Dr. Johnson is the
‘literary dictator’ of the 18th century. He is a judicial critic. In
‘a preface to Shakespeare’, he brings out the merits and demerits of
Shakespeare’s works.
We should judge a
work as whole and not by its different parts.
A work of art must
give permanent delight. It should help us to enjoy life or endure it.
First, dr. Johnson
establishes the supremacy of Shakespeare. The test of all great literature is
“the length of duration and continuance of esteem”.
POET OF NATURE:
Shakespeare has long
outlived his century. His works are read for pleasure. His works have received new
honors at every point, he has gained. The continuous esteem of the world.
Nothing can please many
and please long but just representation of general nature. Shakespeare holds a
faithful mirror of manners and of life. As a poet of nature, he is above all
writers.
His characters are real
products of common humanity. They act and speak by general principles. In other
writers, a character is an individual. But in Shakespeare, it is a species. On
observation, we find his characters in this world.
Much moral instructions
is there in Shakespeare, it is full of practical remarks and wisdom. His real
power is the progress of his story. His dialogue is full of ease and
simplicity.
It is a selection from
common conversation and events. His works give a system of civil and economic
wisdom. Thus Shakespeare portrayed real life.
Dr. Johnson compares Shakespeare
with other writers. They have used rhetorical grammar. One cannot meet real
life in their works. Their characters are also unusual. They speak a different
language. Their subject too is different from daily life.
SHAKESPEARE’S
CHARACTERIZATION:
Shakespeare has no heroes. He has
only men, who act and speak like the common man. Even when the agency is
supernatural, the dialogue is life like. Shakespeare approximates the strange
and makes the wonderful familiar.
He shows human life in real
difficulty and in trails. His drama is the mirror of life. He gives human
feelings in human language.
Dennis and Rhymer think
Shakespeare’s Romans are not fully Romans Voltaire says that his kings are not
fully royal. But, Shakespeare always make nature greater than accident. His
story needs Romans and kings but he thinks, only on man. He is above the usual
difference of country and condition. As a painter, he is satisfied with the
figure and neglects the drapery.
UNITIES OF TIME,
PLACE, AND ACTION:
Aristotle speaks of ‘the
unity of time’. It means that an action should not exceed a single revolution.
The action must be single. It must be with a beginning, middle and an end.
Shakespeare has no regard to the unity of time and place. But, his plays were
popular. There were delight and instruction in his plays. Rhymer condemned
Shakespeare for not following the unities of time and place. But, rower praised
him. Dr.johnson too defends Shakespeare. Johnson says that the audiences are
always aware that the stage is only a stage and the players’ only players. The
spectator can imagine it as Athens or Rome or Alexandrians. We can
imaginatively divide the interval of time.
Shakespeare follows the
unity of actions. There is a beginning, a middle and an end in his plays. They
are related to one another according to the law of probability or necessity.
The other unities are not necessary here. Finally, Johnson concludes that the
unities of t and p are not essential to a good play. The unities can be added
to the pleasure of the play
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