Product Description

The Merry Wives of Windsor, Shakespeare's only thoroughly English comedy, created an archetypal literary figure in the shape of the devious, irrepressible John Falstaff. This stimulating new edition celebrates the play as a joyous exploration of language, but also places elements of its plot firmly in a continental, specifically Italian, tradition of romantic comedy. It draws out the complexities of Merry Wives as a multi-plot play, and takes a fresh and challenging look at both textual and dating issues; a facsimile of the first Quarto is included as an appendix. The play's extensive performance history, both dramatic and operatic, is fully explored and discussed.'This is a significant and substantive edition, in that nothing has been taken for granted, everything has been opened to reconsideration. The commentary is exceptionally detailed and attentive to questions of language and meaning.'John Jowett, Shakespeare Institute, University of Birmingham, Shakespeare Quarterly

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #264620 in Books
• Published on: 1999-12-09
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 368 pages

Customer Reviews

Arden 3rd series: Merry Wives of Windsor paperback
Arden S'peare are superb in scholarship, introduction, and annotation.

One or two Arden S'peare cover pictures are very silly, ugly, and inappropriate.
This MWOW one just about takes the biscuit!

The Second Series Winter's Tale cover is also abysmal. Nice to see the Third Series WT cover is superb.

I think the Merry Wives is the only bad cover amongst the 3rd series.