How does listening in on others conversations cause problems for characters in Much Ado about Nothing?

Answer 1

Not all of the evesdropping causes problems. If Beatrice and Benedick hadn't been evesdropping they would not have heard (as Don Pedro and the others intended) that they really loved each other and would have been kept apart by their stubborn pride. Eavesdropping was a good thing here.

It also was a good thing that the Watchmen overheard Borachio bragging about how he had fooled Claudio, otherwise the truth would never have come out and Claudio and Hero could not have been reconciled.

On the other hand, when Don John gets Claudio and Don Pedro to eavesdrop on the supposed scene of passion between Borachio and Hero, it causes problems big time, as Claudio and Don Pedro treat Hero cruelly at the wedding because of it.

Answer 2

Usually the conversations they are listening to are fake conversations put on just to fool them. Sometimes this causes problems, as when it makes Claudio and Don Pedro falsely believe Hero to be unfaithful, but sometimes it solves problems, as when Beatrice and Benedick are persuaded to admit they love each other.

Answer 3

Eavesdropping is everyone's favourite pastime in this play. Benedick overhears Don Pedro saying how much Beatrice loves him; Beatrice overhears Hero and Ursula saying how much Benedick loves her. Don John, Don Pedro and Claudio think they overhear Hero and some man making love; the members of the watch overhear Borachio saying that it was really him and the woman was Margaret not Hero.

Answer 4

sometimes they are tricked and recieve wrong information #