William Shakespeare - A Critical Study

About this eBook

Author

Brandes, Georg, 1842-1927

Title

William Shakespeare: A Critical Study

Credits

Produced by Jens Guld, Dagny & Marc D'Hooghe. (Images generously made available by the Internet Archive.)

Language

English

LoC Class

PR: Language and Literatures: English literature

Subject

Shakespeare, William, 1564-1616 -- Criticism and interpretation

Category

Text

eBook-No.

50724

Project Gutenberg

https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/50724

Release Date

December 20, 2015

Copyright

Public domain in the USA.

Contents

1. 1.WILLIAM — SHAKESPEARE — A CRITICAL STUDY — BY
2. 2.GEORGE BRANDES — CONTENTS — WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE — BOOK FIRST — I — A BIOGRAPHY OF SHAKESPEARE DIFFICULT BUT NOT IMPOSSIBLE — II — STRATFORD—PARENTAGE—BOYHOOD — III — MARRIAGE—SIR THOMAS LUCY—DEPARTURE FROM STRATFORD — IV — LONDON—BUILDINGS, COSTUMES, MANNERS — V — POLITICAL AND RELIGIOUS CONDITIONS—ENGLAND'S GROWING GREATNESS — VI — SHAKESPEARE AS ACTOR AND RETOUCHER OF OLD PLAYS—GREENE'S ATTACK — VII — THE "HENRY VI." TRILOGY — VIII — CHRISTOPHER MARLOWE AND HIS LIFE-WORK—TITUS ANDRONICUS — IX — SHAKESPEARE'S CONCEPTION OF THE RELATIONS OF THE SEXES—HIS MARRIAGE VIEWED IN THIS LIGHT—LOVES LABOUR'S LOST—ITS MATTER AND STYLE—JOHN LYLY AND EUPHUISM—THE PERSONAL ELEMENT — X — LOVE'S LABOUR'S WON: THE FIRST SKETCH OF ALL'S WELL THAT ENDS WELL—THE COMEDY OF ERRORS—THE TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA — XI — VENUS AND ADONIS: DESCRIPTIONS OF NATURE—THE RAPE OF LUCRECE: RELATION TO PAINTING — XII — A MIDSUMMER NIGHTS DREAM—ITS HISTORICAL CIRCUMSTANCES—ITS ARISTOCRATIC, POPULAR, COMIC, AND SUPERNATURAL ELEMENTS — XIII — ROMEO AND JULIET—THE TWO QUARTOS—ITS ROMANESQUE STRUCTURE—THE USE OF OLD MOTIVES—THE CONCEPTION OF LOVE — XIV — LATTER-DAY ATTACKS UPON SHAKESPEARE—THE BACONIAN THEORY—SHAKESPEARE'S KNOWLEDGE, PHYSICAL AND PHILOSOPHICAL — XV — THE THEATRES—THEIR SITUATION AND ARRANGEMENTS—THE PLAYERS—THE POETS—POPULAR AUDIENCES—THE ARISTOCRATIC PUBLIC—SHAKESPEARE'S ARISTOCRATIC PRINCIPLES — XVI — THE THEATRES CLOSED ON ACCOUNT OF THE PLAGUE—DID SHAKESPEARE VISIT ITALY?—PASSAGES WHICH FAVOUR THIS CONJECTURE — XVII — SHAKESPEARE TURNS TO HISTORIC DRAMA—HIS RICHARD II. AND MARLOWE'S EDWARD II.—LACK OF HUMOUR AND OF CONSISTENCY OF STYLE—ENGLISH NATIONAL PRIDE — XVIII — RICHARD III. PSYCHOLOGY AND MONOLOGUES—SHAKESPEARE'S POWER OF SELF-TRANSFORMATION—CONTEMPT FOR WOMEN—THE PRINCIPAL SCENES—THE CLASSIC TENDENCY OF THE TRAGEDY — XIX — SHAKESPEARE LOSES HIS SON—TRACES OF HIS GRIEF IN KING JOHN—THE OLD PLAY OF THE SAME NAME—DISPLACEMENT OF ITS CENTRE OF GRAVITY—ELIMINATION OF RELIGIOUS POLEMICS—RETENTION OF THE NATIONAL BASIS—PATRIOTIC SPIRIT—SHAKESPEARE KNOWS NOTHING OF THE DISTINCTION BETWEEN NORMANS AND ANGLO-SAXONS, AND IGNORES THE MAGNA CHARTA — XX — " THE TAMING OF THE SHREW" AND "THE MERCHANT OF VENICE"—SHAKESPEARE'S PREOCCUPATION WITH THOUGHTS OF PROPERTY AND GAIN—HIS GROWING PROSPERITY—HIS ADMISSION TO THE RANKS OF THE "GENTRY"—HIS PURCHASE OF HOUSES AND LAND—MONEY TRANSACTIONS AND LAWSUITS — XXI — THE MERCHANT OF VENICE—ITS SOURCES—ITS CHARACTERS, ANTONIO, PORTIA, SHYLOCK—MOONLIGHT AND MUSIC—SHAKESPEARE'S RELATION TO MUSIC — XXII — " EDWARD III." AND "ARDEN OF FEVERSHAM"—SHAKESPEARE'S DICTION—THE FIRST PART OF "HENRY IV."