Much Ado About Nothing

by Shakespeare, William; Mowat, Dr. Barbara A.; Werstine, Paul

• ISBN13: 9781501146305
• ISBN10: 1501146300
• Edition: Revised
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2018-11-27
• Publisher: SIMON & SCHUSTER

Summary

The authoritative edition of Much Ado About Nothing from the Folger Shakespeare Library—the most trusted Shakespeare series for students, educators, and general readers—offers a complete, accessible resource for exploring one of William Shakespeare’s best-known romantic comedies.

A favorite on stage and in classrooms, Much Ado About Nothing presents two contrasting love stories: the impulsive romance between Hero and Claudio, threatened by deception from the scheming Don John, and the witty, slow-burn relationship between Beatrice and Benedick, whose verbal sparring conceals deep affection. Set in Elizabethan England, this richly layered comedy combines mistaken identity, honor, betrayal, and emotional redemption.

This Folger Shakespeare Library edition features the highly praised side-by-side format with explanatory notes and language guides—ideal for students and anyone new to Shakespeare’s plays. Edited from the best early printed text, this edition includes:
· The exact text of the printed play for easy reference
· Hundreds of hyperlinked notes for fast navigation
· A modern introduction to reading Shakespeare’s language
· Scene-by-scene plot summaries and analysis
· A guide to Shakespeare’s most famous lines and phrases
· A new essay by Gail Kern Paster, offering a contemporary perspective on the play
· Rare archival images from the Folger Shakespeare Library’s world-renowned collection
· An annotated guide for further reading and research

The Folger Shakespeare Library, located in Washington, DC, is home to the largest collection of Shakespeare materials and serves as a hub for scholars and fans alike. With public exhibitions, performances, and educational programs, the Folger is an unparalleled resource for appreciating Shakespearean drama in the modern age.

Author Biography

William Shakespeare was born in April 1564 in the town of Stratford-upon-Avon, on England’s Avon River. When he was eighteen, he married Anne Hathaway. The couple had three children—an older daughter Susanna and twins, Judith and Hamnet. Hamnet, Shakespeare’s only son, died in childhood. The bulk of Shakespeare’s working life was spent in the theater world of London, where he established himself professionally by the early 1590s. He enjoyed success not only as a playwright and poet, but also as an actor and shareholder in an acting company. Although some think that sometime between 1610 and 1613 Shakespeare retired from the theater and returned home to Stratford, where he died in 1616, others believe that he may have continued to work in London until close to his death.

Barbara A. Mowat is Director of Research emerita at the Folger Shakespeare Library, Consulting Editor of Shakespeare Quarterly, and author of The Dramaturgy of Shakespeare’s Romances and of essays on Shakespeare’s plays and their editing.

Paul Werstine is Professor of English at the Graduate School and at King’s University College at Western University. He is a general editor of the New Variorum Shakespeare and author of Early Modern Playhouse Manuscripts and the Editing of Shakespeare and of many papers and articles on the printing and editing of Shakespeare’s plays.