A Preface To Shakespeare's Plays

A Preface to Shakespeare's Plays is a book written by Samuel Johnson, a celebrated 18th-century literary critic and lexicographer. The book serves as an introduction to the plays of William Shakespeare, one of the greatest playwrights in English literature. In the preface, Johnson discusses the importance of Shakespeare's works and their enduring popularity. He explores the themes, characters, and language used in the plays, providing insights into their meaning and significance. Johnson also offers his own critical analysis of Shakespeare's writing style and the techniques he used to create his masterpieces.The book is divided into several sections, each focusing on a different aspect of Shakespeare's plays. Johnson begins by discussing the history of English drama and the influence it had on Shakespeare's work. He then moves on to examine the different genres of plays that Shakespeare wrote, including tragedies, comedies, and histories.Throughout the book, Johnson provides examples from Shakespeare's plays to illustrate his points and to demonstrate the power and beauty of Shakespeare's writing. He also offers commentary on some of Shakespeare's most famous characters, such as Hamlet, Macbeth, and King Lear.Overall, A Preface to Shakespeare's Plays is a comprehensive and insightful guide to the works of one of the greatest writers in English literature. It is a must-read for anyone interested in Shakespeare or in the history of English drama.What mankind have long possessed they have often examined and compared, and if they persist to va- lue the possession, it is because frequent comparisons have confirmed opinion in its favour. As among the works of nature no man can properly call a river deep or a mountain high, without the knowledge of many mountains and many rivers; so in the productions of genius.This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.