Much Ado About Nothing  
Author(s): William Shakespeare
Published by Trove Books
Publication Date:  Available in all formats
ISBN: 9788119222506
Pages: 139

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William Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing, is a comedy in five acts which was probably written in 1598-99. The play highlights and cashes on an ancient and popular theme of a woman getting falsely accused of unfaithfulness. The play rises to brilliant comic heights with its humorous and witty dialogues, silly situations and a final happy ending where all the missing pieces of the jigsaw puzzles finally fit in. The main theme of trickery and deceit has its fair share to generate prolonged interest in the plot. The indication that something much darker lies hidden beneath the gilded surface makes the foundation of this tragic comedy quite strong.

The mistakes and scheming and the counter scheming carry the story forward where an inquisitiveness builds up in the reader’s mind as to when and how will the truth be revealed to the victims of the conspiracies. The ruse of rumour is strong; and it influences lives very gravely. William Shakespeare masterfully uses the plot and theme of Much Ado About Nothing to help his readers understand how powerless a person feels in the face of falsity and rumour and how reputations can be tarnished by these nuisances and how they alter lives, for good and for bad. In the garb of farcical comedy, a deep message is portrayed in an interesting narrative vein.

Count Claudio falls in love with Hero, the daughter of his host. Beatrice who is Hero’s cousin apart from being a confirmed spinster enters into a tryst of love and fate with Benedict who is in turn a determined bachelor. Both these characters are duped into believing the other is in love with them along the course of the plot. Claudio falls victim to a malicious plot and denounces Hero as unchaste, refusing to marry her. The story however is amicably resolved where the trickery is uncovered, the truth is revealed, and two couples end up getting happily married.

There are some very interesting characters that catch the fancy and lend wings to the reader’s imagination. For example, Don John is often identified simply as the ‘bad man’ in the play, and he is the one who causes all the problems through his lies and deception and lends complexity and leads to a lot of heartburn. The reader’s sense of hatred or revulsion is appropriately incited. Don Pedro on the other hand is portrayed as a generous, courteous, intelligent individual and a favourite of his friends. But he is naïve enough to quickly believe in the evil of others and very impulsive in his haste for taking revenge. He is undoubtedly the most dominant character in the play, both politically and socially. This play is not a simple and straightforward comedy with intense emotions reflected in certain parts. The play creates a lighter, more frivolous counterpart to some of Shakespeare’s darker tragedies.

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William Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing, is a comedy in five acts which was probably written in 1598-99. The play highlights and cashes on an ancient and popular theme of a woman getting falsely accused of unfaithfulness. The play rises to brilliant comic heights with its humorous and witty dialogues, silly situations and a final happy ending where all the missing pieces of the jigsaw puzzles finally fit in. The main theme of trickery and deceit has its fair share to generate prolonged interest in the plot. The indication that something much darker lies hidden beneath the gilded surface makes the foundation of this tragic comedy quite strong.

The mistakes and scheming and the counter scheming carry the story forward where an inquisitiveness builds up in the reader’s mind as to when and how will the truth be revealed to the victims of the conspiracies. The ruse of rumour is strong; and it influences lives very gravely. William Shakespeare masterfully uses the plot and theme of Much Ado About Nothing to help his readers understand how powerless a person feels in the face of falsity and rumour and how reputations can be tarnished by these nuisances and how they alter lives, for good and for bad. In the garb of farcical comedy, a deep message is portrayed in an interesting narrative vein.

Count Claudio falls in love with Hero, the daughter of his host. Beatrice who is Hero’s cousin apart from being a confirmed spinster enters into a tryst of love and fate with Benedict who is in turn a determined bachelor. Both these characters are duped into believing the other is in love with them along the course of the plot. Claudio falls victim to a malicious plot and denounces Hero as unchaste, refusing to marry her. The story however is amicably resolved where the trickery is uncovered, the truth is revealed, and two couples end up getting happily married.

There are some very interesting characters that catch the fancy and lend wings to the reader’s imagination. For example, Don John is often identified simply as the ‘bad man’ in the play, and he is the one who causes all the problems through his lies and deception and lends complexity and leads to a lot of heartburn. The reader’s sense of hatred or revulsion is appropriately incited. Don Pedro on the other hand is portrayed as a generous, courteous, intelligent individual and a favourite of his friends. But he is naïve enough to quickly believe in the evil of others and very impulsive in his haste for taking revenge. He is undoubtedly the most dominant character in the play, both politically and socially. This play is not a simple and straightforward comedy with intense emotions reflected in certain parts. The play creates a lighter, more frivolous counterpart to some of Shakespeare’s darker tragedies.

