Much ado about nothing. / William Shakespeare ; edited by A. R. Humphreys.

edited by David Bevington.

Much Ado excels in combative wit and in swift ,colloquial prose.The prevailing motif of the play is that of the mask.The two plots provide contrassting perspectives on the nature of love.Because it is sensational and melodramatic,the Claudio-Hero plot stresses situation at the expense of character.The conspiracy that nearly overwhelms the lovers is an engrossing story , but they themselves remain one-dimensional.Benedik and Beatrice ,on the other hand,are psychologically complex.Clearly ,they fascinated with each other. Beatrice questions in the first scene ,although abusive in tone,betray her concern for Benedik's welfare."In The Complete Works of Shakespeare"5th edition