Dogberry highlights the serious problem of the inability to question authority of wealth and class.
In the previous scene of much ado about nothing, Don John has tricked Claudio into thinking his future wife to be is being unfaithful to him. To try and shame her Don John, Don Pedro and Claudio plan to catch her being unfaithful. If girls were unfaithful they were shamed and disowned by their families.
Whilst talking to his watchmen, Dogberry uses a series of malapropisms. He does this to try and achieve status and power. " first, who think you the right desert less man to be constable?" Instead of using desert less he meant deserving, he uses malapropisms by accident to achieve the status of power by looking more educated then he is.
We know Dogberry isn't well educacatued of how he talks to seacoal about being able to read and write " make no boast of it; and for your reading and writing" he is saying how people for need to over exaggerate their education and how it " come naturally".
This questions authority because Seacoal, who is more educated meaning he has a higher class and status, is a lower portion then Dogberry who has little or no education.
Dogberry also questions wealth by saying " they are to meddle non but the princes subjects" he is saying that if go against the princes name you will be commiting treason by accusing the name of the prince a thief. Treason was a very serious matter in Shakespearean times . In which your life could be in danger if you went against royalty or God.
Much ado about nothing was set at the time the puritans were ruling. The puritans didn't believe in dancing, Christmas or theater and banned them. They believed if you went against God or didn't support the church you were going to hell.
Shakespearean audiences would find Dogberry comedic through his malapropisms. The higher class audiences would find it absurd someone of a lower class trying to achieve status and power. Where as the lower classes would find him comedic because Shakespeare is mocking the upper classes power and authority by the big words they use.
Critic Coleridge, expresses his option that Dogberry has no reason in the play other then to look stupid. However I believe he raises some important issues about class, status and wealth.
