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The Works of William Shakespeare [Cambridge Edition] [Vol. 2 of 9]

William Shakespeare · Public domain text

149,181 words · about 10 h 27 min to read

Period artwork: Interior of the Bodleian Library, 1845

Text only · 1 illustration omitted. Illustrated source.

About this edition

The text of The Works of William Shakespeare [Cambridge Edition] [Vol. 2 of 9] comes from Project Gutenberg e-text #45128. It is in English and public domain in the United States. Edited by William George Clark and William Aldis Wright. RedLectern sets the text out for reading on screen; no words of the book are rewritten or summarized. More formats (EPUB, Kindle) · How RedLectern is built

This text-only edition leaves out 1 illustration. See the illustrated edition at Project Gutenberg.

This book is long enough to be split into 6 parts, so each one loads quickly on its own.

About this book

Author
William Shakespeare (1564–1616)
Language
English
Subjects
English drama
Length
149,181 words · about 10 h 27 min
Sections
146 reader sections · Table of contents
Contents (146)
  1. Opening under 1 min
  2. Preface about 8 min
  3. Dramatis Personæ under 1 min
  4. Act I, Scene I — Before LEONATO’S house about 11 min
  5. Act I, Scene I — Before L.’s house] Capell. A court before L.’s house. Pope about 2 min
  6. Act I, Scene II — A room in LEONATO’S house about 1 min
  7. Act I, Scene II — ] Capell under 1 min
  8. Act I, Scene III — The same. about 3 min
  9. Act I, Scene III — ] Capell. SCENE VI. Pope about 1 min
  10. Act II, Scene I — A hall in LEONATO’S house about 14 min
  11. Act II, Scene I — A hall...] Theobald. L.’s House. Pope. See note (VI) about 3 min
  12. Act II, Scene II — The same. about 2 min
  13. Act II, Scene II — ] SCENE VII. Pope under 1 min
  14. Act II, Scene III — LEONATO’S orchard about 10 min
  15. Act II, Scene III — ] SCENE VIII. Pope about 2 min
  16. Act III, Scene I — LEONATO’S garden about 4 min
  17. Act III, Scene I — Enter... Ursula.] Enter H. and two Gentlewomen, M. and Ursley. Q about 1 min
  18. Act III, Scene II — A room in LEONATO’S house about 4 min
  19. Act III, Scene II — A room...] Capell about 1 min
  20. Act III, Scene III — A street. about 6 min
  21. Act III, Scene III — ] Capell. SCENE IV. Pope. om. Q Ff about 1 min
  22. Act III, Scene IV — HERO’S apartment about 3 min
  23. Act III, Scene IV — ] Capell. SCENE VI. Pope about 1 min
  24. Act III, Scene V — Another room in LEONATO’S house about 2 min
  25. Act III, Scene V — ] SCENE VIII. Pope about 1 min
  26. Act IV, Scene I — A church. about 12 min
  27. Act IV, Scene I — and attendants.] om. Q Ff. Guests and attendants. Grant White about 3 min
  28. Act IV, Scene II — A prison. about 3 min
  29. Act IV, Scene II — ] Capell. SCENE IV. Pope about 1 min
  30. Act V, Scene I — Before LEONATO’S house about 12 min
  31. Act V, Scene I — Before L.’s house] Pope about 3 min
  32. Act V, Scene II — LEONATO’S garden about 4 min
  33. Act V, Scene II — ] Capell. SCENE VI. Pope about 1 min
  34. Act V, Scene III — A church. about 1 min
  35. Act V, Scene III — ] Capell. SCENE VIII. Pope under 1 min
  36. Act V, Scene IV — A room in LEONATO’S house about 5 min
  37. Act V, Scene IV — ] SCENE IX. Pope about 3 min
  38. V. remaining as it is about 7 min
  39. Dramatis Personæ under 1 min
  40. Act I, Scene I — The king of Navarre’s park about 10 min
  41. Act I, Scene I — The king...park] See note (III) about 3 min
  42. Act I, Scene II — The same. about 6 min