Biographical note

What many of us would find interesting is that the extremely famous English playwright, poet and actor William Shakespeare’s real name was something else. And most of us are not aware of it even after almost breathing and living Shakespeare for years. It was Gulielmus Shakspere, as has been recorded at his baptism in 1564. Gulielmus is the Latin word for William. But then why would we call him William Shakespeare! It is because Shakespeare called himself ‘Will’ in his Sonnets and most of his associates referred to him as William Shakespeare.

William Shakespeare is believed to have been born on 23 April even though baptised on 26 April 1564. He is considered the greatest writer ever in the history of English language and his reputation as the world’s pre-eminent dramatist goes unrefuted. The millions of Shakespeare followers all across the world have for ages referred to him as England’s national poet and the Bard of Avon. His huge gamut of works of different genres combined, including the collaborations with contemporary authors, include about 39 plays, 154 sonnets, three long narrative poems, and other verses.

Shakespeare is said to be one of the top three greatest translated authors in all human history after Agatha Christie and Jules Verne. Shakespearean plays have been translated into almost every major living language and they are performed more frequently on stage compared to all other playwrights that the world has ever produced. His influence in the world English language is incomparable, and his works are read with the same enthusiasm, emotion and interest even in the modern age. They were never out of fad or fashion and were never shunned in any period of literary history. Critics and researchers are ever passionate to unfurl new levels of meanings and emotions, intent and depth as they continue to study and reinterpret his vast treasure of creative jewels.

Shakespeare was born and brought up in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire. He is believed to have left Stratford upon Avon in the late 1580s and moved to London. Though the exact address is not known, the first evidence that we get of his living in London is somewhere in Bishopsgate in 1596 nearby Leadenhall Street and St. Mary Avenue. At the age of 18, he married Anne Hathaway, who was 26 years old at that time and three months pregnant with Shakespeare’s first child. Thus, their first child, Susanna, was born six months after their marriage. They had two more children, a son, Hamnet, who died in 1596, and another daughter, Judith. His only granddaughter Elizabeth, daughter of Susanna, died childless in 1670 leaving no descendants to his family.

At age 49, approximately around the year 1613, he is said to have retired to Stratford, where he died three years later. Very few records of his private life can be found. We do not know much about his private life, his religious beliefs and sexuality. There is some controversy regarding the fact whether all his works have been originally produced by him.

Most of his known works were written between 1589 and 1613. His comedies and histories are regarded as the world’s best ever works produced. He also wrote quite a handful of heart-wrenching tragedies until 1608, among which Hamlet, Othello, King Lear, Macbeth, Romeo and Juliet are among the finest and most poignant works in the English language. His collection of 17 great comedies includes The Merchant of Venice and Much Ado About Nothing and of his 10 history plays, Henry V and Richard III rightfully deserves mention.

The greatness of his plays had been proven by the fact that Shakespeare and his theatre company had the privilege to perform before both Queen Elizabeth I and James I, who were both enthusiastic patrons of his creativity. Shakespeare’s close connection with King James I was known. The King designated the actors of Shakespeare’s company as ‘Grooms of Chamber’. Following this, Shakespeare changed the company’s name from the ‘Lord Chamberlain’s Men’ to the ‘King’s Men’ which went a long way to make him a favourite with the King. He thus made a good headway for being a desired artist for all performances at the royal court.

Shakespeare was not only an immensely talented composer of plays and sonnets, he was also an accomplished actor who performed in many of his own plays along with the plays by other playwrights. Early evidence suggests that he played the role of a ghost in Hamlet and Adam in As You Like It.

The mystery and enigma surrounding this great name doesn’t cease to exist even after his death. Amusingly and interestingly, Shakespeare had penned a curse for his grave, keeping miscreants, who dares to move his body from the final resting place, at bay. His epitaph says:

Good friend for Jesus’ sake forbear,

To dig the dust enclosed here:

Blest be the man that spares these stones,

And curst be he that moves my bones.

And though it was customary to dig up the bones from older graves to accommodate new ones, the remains of Shakespeare’s grave are still intact, left undisturbed. Guess the threat of curse worked out nicely for his bodily remains.

Excerpt

Books that Speak to us Across Time

Books have a magical and timeless appeal. They inform, educate and entertain us. We love and cherish the books we grow up with, and explore the fascinating world they present all through our lives.

Trove seeks to preserve the tradition of reading by publishing books from the past. It is a treasure chest of the most precious works across various genres. Our vision is to keep alive works that have stood the test of time and pass them on to the next generation of readers.

