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Johnson on Shakespeare
Paperback
ISBN13: 9781025760926
Publisher: Tradd Street Press
Published: Feb 14 2026
Pages: 242
Weight: 0.76
Height: 0.51 Width: 6.14 Depth: 9.21
Language: English
Johnson on Shakespeare presents a vital collection of Samuel Johnson's critical essays and notes regarding the works of William Shakespeare. Edited and introduced by Walter Raleigh, this volume serves as a bridge between two of the most significant figures in the history of English letters, capturing Johnson's rigorous, witty, and often profound observations on the Bard's dramatic output.
Central to this work is Johnson's landmark Preface to Shakespeare, in which he defends the playwright's disregard for the classical unities and praises his ability to depict universal human nature. The collection also includes detailed commentary on individual plays, providing readers with a comprehensive view of how the 18th century's preeminent man of letters understood the Elizabethan stage. Johnson's criticism is celebrated for its common sense and its focus on the moral and psychological truth of the characters, famously asserting that Shakespeare is above all writers, at least above all modern writers, the poet of nature.
This edition is a cornerstone for anyone interested in the development of literary theory, the history of Shakespearean performance, and the evolution of the English critical tradition. It remains an essential text for scholars and enthusiasts of classic literature alike.
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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