Don John-That BASTARD! Johann Kasper Lavater once said, “The jealous are possessed by a mad devil and dull spirit at the same time.” In Much Ado About Nothing, by William Shakespeare, the portrayal of Don John, the bastard brother of Don Pedro, demonstrates the true meaning of jealousy. According to Webster’s NewWorld Dictionary, jealousy means resentful envy. Don John exhibits envy towards Don Pedro and his property and even towards the happiness Claudio holds. …showed first 75 words of 1065 total…

…showed last 75 words of 1065 total…people know Don John had. In the Kenneth Branaugh version of, Much Ado About Nothing, Branaugh chose to use the actor Keanu Reeves as Don John. This actor played the role well, but people might not picture Keanu Reeves as an evil person. Whereas with the actor Jeremy Irons, everyone pictures the evilness Don John inherently possessed. Jeremy Irons could captivate the audience as a morose, sullen, and ill-conditioned rascal who enjoys others in agony.