Readers can browse and purchase titles in the Trove collection, gleaned from the huge ocean of treasured writings in the public domain, and republished. What’s more, Trove books can be read on paper or screen as they are available in a variety of formats.

Trove goes to great lengths to recover and refurbish old content, so readers can discover them in all their glory. Some treasures are indeed found not in caves but between the covers of a book.

www.trovebooks.in

Books that Speak to us Across Time

Books have a magical and timeless appeal. They inform, educate and entertain us. We love and cherish the books we grow up with, and explore the fascinating world they present all through our lives.

Trove seeks to preserve the tradition of reading by publishing books from the past. It is a treasure chest of the most precious works across various genres. Our vision is to keep alive works that have stood the test of time and pass them on to the next generation of readers.

Readers can browse and purchase titles in the Trove collection, gleaned from the huge ocean of treasured writings in the public domain, and republished. What’s more, Trove books can be read on paper or screen as they are available in a variety of formats.

Trove goes to great lengths to recover and refurbish old content, so readers can discover them in all their glory. Some treasures are indeed found not in caves but between the covers of a book.

www.trovebooks.in

Also from Trove

1.Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare

2.Arms and the Man by George Bernard Shaw

3.The Invisible Man by H.G. Wells

4.The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson

5.The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle

6.David Copperfield by Charles Dickens

7.Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

8.A Portrait of the Artist As a Young Man by James Joyce

9.The Mill on the Floss by George Eliot

10.The Return of the Native by Thomas Hardy

11.Moby Dick or The Whale by Melville Herman

12.Mrs. Dalloway by Virginia Woolf

13.Animal Farm by George Orwell

14.Journey to the Centre of the Earth by Jules Verne

15.War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy

16.She Stoops to Conquer by Oliver Goldsmith

17.Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad

18.The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank

19.Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte

20. Three Men in a Boat by Jerome K. Jerome

Visit us: www.trovebooks.in

Phone: +91-72002 58368

Also from Trove

1.Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare

2.Arms and the Man by George Bernard Shaw

3.The Invisible Man by H.G. Wells

4.The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson

5.The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle

6.David Copperfield by Charles Dickens

7.Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

8.A Portrait of the Artist As a Young Man by James Joyce

9.The Mill on the Floss by George Eliot

10.The Return of the Native by Thomas Hardy

11.Moby Dick or The Whale by Melville Herman

12.Mrs. Dalloway by Virginia Woolf

13.Animal Farm by George Orwell

14.Journey to the Centre of the Earth by Jules Verne

15.War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy

16.She Stoops to Conquer by Oliver Goldsmith

17.Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad

18.The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank

19.Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte

20. Three Men in a Boat by Jerome K. Jerome

1.Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare

2.Arms and the Man by George Bernard Shaw

3.The Invisible Man by H.G. Wells

4.The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson

5.The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle

6.David Copperfield by Charles Dickens

7.Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

8.A Portrait of the Artist As a Young Man by James Joyce

9.The Mill on the Floss by George Eliot

10.The Return of the Native by Thomas Hardy

11.Moby Dick or The Whale by Melville Herman

12.Mrs. Dalloway by Virginia Woolf

13.Animal Farm by George Orwell

14.Journey to the Centre of the Earth by Jules Verne

15.War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy

16.She Stoops to Conquer by Oliver Goldsmith

17.Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad

18.The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank

19.Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte

20. Three Men in a Boat by Jerome K. Jerome

Visit us: www.trovebooks.in

Phone: +91-72002 58368

Much Ado About Nothing

by
William Shakespeare

Newgen Knowledge Works Offices

Chennai Pondicherry Pune Kottayam Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia)
Leipzig (Germany) Amsterdam (Netherlands) Stroud (UK) Texas (USA)

Much Ado About Nothing

by
William Shakespeare

Newgen Knowledge Works Offices

Chennai Pondicherry Pune Kottayam Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia)
Leipzig (Germany) Amsterdam (Netherlands) Stroud (UK) Texas (USA)

This book has been inspired from the original version of Much Ado about Nothing first published in 1600, available in the public domain. Due care and diligence have been taken while bringing out this edition; neither the author nor the publishers of the book hold any responsibility for any mistake that may have inadvertently crept in. The publishers shall not be liable for any direct, consequential, or incidental damages arising out of the use of the book.

© Trove Books Edition, 2023

Paperback ISBN: 978-81-19222-45-2

Published by

Imprint of M/S Newgen KnowledgeWorks (P) Ltd

www.trovebooks.in

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