The world presented in Much Ado About Nothing is populated mainly by noble characters: the Prince of Aragon, Lord Claudio, Lord Benedick, the governor of Messina and her daughter and her niece. These characters embody the courtly ideas of social grace and wit, qualities that motivate the comic nature of the play. The Bedford Companion to Shakespeare, by Russ MacDonald, notes other qualities that drive comedy, stating: "The characters act on their intuition that the world is good, that life is worth living, that conflict will find ultimately a positive resolution. (153) Don John, lacking grace and wit, is the antithesis of these ideas, seeing the world as horrible, life as depressing, and hoping he can create conflict to ensure a negative resolution, although he is the catalyst that creates the necessary chaos from which. harmony eventually arises, its nature so malevolent that it threatens to transcend this catalytic role and completely destroy the comedy of the play. Say No to Plagiarism Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get. original essayDon John makes his first appearance as his group of men, recent victors in the war, have just made their celebratory arrival at Leonato's residence. He wastes no time in darkening the bright and cheerful atmosphere of the room. After the exchange of humorous banter between Leonato and Don Pedro and the witty banter between Benedick and Beatrice, his first words are an emotionless, no-nonsense response to Leonato's generosity: "Thank you, I am not many words, but thank you." (1.1.157-58) This sudden change of mood interrupts the pleasant momentum of the conversation, leading to the departure of all except Benedick and Claudio. This cold nature, completely at odds with the courteous behavior of the other main characters, is easily noticed. With a humor that cannot mask her dislike for Don John's personality, Beatrice comments: "I can never see him but my heart burns an hour later." (2.1.3-4) His temperament is one of the only things Don John is truthful about. Speaking of his brother Don Pedro, on whom he depends, he fumes: "I would rather be a canker in a hedge than a rose in his grace, and it is better in my blood to be disdained by everything than to fashion a car . to steal love from anyone: in this, although I cannot be considered an honest flattering man, it must not be denied, but I am an honest villain, I am given a muzzle and I I am entitled to a shoe; I decreed not to sing in my cage. If I had my mouth, I would bite; if I had my freedom, I would do what I want: in the meantime, let me be what I am and do not try to alter me. (1.3.27-37)Don John refuses to conform to social customs, the same customs that will forever prevent him from becoming a fully respected member of society due to his birth as a bastard. Therefore, he rejects his friend Conrade's suggestion to try to act more cheerfully around Don Pedro to maintain his brother's favor. Rather than pretending to be someone he's not in order to receive love, he instead chooses to act natural and be hated by everyone. He makes this choice knowing how detestable he is, comparing his existence to that of a dog who is so mistrusted and who is so restricted that he is muzzled and chained to a "hoof" or a heavy block. As long as his life is like this, he won't put on a show for others or, as he puts it, "sing in my cage." Don John's behavior at the beginning of the play, although detrimental to the cheerfulness of the.