Characters of Shakespear's Plays

Characters of Shakespear's Plays by William Hazlitt (1817) Published in 1817, this groundbreaking work of literary criticism examines all thirty-five plays that were attributed to Shakespeare at the time. The book represents one of the first comprehensive English-language studies of Shakespeare's complete dramatic works, presenting analyses in thirty-two focused chapters. Hazlitt approaches each play through multiple lenses, with particular emphasis on character analysis and psychological interpretation. His critical style marked a departure from the traditional neoclassical approach, introducing a more modern perspective that influenced generations of subsequent Shakespeare scholars. The text focuses on understanding Shakespeare's characters as complex individuals, connecting their motivations and actions to universal human experiences. Hazlitt's psychological insights and interpretative framework helped establish new methods for analyzing dramatic literature and contributed to the evolution of literary criticism in the nineteenth century.

Readers value Hazlitt's clear analysis and passionate appreciation for Shakespeare's characters. The book provides detailed psychological insights into major characters like Hamlet, Macbeth, and Falstaff. Readers appreciate: - Personal, conversational writing style - Deep analysis of characters' motivations - Historical context provided - Accessibility for non-academic readers Common criticisms: - Dated language can be challenging - Some analyses focus too heavily on plot summary - Uneven coverage of plays - Limited discussion of female characters Ratings: Goodreads: 4.0/5 (132 ratings) Amazon: 4.2/5 (24 ratings) "Hazlitt brings these characters to life through his keen observations" - Goodreads reviewer "The archaic writing style takes effort to parse" - Amazon reviewer "His character analyses feel remarkably modern and relevant" - LibraryThing review "Too much plot retelling, not enough critical analysis" - Goodreads reviewer

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Shakespeare's Language by Frank Kermode A study that examines Shakespeare's dramatic works through close reading of the text and analysis of his linguistic innovations.

🔹 Hazlitt wrote the entire book in just a few months while living in a small lodging house on York Street, Westminster, often working through the night by candlelight. 🔹 The book was initially met with harsh criticism from conservative literary circles, particularly from Blackwood's Magazine, which accused Hazlitt of being too radical in his interpretations. 🔹 Each chapter was first published as individual essays in various London magazines before being collected into the book format, allowing Hazlitt to gauge public response and refine his arguments. 🔹 The work's publication coincided with the peak of the Romantic movement in England, and its emphasis on emotion and psychological depth heavily influenced how the Romantics approached Shakespeare. 🔹 The book's revolutionary approach of analyzing characters as real people rather than dramatic devices influenced later critics like A.C. Bradley, whose "Shakespearean Tragedy" (1904) became a cornerstone of 20th-century Shakespeare studies.