Entertainment > Reading >

(on Wikipedia)

An man works to undermine his brother's happiness by meddling with his son's marriage. Also two smart people dual with words.

A pretty good book, though my reading of the Signet Classic was seriously interrupted by footnotes. Not because of the shifting up/down to read them, but because the footnotes are crammed all together. Given that this book is 1/4 commentary, axing one for clearer footnotes would have been amazing. Maybe another edition will be better. I intend to collect many of this particular play.

• I highly recommend Much Ado About Nothing - (1993 movie), even for those who have no interest in this book.

(another edition is coming later) ∞

1989 - Signet Classic (0-451-52298-2) ∞

• Published 1964-04-01
• ISBN-10 0-451-52298-2
• ISBN-13 978-0451522986

• Library of Congress Catalog Card Number 88-62428

It opens with Shakespeare: Prefactory Remarks (vii) and then Introduction (xxi), both of which I skipped.

On p.132 is when it admits its sources and changes:

The present text of Much Ado About Nothing is based upon the Quarto edition of the play, published in 1600. The folio text of 1623 is a slightly edited version of this Quarto.

On p.135 it begins commentaries, making 1/4 of this book commentary. Fucking hell, that's a lot of fluff.

Commentaries ∞

These were not read.

TODO - to read, I guess.

p.135 - Charles Gildon: The Argument of Much Ado About Nothing ∞

(Charles Gildon)

p.138 - Lewis Carroll: A Letter to Ellen Terry ∞

(Lewis Carroll)

I believe this is an excerpt from The Life and Letters of Lewis Carroll (Rev. C. L. Dodgson) by Collingwood. (read online at Project Gutenberg)

p.140 - George Bernard Shaw: Shakespeare's Merry Gentlemen ∞

(George Bernard Shaw)

p.146 - Donald A. Stauffer: from Shakespeare's World of Images ∞

Shakespeare's world of images; the development of his moral ideas - (1949 book), by Donald Alfred Stauffer

• ISBN-10 0253200873

• ISBN-13 9780253200877

p.154 - W.H. Auden: from The Dryer's Hand ∞

The Dyer's Hand - (1962 book), by W. H. Auden

p.157 - Carol Thomas Neely: Broken Nuptuals in Much Ado About Nothing ∞

Perhaps it says something that this author is not notable yet so much is included here.

Broken Nuptuals in Much Ado About Nothing

Broken Nuptuals in Much Ado About Nothing - (book), by Carol Thomas Neely

I could only find a 1994 reprint:

• ISBN-10 0252063627

• ISBN-13 978-0252063626

I don't know its original publication date.

p.171 - Sylvan Barnet: Much Ado About Nothing on the Stage ∞

Note that this Signet Classic is copyright 1963, 1989 by Sylvan Barnet.

• This is also included in Much ado about nothing : with new and updated critical essays and a revised bibliography - (1998 book), by various

  • ISBN-10 0451526813