Shakespearean Bastards

            In the plays of William Shakespeare, whether a comedy or a tragedy, one character that is often seen is a villain. This villain may come in many forms, but one of the most popular forms is that of the bastard. The character of the bastard is always evil, but Shakespeare also gives us some clue as to why they have grown to be so evil. The character of Don John the bastard in Much Ado About Nothing, and the character of Edmund in King Lear have many of the same qualities. They are both bastards with legitimate brother, and their brothers are in line to inherit their fathers title as well as real assets. They are both scheming villains and their villainy leads them into trouble. They both say they are bastards and act evil because they are expected to. Shakespeare uses them in different ways to create different feelings for them from his audience. It is important to recognize the similarities of these characters in these different genres of plays to show how different each characters story evolves depending on the seriousness of the play. Don Johns schemes and crimes, as well as his punishments, are much lighter than those of Edmunds, because Don John is the villain in a comedy, and does not mean to cause great harm.
             In the play Much Ado About Nothing, Don John is the bastard brother on Don Pedro, the Prince of Aragon. He, like many other bastards in the theater world during the Elizabethan Era, was assumed evil from the moment he enters the scene. The only words spoken to him by Leonato bring to mind a past indiscretion that caused a rift between Don John and the prince, being reconciled to the Prince your brother. I owe you all duty (1.1.140-150). Leonato lets him know that he is only welcome because the prince is allowing him to be part of his company when he says these words. Bastards are often treated badly in Shakespeares plays, but Don John is treated well when compared to the treatment received by Edmund.