Dogberry

E259336

Dogberry is the comically inept constable in Shakespeare’s play "Much Ado About Nothing," known for his malapropisms and bumbling approach to law enforcement.

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All labels observed (1)

Label Occurrences
Dogberry canonical 2

Statements (39)

Predicate Object
instanceOf comic character
constable
fictional character
appearsIn Much Ado About Nothing
appearsInAct Act III of Much Ado About Nothing
Act IV of Much Ado About Nothing
Much Ado About Nothing
surface form: Act V of Much Ado About Nothing
associatedTheme appearance versus reality
miscommunication
social class and pretension
associatedWith Watch of Messina
characteristic bumbling
inept
pompous
verbose
well-meaning
commands the town watch
creator William Shakespeare
dramaticFunction exposes villainy unintentionally
parodies law enforcement
provides low comedy
firstPerformanceCentury 16th century
genreOfWorkAppearedIn comedy
groupMembership the constables of Messina
hasDialogueType prose
hasNameEtymology possibly derived from the dogberry tree (a common, lowly plant)
hasSubordinate Verges
influencedConcept comic constable archetype
stage portrayal of incompetent officials
languageFeature malapropism
literaryPeriod English Renaissance drama
surface form: Elizabethan drama
medium stage play
nationalityInFiction Italian
notableFor malapropisms
occupation constable
relatedWork English Renaissance drama
surface form: English Renaissance theatre
roleInWork comic relief
settingOfActivity Messina
workLanguage Early Modern English

Referenced by (2)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.