, which proves that lying can be very harmful.
Lying can also have benefits. In MAAN, Claudio, Don Pedro, and Leonato lie about Beatrice's feelings for Benedick while Benedick is listening. They say that she is madly in love with him, when in reality she has no such feelings. However, Benedick believes the lie, and realizes that he himself is in love with Beatrice, thinking, "Love me? Why, it must be requited!" (II.3.186) Similarly, Hero and Ursula lie about Benedick's feelings towards Beatrice. This forces Beatrice to realize her own feelings for Benedick. She says, "
And Benedick, love on; I will requite thee, /Taming my wild heart to thy loving hand" (III.1.117-118). This allows Beatrice and Benedick to open up to each other, and so they can have a happy relationship. So in this case, lying is a good thing. It was for good intentions, and ended in positive results.
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6 comments:
allo anna!
i agree that lying to get someone in trouble is bad, and that some lies can have good outcomes, but i don't think that lying can ever be the only "good" thing to do. Yes, it did bring Beatrice and Benedick together, but if they really did love eachother, they probably would have found out sooner or later anyways, so the lie wasn't quite needed there. But overall, i agree with your post :D your example in the first paragraph was quite interesting...haha, ok
happy break!
~ashley
Hey Anna! Nice post! I liked your examples in the first paragraph..very true. Lying can be a bad thing, and I used Don John as an example for that as well. He only lies to take advantage of others and make them unhappy so he can benefit. Clearly unjustified. I agree with the third paragraph as well on Beatrice and Benedick's love. I think that the lie in that case was good as well. However, what Ashley said makes a lot of sense. I never thought of it like that but that is true! Anyway, good post, nice examples.
Wow. I basically agree with everything. Nice. I like how you said that through the lie, Benedick and Beatrice REALIZE their love for eachother, instead of it being made through the lie. That pretty much sums up my post word for word. And so, I say to you, WELL DONE!
I completely agree with you that lying can be good or bad. I also like your examples but i think you could express them better. for example when you say "That was obviously a lie, because we know it was Margaret and not Hero that Claudio and Don Pedro saw in the window." It might be better to say that was obviously a lie because earlier in the play we are informed that Borachio would get Margaret to show up on the balcony in Hero's clothing so that Claudio and the Prince would think that it was Hero. Another thing that i think you could change is say that Claudio abandoning Hero at the Alter in stead of "Claudio dumping Hero..."
I completely agree with you that lying can be good or bad. I also like your examples but i think you could express them better. for example when you say "That was obviously a lie, because we know it was Margaret and not Hero that Claudio and Don Pedro saw in the window." It might be better to say that was obviously a lie because earlier in the play we are informed that Borachio would get Margaret to show up on the balcony in Hero's clothing so that Claudio and the Prince would think that it was Hero. Another thing that i think you could change is say that Claudio abandoning Hero at the Alter in stead of "Claudio dumping Hero..."
I agree in some ways, but i also disagree in some ways. It's true they had good intentions when eveyone worked together to trick and lie about Benedict and Beatrice being in love. They lied to get these two to fall in love. If you think about it, it doesn't sound too ethical. it's like they're trickin the two into love and that is not true love, but that is fake love. But you did a good job attacking this question Anna
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