Author Description

Beatrice, independent and forthright, and Benedick, a self-confessed tyrant to the female sex, pass the time goading and scorning each other. When they are thrown together to defend a friend's donor, their true feelings begin to emerge. A lively showdown between the sexes unfolds in Shakespeare's bittersweet comedy. Under the editorial supervision of Jonathan Bate and Eric Rassmussen, two of today's most accomplished Shakespearean scholars, this Modern Library series incorporates definitive texts and authoritative notes from William Shakespeare: Complete Works. Each play includes an Introduction as well as an overview of Shakespeare's theatrical career, commentary on past and current productions based on interviews with leading directors, actors, and designers; scene-by-scene analysis; key facts about the work; a chronology of Shakespeare's life and times, and black-and-white illustrations. Ideal for students, theatre professionals, and general readers, these modern and accessible editions from the Royal Shakespeare Company set a new standard in Shakespearean literature for the twenty-first century. --back cover