Reviews

Much Ado About Nothing by William Shakespeare

Only show reviews with written explanations

sidharthvardhan's review against another edition

3.0

You could take the rating with a pinch of salt given that I generally tend not to enjoy the comedies much. I love Shakespeare tragedies or tragicomedies but his comedies fail on me. Part of it is becuase a comedy seem a bit unreal, the characters fall in love too quickly for example, and partially because there is too much of plot cramped in too little a space - a tragedy can just hit to centeral idea (example Medea) but a comedy must invariably go through motions - introduction of characters, set up, misunderstanding and conflict, resolution of same and happy endings - all the time retaining comic wits; it is too tight a rope to walk in a drama which must stay contained within time limits because of its very nature. Moreover, from few plays of Shakespeare I have read, it seems to be his comedies are comparively much shorter than tragedies or tragicomedies.

andotherworlds's review against another edition

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3.0

3.5 // maan walked so that the arranged pairing/fake dating plotlines of this generations emily henrys could run

outcolder's review against another edition

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5.0

The text here is from the quarto and extensive notes explain not only the archaic words, Elizabethan puns and renaissance fashions, but also which bits are most often cut or changed and why. The 140-plus page introduction does even more, including an overview of interpretations and illustrations of stagings throughout history.

I was struck by the role of fake news in the play. We approve of the fake news that brings Beatrice and Benedick together: it inspires love, and those two deserve to be tricked because they both think they are so clever. The fake news that slanders Hero though breaks up a love, nearly leads to death and duels and is therefore wrong. Also the people who tricked Beatrice and Benedick confess voluntarily whereas the bad guys have to be arrested. It’s an interesting kind of information ethics in this play.

Shakespeare is fun, and it ain’t that hard to understand, even Dogberry who keeps saying the opposite of what he means and is too cunning to be understood.

rhymingtree's review

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funny hopeful relaxing fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

sandwiiche's review against another edition

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challenging funny lighthearted fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

damn, didn't realise how good the banter was in the 17th century

aliteralfield's review against another edition

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funny lighthearted fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.75

Trying to get into listening to audio books so thought a play would be a good starting point.
I really liked this plat especially the more outspoken women like Breatice. Initially not liking Benedick due to his views on women but the he feel in love and sort of changed him but how much in actuality is undecided. I didn’t really get the guard scenes but just went along with it.