Much Ado About Nothing is unusual among Shakespeare's plays in that it was written almost entirely in prose - and very good prose it is. It is a story of the reluctant love and sexual confrontation between Beatrice and Benedick on the one hand and the classical love of Claudio for Hero on the other.Full of dramatic speed and high humour, Much Ado About Nothing is a mature comedy with a record of consistent theatrical Success.The text of this edition is taken from the Cambridge University Press New Shakespeare, edited by Sir Arthur Quiller-Couch and John Dover Wilson.

Foreword

Introduction

Much Ado about Nothing in Performance

The Playhouse

MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING

Date and Text

Textual Notes

Shakespeare's Sources

Further Reading

Memorable Lines