Much Ado About Nothing

THE New Clarendon Shakespeare aims primarily at presenting the text in such way that it can be easily read and understood, and at removing some of the obstacles to comprehension which present themselves to the beginner, difficulties which are constantly overlooked by readers familiar with the plays. But the answers of learned and unlearned criticism to the constant ignorance of common Elizabethan usage and vocabulary. In the other edition, therefore, the main emphasis has been placed on the interpretation of words and phrases, and in the Clarendon Press edition of Clark and Wright. The notes have been divided, short glosses being placed below the text, whilst the more difficult passages are reserved for the commentary at the end of the book. This arrangement has proved of great service on the notes on individual lines, also gives full attention to points of literary and dramatic interest which have rightly come to the notice of the critics. Where there is any diversity of opinion about the true text and a few other more difficult notes are printed in smaller type within square brackets. The commentary and the historical and literary introduction supply all that the best critics of the play, both old and new; a feature in which this edition of Shakespeare follows the plan laid by its predecessors, but which we have now made available for more advanced students, and the inclusion of varying opinions will provide material for reflection and comparison. It is hoped that the provision of this fuller treatment taught to criticise by the provision of material which they can use as a starting-point as well as a model.