  43. Act I, Scene II — ] SCENE III. Pope about 1 min
  44. Act II, Scene I — The same. about 9 min
  45. II. ] om. Q1. Actus secunda F1 F2. Actus secundus. Q2 F3 F4 about 3 min
  46. Act III, Scene I — The same. about 7 min
  47. Act III, Scene I — ] Rowe. SCENE II. Capell, following Theobald, who continues Act I about 3 min
  48. Act IV, Scene I — The same. about 6 min
  49. IV. ] ACT III. Theobald about 2 min
  50. Act IV, Scene II — The same. about 9 min
  51. Act IV, Scene III — The same. about 14 min
  52. Act IV, Scene III — ] SCENE IV. Pope. ACT IV. Capell about 5 min
  53. Act V, Scene I — The same. about 5 min
  54. V. ] Actus Quartus Ff Q2 about 2 min
  55. Act V, Scene II — The same. about 33 min
  56. Act V, Scene II — ] SCENE III. Pope. ACT V. SCENE I. Capell about 4 min
  57. Act V, Scene VII — Pope. ACT V. Theobald about 14 min
  58. Dramatis Personæ under 1 min
  59. Act I, Scene I — Athens. The palace of THESEUS about 11 min
  60. Act I, Scene II — The same. QUINCE’S house about 4 min
  61. Act I, Scene II — ] SCENE IV. Pope about 1 min
  62. Act II, Scene I — A wood near Athens. about 13 min
  63. Act II, Scene II — Another part of the wood. about 5 min
  64. Act II, Scene II — ] Capell. SCENE V. Pope. SCENE III. Steevens about 2 min
  65. Act III, Scene I — The wood. Titania lying asleep. about 7 min
  66. Act III, Scene I — Titania lying asleep.] om. Qq Ff about 2 min
  67. Act III, Scene II — Another part of the wood. about 16 min
  68. Act III, Scene II — ] SCENE IV. Pope about 5 min
  69. Act IV, Scene I — The same. LYSANDER, DEMETRIUS, HELENA, and HERMIA lying asleep about 8 min
  70. IV. ] See note (VI) about 3 min
  71. Act IV, Scene II — Athens. QUINCE’S house about 2 min
  72. Act IV, Scene II — ] SCENE IV. Pope under 1 min
  73. Act V, Scene I — Athens. The palace of THESEUS about 23 min
  74. Dramatis Personæ about 1 min
  75. Act 1, Scene I — Venice. A street. about 8 min
  76. Act 1, Scene II — Belmont. A room in PORTIA’S house about 7 min
  77. Act 1, Scene III — Venice. A public place. about 9 min
  78. Act II, Scene I — Belmont. A room in PORTIA’S house about 2 min
  79. Act II, Scene II — Venice. A street. about 10 min
  80. Act II, Scene III — The same. A room in SHYLOCK’S house about 1 min
  81. Act II, Scene III — ] SCENE IV. Pope under 1 min
  82. Act II, Scene IV — The same. A street. about 1 min
  83. Act II, Scene IV — ] SCENE V. Pope under 1 min
  84. Act II, Scene V — The same. Before SHYLOCK’S house about 2 min
  85. Act II, Scene V — ] SCENE VI. Pope about 1 min
  86. Act II, Scene VI — The same. about 3 min
  87. Act II, Scene VI — ] SCENE VII. Pope. Dyce makes no new scene here about 1 min
  88. Act II, Scene VII — Belmont. A room in PORTIA’S house about 3 min
  89. Act II, Scene VII — ] SCENE III. Rowe. SCENE VIII. Pope about 1 min
  90. Act II, Scene VIII — Venice. A street. about 2 min
  91. Act II, Scene VIII — ] SCENE IV. Rowe. SCENE IX. Pope. SCENE VII. Dyce. ACT III. SCENE I. Johnson conj under 1 min
  92. Act II, Scene IX — Belmont. A room in PORTIA’S house about 4 min
  93. Act II, Scene IX — ] SCENE V. Rowe. SCENE X. Pope. SCENE VIII. Dyce about 2 min
  94. Act III, Scene I — Venice. A street. about 6 min
  95. Act III, Scene II — Belmont. A room in PORTIA’S house about 11 min
  96. Act III, Scene II — Enter...] Enter B. P. G. and all their Traines. Qq. (traine. Ff.) about 4 min
  97. Act III, Scene III — Venice. A street. about 1 min
  98. Act III, Scene III — ] SCENE IV. Pope under 1 min
  99. Act III, Scene IV — Belmont. A room in PORTIA’S house about 3 min
