Synopses & Reviews
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 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.
In the introduction, Melchiori draws out the complexities of Merry Wives as a multi-plot play, taking a fresh and challenging look at both textual and dating issues and examining the play's comic elements and influences. The book includes tables that illustrate, scene by scene, the passage of time and the sequence of events. The narrative structure and the logistics of performing the play are outlined and analyzed, and a casting and doubling chart is included. The introduction fully explores play's extensive performance history, both dramatic and operatic. A facsimile of the first Quarto is included as an appendix, along with a list of abbreviations and references, a catalog of Shakespeares works and works partly by Shakespeare, and citations for the modern productions mentioned in the text, other collated editions of The Merry Wives of Windsor, and other related reading. The Arden Shakespeare has developed a reputation as the pre-eminent critical edition of Shakespeare for its exceptional scholarship, reflected in the thoroughness of each volume. An introduction comprehensively contextualizes the play, chronicling the history and culture that surrounded and influenced Shakespeare at the time of its writing and performance, and closely surveying critical approaches to the work. Detailed appendices address problems like dating and casting, and analyze the differing Quarto and Folio sources. A full commentary by one or more of the plays foremost contemporary scholars illuminates the text, glossing unfamiliar terms and drawing from an abundance of research and expertise to explain allusions and significant background information. Highly informative and accessible, Arden offers the fullest experience of Shakespeare available to a reader.
Review
"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."—Shakespeare Quarterly
Synopsis
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
Synopsis
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.
Synopsis
Includes bibliographical references (p. 328-337) and index.
About the Author
Giorgio Melchiori is Emeritus Professor of English Literature at the Università Roma Tre in Italy. His major publications include Shakespeare's Dramatic Meditations: An Experiment in Criticism; editions of King Henry IV Part 1 and King Edward III for the New Cambridge Shakespeare; an edition of Sir Thomas More (with Vittorio Gabrieli) for the Revels series; Shakespeare's Garter Plays: 'King Edward III' to 'The Merry Wives of Windsor'; and Joyce's Feast of Languages. He is a Fellow of the British Academy and Life Trustee of the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust. He was awarded a CBE in 1990.
Table of Contents
List of illustrations General editors preface Preface and acknowledgements INTRODUCTION The English comedy and the comedy of English The comedy of language(s) and the Latin lesson Translating: Italian into English: Falstaffs ancestry and the comedy of humours Garter comedy: date, occasion and Falstaffs metamorphosis Quarto and Folio: memorial reconstruction and acting version Unconformities and comical satire Structural unconformities and time gaps: three versions of Merry Wives Time and structure in the Folio Time and structure in the Quarto The third narrative strand Critical attitudes and stage life: the music of Merry Wives Casting and doubling Early performance and adaptation The emergence of Falstaffs music The late nineteenth century Falstaff in the twentieth century This text: editorial procedures and conventions SIR JOHN FALSTAFF AND THE MERRY WIVES OF WINDSOR Appendix: The First Quarto (1602) Abbreviations and references Index