An Introduction to Shakespeare by F. E. Pierce, H. N. MacCracken, W. H. Durham

This book is available for free download in a number of formats - including epub, pdf, azw, mobi and more. You can also read the full text online using our ereader.

The advances made in Shakespearean scholarship within the last half-dozen years seem to justify the writing of another manual for school and college use. This little volume aims to present what may be necessary for the majority of classes, as a background upon which may be begun the study and reading of the plays. Critical comment on individual plays has been added, in the hope that it may stimulate interest in other plays than those assigned for study.

Book Excerpt

and his like "Buckram gentlemen," and "peasants."

Henry Chettle, a friend of Greene's, either in December, 1592, or early in 1593,[5] published an address as a preface to his Kind-Harts Dreame, making a public apology to Shakespeare for allowing Greene's letter to come out with this insulting attack. He says: "With neither of them that take offence was I acquainted, and with one of them I care not if I never be. The other [generally taken to be Shakespeare] whome at one time I did not so much spare as since I wish I had, for that, as I have moderated the heate of living writers, and might have usde my owne discretion--especially in such a case, the author beeing dead,--that I did not I am as sory as if the originall fault had beene my fault, because myself have seene his demeanor no lesse civill, than he exelent in the qualitie he professes;--besides divers of worship have reported his uprightness of dealing, which argues his honesty, and his facetious grace in writing, that aprooves his art..

Instructional

Drama

Fiction and Literature