Preface to Shakespeare - Samuel Johnson
Introduction:
In 1765, Samuel Johnson, a great literary critic and writer, wrote the Preface to Shakespeare as an introduction to his edited edition of Shakespeare’s plays. His goal was to explain why William Shakespeare is such an important writer. Johnson gives both praise and honest criticism, making the preface one of the earliest and most balanced works of English literary criticism.
Shakespeare’s Greatest Strength: Human Nature
Johnson believed that Shakespeare’s biggest talent was his deep understanding of human nature. His characters are not just for his own time—they show the emotions and struggles of all people in all ages. Whether it's love, jealousy, ambition, or guilt, Shakespeare’s characters feel real.
“Shakespeare is above all writers... the poet of nature.”
Shakespeare wrote about the truths of life, not about perfect people or ideal situations. The characters, introduced by Shakespeare resembles uniqueness, they unemotionally dissect the harsh realities of existence, ensuring that humanity will always connect with Shakespeare’s works.
Johnson says that Shakespeare’s plays are not only for the educated, high class ones, can be enjoyed by everyone: the rich and the poor, the young and the old. Shakespeare understood people from all walks of life.
Some critics in Johnson’s age, the contemporary writers, believed that tragedy and comedy should never mix. But Shakespeare often added jokes, form of puns, in serious plays and included sad moments in comedies. Johnson defends this choice. He says that life itself is a mixture of happiness and sad moments; Shakespeare’s plays are more realistic.
“There is always an appeal open from criticism to nature.”
Shakespeare’s Language
Johnson admits that Shakespeare’s language is sometimes difficult or too complex. He criticizes the overuse of puns, long speeches, and confusing words. However, he also says this is partly because of the old-fashioned English used in Shakespeare’s time.
In classical drama, there were three main rules, called the unities:
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Unity of time – the play should happen within 24 hours.
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Unity of place – it should take place in one location.
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Unity of action – the plot should follow one storyline.
Shakespeare often broke these rules. His plays jump across time and place and often include subplots. Some critics didn’t like this, but Johnson says it made the plays more exciting and life-like.
Johnson also talks about morality in Shakespeare’s plays. Some critics thought his plays were not moral because bad characters are not always punished. Johnson replies that Shakespeare’s main goal was to represent life truthfully, and in real life, justice does not always happen immediately. Still, Johnson believes that Shakespeare respected good values and often showed the importance of virtue.
Samuel Johnson’s Preface to Shakespeare is a thoughtful and fair review of Shakespeare’s work. Johnson praises his realistic characters, deep understanding of human nature, and wide appeal. He also points out some flaws, but sees them as small compared to Shakespeare’s lasting greatness
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