This GCSE English Literature quiz takes a look at context in Much Ado About Nothing by William Shakespeare. In a work of literature, the term “context” means the environment in which a particular text is written. This makes it similar to a text’s setting, a potential source of confusion when you remember that the fictional world of the text also exists within its own context. Just remember that the fictional context to the events in a text are considered an element of its setting. More generally, context applies to the world of the author, especially the social issues and political events of the time, as well as the author’s particular geographical location or experience of other countries or regions. Authors frequently respond to contemporary or recent issues in works of fiction. Personal views have an impact on the text and these, too, are components of a work’s context.