Much Ado About Nothing (Folger Shakespeare Library)
by William Shakespeare
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Book Summary Information
Author: William ShakespeareEdition: Mass Market Paperback
Published: 2004-01-01
ISBN: 0743482751
Number of pages: 304
Publisher: Washington Square Press
Book Reviews of Much Ado About Nothing (Folger Shakespeare Library)
Book Review: With some extra work on my part, I am rediscovering Shakespeare.
Summary: 5 Stars
I've been avoiding Shakespeare for quiet a while because, first, English is not my first language and second, I've been trying to convince myself that I'll miss nothing if I just simply ignore Shakespeare's works.
Then, SparkNotes came out with "No Fear Shakespeare" titles and I thought that maybe I'd give it a try. I began browsing through some plays on the SparkNotes website. Of course it began to make sense and I got excited. Then, I started paying attention to the original text and it was like discovering the whole new world that was shut from me. And then, just one line from Act 1 Scene 1 that SparkNotes interpreted their "accessible" way, made me turn away from them. In the original text, Beatrice has a line: "An he were, I would burn my study", which SparkNotes just translated to "No, absolutely not." Oh my! How could they do this? Beatrice's line needed no interpretation whatsoever. Such witty line was turned into a child-like rejection. What a pity!
And so I looked further for a book with explanatory notes and decided to settle for "Much Ado About Nothing" by Folger Shakespeare Library. My work, however, did not stop there. Even with the notes provided, I had to double-check the meaning of some words that I used to take for granted. Only when I was armed with all needed translations, then I could actually read the original text and enjoy it. I am rediscovering Shakespeare, learning new words and word play, already am able to use my newly obtained knowledge in my daily conversation and have fun with it.
Seems to me, whether you get this edition, or the Oxford one, or even the "... : Side by Side", edited by James Scott and actually is a much better alternative to "No Fear..." titles, additional work on the reader's part is a must if you want to get the most out of Shakespeare's works.
As far as a play itself, I love it. The "skirmish of wit" between Beatrice and Benedict is alone worth picking this title up.
Summary of Much Ado About Nothing (Folger Shakespeare Library)
Folger Shakespeare LibraryThe world's leading center for Shakespeare studies
Each edition includes:
• Freshly edited text based on the best earlyprinted version of the play
• Full explanatory notes conveniently placed on pages facing the text of the play
• Scene-by-scene plot summaries
• A key to famous lines and phrases
• An introduction to reading Shakespeare's language
• An essay by an outstanding scholar providing a modern perspective on the play
• Illustrations from the Folger Shakespeare Library's vast holdings of rare books
Essay by Gail Kern Paster
The Folger Shakespeare Library in Washington, D.C., is home to the world's largest collection of Shakespeare's printed works, and a magnet for Shakespeare scholars from around the globe. In addition to exhibitions open to the public throughout the year, the Folger offers a full calendar of performances and programs.
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