(E-content developed by Dr N. A. Jarandikar) “Preface to Shakespeare” Dr Samuel Johnson’s “Preface to Shakespeare ” was published in 1765 . It is an important contribution to English literary criticism. Johnson was a neo-classical critic and writer , and Shakespeare is considered as the romantic writer. But Dr Johnson is completely impartial when he judges Shakespeare . Shakespeare’s Merits according to Dr Johnson: 1. Truthfulness to nature : According to Johnson, the fundamental necessity of artistic greatness is truthfulness to nature. This guides Johnson to make a number of observations about Shakespeare’s greatness. For instance, the characters of Shakespeare speak in the language of everyday life. Johnson states that Shakespeare’s characters are not affected by the practices of certain places or by the incidents of short-lived trends. 2. Blending of tragedy and comedy : Shakespeare has blended tragedy and comedy...
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