Category: Much Ado About Nothing

Much Ado About Nothing is a comedy play by William Shakespeare, written in the late 16th century. The play tells the story of two couples: Benedick and Beatrice, who engage in a war of wits and insults, and Claudio and Hero, who fall in love at first sight. The plot is complicated by the villainous Don John, who tries to sabotage Claudio and Hero’s relationship. The play explores themes of love, deception, and the masks we wear in social situations. It is known for its witty dialogue and memorable characters, particularly Benedick and Beatrice, often cited as one of Shakespeare’s greatest comic couples.

Browse the text of Much Ado About Nothing entire play here.

Your Loss, Beatrice.

~ duane ~ Leave a comment

“Lord, I could not endure a husband with a
beard on his face: I had rather lie in the woollen. ” – Beatrice, Much Ado About Nothing

Every year around this time I like to take part in “No Shave November,” otherwise known as “Woohoo I don’t have to shave for two weeks!” followed by “Oh my god is it December yet this itching is going to drive me crazy!”

Seriously, though, sometimes it’s nice to have a cause and try to do something meaningful:

The goal of No-Shave November is to grow awareness by embracing our hair, which many cancer patients lose, and letting it grow wild and free. Donate the money you typically spend on shaving and grooming to educate about cancer prevention, save lives, and aid those fighting the battle.

If I count Facebook and Twitter I’ve potentially got over ten thousand people that might see this post.  Maybe some of you might find it a cause worth supporting.  I don’t really register and create my own page and that sort of thing, because it’s not really about me. If you’re in a position to donate and would like to do so, that’s awesome. If you’re not, then maybe you can share this post so more people see it. There’s lots of ways to help.

Thanks for your support!  I’ll update again later in the month!

Which Play Is The Most Romantic?

~ duane ~ 12 Comments
Might Twelfth Night be Shakespeare's most romantic play?

Going over edits for my Shakespeare wedding quotes book, I’m curious about which play provided the most romantic quotes.  That’s a fairly arbitrary measure, of course, but it’s an interesting question. I’m not thinking of the storyline. I mean, which play has the most passages that you could pull out of context and use elsewhere and still have them sound romantic?

From where I sit, As You Like It and A Midsummer Night’s Dream both have a great deal of stuff to say on the subject of love and romance.  But they’re both … light? about it.  Neither, in my book, expresses the sort of ups and downs that come with what love’s really all about.  Don’t get me wrong, A Midsummer Night’s Dream is damned near perfection from some angles, but half the time, the lovers are in the grip of a magic potion and in love with the wrong person.  As You Like It, I find just too corny.  Cute but corny. Life’s not as easy as that one makes it out to be.

I think I’ll put my money on Twelfth Night. I love the discussion we had on music being the food of love.  Orsino has got some amazing insight about what love’s really all about, and that place where it can actually cause you pain, and yet you still want more of it.

“They are in the very wrath of love, clubs cannot part them.”

“Love sought is good, but given unsought is better.”