  100. Act III, Scene IV — ] SCENE V. Pope about 1 min
  101. Act III, Scene V — The same. A garden. about 3 min
  102. Act III, Scene V — ] SCENE VI. Pope about 1 min
  103. Act IV, Scene I — Venice. A court of justice. about 17 min
  104. Act IV, Scene I — A court...] Capell. The Senate-House. Theobald about 4 min
  105. Act IV, Scene II — The same. A street. about 1 min
  106. Act IV, Scene II — ] Capell. Pope continues SCENE III under 1 min
  107. Act V about 19 min
  108. Dramatis Personæ about 1 min
  109. Act I, Scene I — Orchard of OLIVER’S house about 7 min
  110. Act I, Scene II — Lawn before the DUKE’S palace about 10 min
  111. Act I, Scene II — ] SCENE IV. Pope about 2 min
  112. Act I, Scene III — A room in the palace. about 5 min
  113. Act I, Scene III — ] SCENE VIII. Pope about 1 min
  114. Act II, Scene I — The Forest of Arden. about 3 min
  115. Act II, Scene II — A room in the palace. about 1 min
  116. Act II, Scene III — Before OLIVER’S house about 3 min
  117. Act II, Scene III — Before O.’s house] Capell. O.’s house. Rowe under 1 min
  118. Act II, Scene IV — The Forest of Arden. about 4 min
  119. Act II, Scene IV — Enter...] Enter Rosaline...and Clowne, alias Touchstone. Ff about 1 min
  120. Act II, Scene V — The forest. about 3 min
  121. Act II, Scene VI — The forest. about 1 min
  122. Act II, Scene VII — The forest. about 7 min
  123. Act II, Scene VII — A table set out] Rowe about 2 min
  124. Act III, Scene I — A room in the palace. about 1 min
  125. Act III, Scene I — A room...] Capell under 1 min
  126. Act III, Scene II — The Forest. about 15 min
  127. Act III, Scene II — Enter...paper] Capell. Enter Orlando. Ff about 3 min
  128. Act III, Scene III — The forest. about 4 min
  129. Act III, Scene III — ] SCENE IX. Pope about 1 min
  130. Act III, Scene IV — The forest. about 2 min
  131. Act III, Scene IV — ] SCENE X. Pope under 1 min
  132. Act III, Scene V — Another part of the forest. about 5 min
  133. Act III, Scene V — ] SCENE XI. Pope about 1 min
  134. Act IV, Scene I — The forest. about 9 min
  135. Act IV, Scene II — The forest. under 1 min
  136. Act IV, Scene II — ] SCENE IV. Pope about 1 min
  137. Act IV, Scene III — The forest. about 6 min
  138. Act IV, Scene III — ] SCENE V. Pope about 1 min
  139. Act V, Scene I — The forest. about 2 min
  140. Act V, Scene II — The forest. about 5 min
  141. Act V, Scene III — The forest. about 1 min
  142. Act V, Scene III — ] SCENE IV. Pope about 1 min
  143. Act V, Scene IV — The forest. about 7 min
  144. Epilogue about 1 min
  145. IV. ] SCENE V. Pope about 5 min
  146. Preface about 2 min

The opening of Preface

The five plays contained in this volume are here printed in the order in which they occur in the Folios.

1. MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING. The first edition of this play is a
Quarto, of which the title is as follows:

Much adoe about | Nothing. | As it hath been sundrie times publikely | acted by the right honourable, the Lord | Chamberlaine his seruants. | Written by William Shakespeare. | London | Printed by V. S. for Andrew Wise, and | William Aspley. | 1600.

The First Folio edition of this play was obviously printed from a copy of the Quarto belonging to the library of the theatre, and corrected for the purposes of the stage. Some stage directions of interest occur first in the Folio, but as regards the text, where the Folio differs from the Quarto it differs almost always for the worse. The alterations are due however to accident not design.

Read on in Part 1 →