I wish we could have had a Malvolio's Revenge sequel! ( )

Too many songs. But a few funny jokes along the way. I’m sure back in the day Malvolio being cross gartered was really funny, but i have no idea what the heck that even means. ( )

Star rating for *this* edition, for how much it helped me to understand and appreciate the play.

This edition, with the translation, is helpful, but some of the word choices the translator makes are questionable, and though there are a few instructions to the actors, I'm definitely finding that I need to see it performed to understand the appeal. It just seems so slight, to me, the way I'm reading it, atm. Of course, this is my very first exposure to this play. I've explored a few other works by Shakespeare, by a few different strategies, but I didn't even realize that this was a comedy when I picked it up.

So, yeah, I've put a couple of movies on request from my library.
We'll see what I think after watching those.

Btw, I am finally starting to get a handle on a timeline of history from reading these older works. Shakespeare was a contemporary of Cervantes, and Miles Standish et al. probably had heard of them if not seen or read their works, wow.

Examples of translation I'm not sure of:

line 97, WS says "wise woman" but Durband says "quack." Did WS intend the connotation of fraudulence or incompetence?

lines 275-6, Viola thinks, in original, "A little thing would tell them how much I lack of a man." I thought that a sly hint of the risqué, as it was thought during some swordplay, and a little cut would reveal her unmanly anatomy. But the translation is "I'm sorely tempted to tell them that I'm not a man." I just don't see how Durband made that leap. ( )

I'm rarely let down by an Arden edition, but this one is almost the exception. No, that's being too cruel, but...

As always, the quality of the text, the depth of the notes, the discussion of editorial issues, and the bibliography are immaculate. You couldn't ask for a greater scholarly resource and overall "cheat sheet" to one of the Bard's works. At the same time, the introduction is a rare letdown for this series. Overall, the Ardens inhabit an awkward gray area between scholarly pursuits - reading in to every line, letter, and semi-colon - and general accessibility. Inevitably when examining a work at this level of detail, academia will rear its ugly head. At the same time, the Arden editors have wisely made each introduction an overall analysis, leaving the more scholarly notes for the bibliography. After all, this kind of opaque discussion is more the purview of scholarly articles and papers rather than published editions of the play. The massive bibliographies are vital, and they lead those of us with scholarly minds down that path. Unfortunately, this work is dry and hermeneutic from page one. (This might seem like a silly complaint, but when these introductions clock in at 150 dense pages, it's important they work well.)

So, I can't complain about the high standard of the text, but unfortunately I'll be seeking out alternative "Twelfth Night" editions for an overview. ( )

This one was for Book Duo, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Still not sure what I think of all of the Shakespeare conspiracy theories, but this whoever wrote this play was having fun. I particularly like how the theme of rising above one's station plays into the idea of Twelfth Night being a time when the social norms were turned upside down (may have just learned that from some notes I read on Twelfth Night.) Viola remains my favorite Shakespeare female character, even though she never gets to change out of her man clothes. Maybe Shakespeare didn't like Hallmark Cinderella moments, either.

*Shout out to my review readers: Roz, Peter, and Jewel. Your faithful likes keep me tap-tapping the keys with opinions. ( )