About Clare Washbrook Expertise I can answer questions related to the texts, sonnets or to Shakespeare's life. I can help with historical context and language difficulties. I am a secondary school English and Drama teacher in England and can therefore help current students with the texts which they are studying.
DO NOT ASK ME WHERE HE GOT HIS IDEAS FROM! I know that it is a dreadful question to be posed as homework but I have recieved it dozens of times. The answer can be found in past questions.
Experience I fell in love with Shakespeare at a young age and continue to be enthralled. I have studied Shakespeare to undergraduate level and teach Shakespeare to A-level (age 18). I have performed three of his plays. As an amateur etymologist I am familiar with many misconceptions about the meanings, intent and usage of words in the plays which other people are often unaware of.
Educated to post-graduate level.
Published and performance poet.
Former Journalist, former Editor, occassional Private Tutor. Included in OED as the first writer to use a particular word.
Organizations The Poetry Society
Publications The Radio Times, Books by Dogma, "SO" Magazine, NUS publications, Other Poetry, OED, Publications by PTS others
Education/Credentials BA (HONS) Literature (Theatre minor), MA (current accreditation)
Awards and Honors Bronze Award - International Poetry Awards 2004
Question Hi!
I was intrigued at the fact that I can find Beatrice's text in Act IV, Scene 1 ("Is he not approved in the height a villain...") as "Is 'a not approved...". Should I assume 'a stands for he? In that case, what is 'a abbreviating? Is there a "correct" version?
Thank you!!
Answer Vanessa,
It is a general mutation of any pronoun - he, she, I. It crops up a lot in this play: it can mean any pronoun, but it is usually clear which one it is! It may be intended to be an indicator of dialect because in Much Ado About Nothing, its use is not limited to the lower classes. There was no such thing as a "proper" way to talk in Shakespeare's day - there wasn't even a proper way to spell for another 200 years. So it would be perfectly acceptable to show a regional way of talking across the classes - so long as they are distinguished from one another.
Correct version? You mean written in modern recieved pronunciation? There is a website called No Sweat Shakespeare which translates them into modern novels which follow the original texts scene for scene but the words are changed much more than just a language update. The only person I know who does exactly what you want is Janie B. Yates-Glandorf PhD. Her books show the original text next to the plain english one. I am not sure whether she has done this particular play yet though. You have to pay for both of those. I do not know any free resources which give any accurate word for word translation.
If there are no theatres running it near you, there is a film of this play. It had Kenneth Brannagh in it, which usually ensures that it isn't messed with too much. I would not recommend it as a replacement for reading but it can be of great help to actually hear the words spoken. That is, after all, how the language was intended - for the ears, not just the eyes!
