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Safia Hassan

Ms. Martinez

10th Grade English

April 24, 2017

Mid-Unit: Much Ado About Nothing

Gossip is part of everyday life. As humans we either start gossip, or spread it, and

can’t believing its true. When people think of the effects gossip can have on a relationship they

usually think about something negative. The three effects of gossip in a relationship are:

destroying a relationship, creating a relationship, or making a relationship grow.

One thing I believe gossip does to a relationship is destroy it. In the play “Much Ado

About Nothing” Hero and Claudio’s relationship is ruined because of the gossip Don John spread

about Hero being unfaithful. Claudio didn’t have to believe the false news but he did, so did Don

Pedro and because of that he ruined his relationship with Hero and ruined her reputation, after

what Claudio did at the wedding I don’t think Hero should have taken him back. Although

gossip destroys relationship, it can be a good thing, because it helps you get rid of the fake

people in your life. When I was in 4th grade, my cousin told me that a girl that I thought was my

friend was saying some bad stuff about me. At first I didn’t believe it, until I heard it for myself,

after that I kicked her out my life and we don’t talk anymore. I’m glad she’s out my life, but

sometimes I miss her company.

Another thing gossip does is create relationships. In “Much Ado About Nothing” Beatrice

and Benedick’s relationship started because of the rumor Hero, Claudio, Leonato, and Don Pedro

spread saying that Benedick loved Beatrice and vice versa. I don’t think Benedick and Beatrice’s

relationship would have begun if Hero and the rest didn’t get involved. They would have
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probably hated each other. Gossip also created a friendship between the Friar and Leonato, when

Claudio made the whole scene at the wedding, they got closer by plotting on how to restore

Hero’s honor back. Gossip has never created a relationship in my life but I’ve seen people get to

know each other because of the crazy school rumors that go around.

Gossip also helps a relationship grow. Besides the rumor about them secretly loving each

other, Beatrice and Benedick’s relationship grew because of the false allegations Don John

spread, it helped them notice how much they actually love each other, and the risks they would

take for each other. For example, Benedick was willing to kill Claudio, his best friend, because it

would make Beatrice happy. This could happen in real life, for example me and my best friend

became best friends because we would always talk about the rumors that we hear, and because of

that we became closer friends.

Gossip is a big factor in relationship. I don’t think the relationships in this play would

have happened if it wasn’t for gossip. Most often people think all gossip does is destroy a healthy

relationship, but gossip does more than that. Gossip can ruin a relationship, start a relationship,

or bring people closer together. It’s a good thing we have gossip in our lives, or our lives would

be boring, or we would have people in our lives that don’t really care about us, or we wouldn’t

know if someone likes us. We wouldn’t get to know each other. Gossip is a good thing in our

lives and in this play.