English Literature / Unit 11 ENL 1021 short lesson, about 20 seconds
Johnson the Critic: The Preface to Shakespeare
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The idea
Johnson's edition of Shakespeare's plays appeared in seventeen sixty-five. In its Preface he rejected the classical unities, arguing that drama should be faithful to life, but he also named Shakespeare's faults: careless plots, vulgarity and a lack of moral purpose.
In practice
Praise and faults, together.
Where people slip
Johnson defends Shakespeare against the unities.
Your place on the trail
Every lesson rests on earlier ones and opens later ones. Tap any to jump.
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