

Episode 261: “Much Ado About Nothing” by William Shakespeare, Acts 1 & 2
Classical Influences on Shakespeare
- Shakespeare's works are heavily influenced by Ovid and Virgil, particularly evident in Medieval and Renaissance literature.
- Ovid's Metamorphoses had a greater impact than other classical works, with numerous allusions throughout Shakespeare's plays.
Focus on Plot, Not Character
- When reading Shakespeare, focus on the plot and the story as a whole, not just individual characters' motivations.
- Characters serve the plot, unfolding from the situation like leaves on a branch, responsive to every tremor of wind.
Plot-Driven Narrative
- Character-centric literary studies, potentially influenced by Hazlitt, often overemphasize character analysis.
- Shakespeare prioritizes plot over character; characters exist to move the plot forward, not the other way around.








































Welcome back to The Literary Life Podcast and our series on Much Ado About Nothing by William Shakespeare. This week Angelina and Thomas are discussing Acts 1 and 2 and will try to do that by talking about the story as a whole, not simply focussing on the characters. They talk about the roles of the anti-romantic and the ultra-romantic couples, as well as the place of poetic verse and plain verse in the dialogue of the play. Other topics they cover are the trickery for good and ill, the influence of the planets in Medieval and Renaissance thought, and the cosmology of music and dance in Elizabethan times.
To view the full show notes for this episode, including quotes and links to books and other resources, please visit https://www.theliterary.life/episode-261/.