Episode 180:
Much Ado About Nothing remains one of the more popular comedies where the characters of Benedick and Beatrice are usually thought of as the leading characters, but this play is much more of an ensemble piece than might be usually remembered.
The dating of the play
The print history of the play
Early performances of the play
The sources for the play
The significance of the title
A Synopsis of the play
The views of the male character, all soldiers, in the play
The pairings of Hero and Claudio and Beatrice and Benedick
Margaret and her views on marriage
Communication and miscommunication
The changes Shakespeare made to his sources
Public honour and public shaming
Pride and pridefulness
Dogberry and the watch
Why didn’t Shakespeare dramatize the fooling of Claudio?
Reality and imagination in the play
‘Much Ado About Nothing’s relationship with ‘The Taming of the Shrew’
The performance history of the play
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