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quippeThe Blurb On The Back:
There is no Blurb on the Back.
Shakespeare's classic comedy, featuring the reluctant bickering lovers Beatrice and Benedick and revolving around a wicked slur on the honour of Hero is easily my favourite of his plays and is enjoying something of a revival at the moment, with an updated tv adaptation in 2005 and a very successful RSC production in 2006.
In reading the text, I do feel that I picked up some insights - for example there's a theme running all the way through it that women are not faithful to their husbands (horn and cuckold imagery in particular riddle the speeches) and it does help to explain why Claudio and Don Pedro are so willing to believe that Hero is entertaining a lover. I also understood for the first time why Don John seeks to act against his brother via Claudio (it was Claudio who was responsible for John's defeat, forcing him to end his revolt and make peace with his half-brother).
There are some elements of the story that do not work however. For example, there is absolutely no rationale for how Hero comes to be away both from her own bedroom (thereby allowing Margaret her assignation) and also away from Beatrice (who she's been sharing a room with for the last few years). The scenes with Dogberry, whilst integral to the Big Reveal and most probably a comedy riot in Elizabethan times, are excruciating to read (and I must confess that I can't abide them when performed either). Finally, you have to wonder how Leonarto plans to get away with officially having his daughter dead, but at the same time his brother having a hitherto unknown exact match for her.
This aside, you watch or read the play for the interaction between Beatrice and Benedict and these scenes are a delight to read - the wordplay is complex, the wit stands up well today and you gain a real enjoyment of watching two very bright people being tricked into loving each other.
The final thing that I wanted to mention was that I read the Oxford School version of the play, which has a helpful little glossary next to the text to explain the meaning of particular words or sentences and which also has a very handy synopsis of what's going on for people who might get lost.
The Verdict:
If you love watching the play performed, then you'll love reading the original text.
There is no Blurb on the Back.
Shakespeare's classic comedy, featuring the reluctant bickering lovers Beatrice and Benedick and revolving around a wicked slur on the honour of Hero is easily my favourite of his plays and is enjoying something of a revival at the moment, with an updated tv adaptation in 2005 and a very successful RSC production in 2006.
In reading the text, I do feel that I picked up some insights - for example there's a theme running all the way through it that women are not faithful to their husbands (horn and cuckold imagery in particular riddle the speeches) and it does help to explain why Claudio and Don Pedro are so willing to believe that Hero is entertaining a lover. I also understood for the first time why Don John seeks to act against his brother via Claudio (it was Claudio who was responsible for John's defeat, forcing him to end his revolt and make peace with his half-brother).
There are some elements of the story that do not work however. For example, there is absolutely no rationale for how Hero comes to be away both from her own bedroom (thereby allowing Margaret her assignation) and also away from Beatrice (who she's been sharing a room with for the last few years). The scenes with Dogberry, whilst integral to the Big Reveal and most probably a comedy riot in Elizabethan times, are excruciating to read (and I must confess that I can't abide them when performed either). Finally, you have to wonder how Leonarto plans to get away with officially having his daughter dead, but at the same time his brother having a hitherto unknown exact match for her.
This aside, you watch or read the play for the interaction between Beatrice and Benedict and these scenes are a delight to read - the wordplay is complex, the wit stands up well today and you gain a real enjoyment of watching two very bright people being tricked into loving each other.
The final thing that I wanted to mention was that I read the Oxford School version of the play, which has a helpful little glossary next to the text to explain the meaning of particular words or sentences and which also has a very handy synopsis of what's going on for people who might get lost.
The Verdict:
If you love watching the play performed, then you'll love reading the original text.
