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English Comic Writers
Hardcover
Letters & EssaysLiterary Criticism
ISBN13: 9781025629841
Publisher: Tradd Street Press
Published: Feb 14 2026
Pages: 374
Weight: 1.54
Height: 0.88 Width: 6.14 Depth: 9.21
Language: English
English Comic Writers is a masterful exploration of wit, satire, and the comedic tradition within the English literary canon. Penned by the influential critic and essayist William Hazlitt, this collection of lectures offers a comprehensive analysis of the figures who defined the nation's humor from the Elizabethan era through the eighteenth century.
Hazlitt begins by establishing a philosophical framework for understanding the nature of wit and humor before moving into detailed examinations of legendary playwrights and authors. The work features incisive critiques of Shakespeare, Ben Jonson, and the Restoration dramatists like Wycherley and Congreve. Additionally, Hazlitt provides scholarly reflections on the great English novelists and periodical essayists, including Swift, Addison, and Steele.
Renowned for its energetic style and sharp intellectual clarity, English Comic Writers transcends mere historical survey to offer a vibrant look at how comedy reflects the human condition. This work serves as an essential resource for students of English literature and readers seeking to understand the evolution of the comic spirit. Hazlitt's observations remain as relevant today as when they were first delivered, highlighting the enduring power of laughter in literature.
This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore, you may see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work.
This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.
As a reproduction of a historical artifact, this work may contain missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.
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