Dogberry, the Constable and the Watchmen

            In Act 3, Scene 3, in Shakespeare’s play, Much Ado about Nothing, the character Dogberry, the Constable is introduced along with the watchmen. The watchmen served the city of Messina in the play as kind of a police force with Dogberry acting as if he is kind of the chief of police. In this scene Dogberry is trying to select one of the men that are a part of the watch to be in charge of the other watchmen and to keep guard that night. One of the men suggested to Dogberry that he should choose one of the two men, who can read and write. Dogberry takes the man suggestion and chooses one of the men, who can read and write but he stated, “Well, for your favor, sir, why, give God thanks, and make no boast of it; and for your writing and reading, let that appear when there is no need of such vanity. You are thought here to be the most senseless and fit man for the constable of the watch; therefore bear you the lantern.” Dogberry considers it vain the fact that the man can read and write because it is apparent there are only two men, who are a part of the watchmen, who can read and write. If there are only two men, who can read and write then it is revealed that the most of the men in the watchmen are not the smartest men because they can’t read and write. The play kind of paints the image of the watchmen in a bad light because they are not the smartest group of men but they are in charge of keeping the peace and order in Messina.

            There is more revealed about the watchmen when Dogberry is advising them on their duties in Act 3, Scene 3. He advised that they are to order any men to stop in the name of the prince that are “vagrom men.” One of the watchmen asked Dogberry what if the man doesn’t stop in the name of the prince then Dogberry advised him to do nothing to the man because if he doesn’t stop in the prince’s name then he is not one of the subjects of the prince’s and the watchmen are to deal with only the prince’s subjects. Dogberry also advised the watchmen to go to the “ale-houses, and bid those that are drunk get them to bed,” and if they do not go he advised the watchmen to leave them alone until they are sober. Dogberry as the head of the watchmen is not giving the other men very good advice. He basically advised them to do nothing. The watchmen in the play appeared as unintelligent group of men, who just so happen to hear the conversation between Borachio and Conrade, where Borachio revealed his plans of how he deceived Claudio and Don Pedro.

Oliver & Orlando

            In Act I, Scene I, Oliver, the eldest son of Sir Rowland de Boys is having a conversation with Charles, the wrestler from the from Duke Frederick’s court. Charles has basically come to warn Oliver to try to convince Orlando not to wrestle him because he will get hurt. Charles warns Oliver out of love for him but Oliver isn’t concerned about Orlando’s well-being. Oliver basically drags his brother name through the dirt. He stated, “It is the stubbornest young fellow of France, full of ambition, an envious emulator of every man’s good parts, a secret and villainous contriver against me his natural brother.”      

 I think maybe Oliver said such bad things about Orlando because he feels threaten by his younger brother.  Oliver in the beginning of the play comes off as selfish because he has denied Orlando of a proper upbringing. Orlando stated, “You have trained me like a pleasant, obscuring and hiding from me all gentlemanlike qualities.”  After Oliver threatens Orlando, Orlando overpowers him grabbing him by the throat and confronts him about the way he has been treated. Oliver maybe fears that just like Duke Frederick, the younger brother of Duke Senior banished his brother then maybe one day Orlando will overpower him and take control of their father’s fortune. Oliver tried to convince Charles that he should do what he must with Orlando during the wrestling match because he is not a good guy.

 Oliver basically lies about Orlando because it is truly Orlando who has been wrong because Oliver has not provided him with the things that he was instructed to provide in their father’s will. Oliver has this unexplained hatred for Orlando and he makes it clear that he wants to see him hurt. He stated, “I hope I shall see an end of him, for my soul—yet I know not why—hates nothing more than he. Oliver appeared to be jealous of Orlando which is probably the reason he has denied Orlando of what was promised to him by their father. Oliver explained in Act I, Scene II, “he’s gentle, never schooled and yet learned, full of noble device, of all sorts enchantingly beloved, and indeed so much in the heart of the world, and especially of my own people, who best know him, that I am altogether misprized.” 

In this scene Oliver reveals some of his own insecurities about himself in comparison to his brother, Orlando. He acknowledged that Orlando even though he has denied him of a proper upbringing, has turned out to be a pretty well-rounded guy.  Orlando is still smart though he hasn’t been to school; he is noble, and loved by people who Oliver described as despising him. Oliver saw the chance to get rid of Orlando with the wrestling match against Charles and he took advantage of it. He convinced Charles it was Orlando, who is against him and Charles stated, “I’ll give him his payment.” Oliver is convinced his problems are over with Orlando after the wrestling match. He stated, “But it shall not be so long; this wrestler shall clear all.”

Romeo and Juliet's Suicide

            In William Shakespeare’s play, Romeo and Juliet there is one thing I never can really fully understand about the play and also the one thing I never really liked in particular was Romeo and Juliet’s choice to use suicide as a means to an end. I understand that the play is a tragedy about young lovers and the idea that most people received from the play, is a person would rather die than go through life without someone that they love. I don’t like the idea that they were so quick to choose suicide to escape their problems. It seemed as if whenever times got too tough, they wanted to end their life. In Act 3, Scene 3, after Romeo finds out from Friar Lawrence of the news he is banished by the Prince, for killing Tybalt and the Nurse enters telling Romeo that Juliet is stricken with grief over the death of Tybalt, Romeo makes an attempt to kill himself but Friar Lawrence stops him before he succeeds.

In Act IV, Scene I, Juliet visits Friar Lawrence after the argument with her father about her marrying Paris and she stated, “Be not so long to speak; I long to die.” In this particular scene in the play, Juliet also seems to be running out options so she appears to be leaning towards her quickest way out which is death. I can understand why death seemed to be the inevitable for both Romeo and Juliet because Romeo’s character always appealed to me as somewhat as a loner which is true once he becomes banished and Juliet after the fight with her father, is left with either marrying Paris or being throw out onto the streets.

I agree with the idea that the tragedy of Romeo and Juliet somewhat romanticizes suicide because they are two young people, who appear to only have each other but they can never truly be together because of tragic circumstances. The tragic circumstances ultimately lead to Romeo and Juliet’s suicides. I was first introduced to this play when I was about ten years old and at the time, I thought how crazy can two people be to want to die because they think they can’t be together. As a kid, I never really grasp the concept of suicide in Romeo and Juliet. It seemed totally idiotic that someone would want to die for love instead of fighting for it. Now that I am older and I have learned more on Shakespeare and Romeo and Juliet, I know that the play wouldn’t be a tragedy if Romeo and Juliet didn’t die by the end. I also believe that as a play, it is much more entertaining for Romeo and Juliet to die for the sake of their love. It is much more heartbreaking because they are young lovers. Although, I still believe suicide was not their only option and the play still could have been as tragic if they both had died by some other mean.