—FIRST INTRODUCTION OF HIS OWN EXPERIENCES OF LIFE IN THE HISTORIC DRAMA—WHY THE SUBJECT APPEALED TO HIM—TAVERN LIFE—SHAKESPEARE'S CIRCLE—SIR JOHN FALSTAFF—FALSTAFF AND THE GRACIOSO OF THE SPANISH DRAMA—RABELAIS AND SHAKESPEARE—PANURGE AND FALSTAFF — XXIII — HENRY PERCY—THE MASTERY OF THE CHARACTER-DRAWING—HOTSPUR AND ACHILLES — XXIV — PRINCE HENRY—THE POINT OF DEPARTURE FOR SHAKESPEARE'S IMAGINATION—A TYPICAL ENGLISH NATIONAL HERO—THE FRESHNESS AND PERFECTION OF THE PLAY — XXV — " KING HENRY IV.," SECOND PART—OLD AND NEW CHARACTERS IN IT—DETAILS—"HENRY V.," A NATIONAL DRAMA—PATRIOTISM AND CHAUVINISM—THE VISION OF A GREATER ENGLAND — XXVI — ELIZABETH AND FALSTAFF—THE MERRY WIVES OF WINDSOR—THE PROSAIC AND BOURGEOIS TONE OF THE PIECE—THE FAIRY SCENES — XXVII — SHAKESPEARE'S MOST BRILLIANT PERIOD—THE FEMININE TYPES BELONGING TO IT—WITTY AND HIGHBORN YOUNG WOMEN—MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING—SLAVISH FAITHFULNESS TO HIS SOURCES—BENEDICK AND BEATRICE—SPIRITUAL DEVELOPMENT—THE LOW-COMEDY FIGURES — XXVIII — THE INTERVAL OF SERENITY—AS YOU LIKE IT—THE ROVING SPIRIT—THE LONGING FOR NATURE—JAQUES AND SHAKESPEARE—THE PLAY A FEAST OF WIT — XXIX — CONSUMMATE SPIRITUAL HARMONY—TWELFTH NIGHT—JIBES AT PURITANISM—THE LANGUISHING CHARACTERS—VIOLA'S INSINUATING GRACE—FAREWELL TO MIRTH — XXX — THE REVOLUTION IN SHAKESPEARE'S SOUL—THE GROWING MELANCHOLY OF THE FOLLOWING PERIOD—PESSIMISM, MISANTHROPY — BOOK SECOND — I — INTRODUCTION—THE ENGLAND OF ELIZABETH IN SHAKESPEARE'S YOUTH — II — ELIZABETH'S OLD AGE — III — ELIZABETH, ESSEX, AND BACON — IV — THE FATE OF ESSEX AND SOUTHAMPTON — V — THE DEDICATION OF THE SONNETS — VI — THE "DARK LADY" OF THE SONNETS—MARY FITTON — VII — PLATONISM—SHAKESPEARE'S AND MICHAEL ANGELO'S SONNETS—THE TECHNIQUE OF THE SONNETS — VIII — JULIUS CÆSAR—ITS FUNDAMENTAL DEFECT — IX — JULIUS CÆSAR—THE MERITS OF THE DRAMA—BRUTUS — X — BEN JONSON AND HIS ROMAN PLAYS — XI — HAMLET: ITS ANTECEDENTS IN FICTION, HISTORY, AND DRAMA — XII — "HAMLET"—MONTAIGNE AND GIORDANO BRUNO—ANTECEDENTS IN ETHNOGRAPHY — XIII — THE PERSONAL ELEMENT IN HAMLET — XIV — THE PSYCHOLOGY OF HAMLET — XV — HAMLET AS A DRAMA — XVI — HAMLET AND OPHELIA — XVII — HAMLET'S INFLUENCE ON LATER TIMES — XVIII — HAMLET AS A CRITIC — XIX — ALL'S WELL THAT ENDS WELL—ATTACKS ON PURITANISM — XX — MEASURE FOR MEASURE—ANGELO AND TARTUFFE — XXI — ACCESSION OF JAMES AND ANNE—RALEIGH'S FATE— SHAKESPEARE'S COMPANY BECOME HIS MAJESTY'S SERVANTS—SCOTCH INFLUENCE . — XXII — MACBETH—MACBETH AND HAMLET—DIFFICULTIES ARISING FROM THE STATE OF THE TEXT — XXIII — OTHELLO—THE CHARACTER AND SIGNIFICANCE OF IAGO — XXIV — OTHELLO—THE THEME AND ITS TREATMENT—A MONOGRAPH IN THE GREAT STYLE — XXV — KING LEAR—THE FEELING UNDERLYING IT—THE CHRONICLE—SIDNEY'S ARCADIA AND THE OLD PLAY — XXVI — KING LEAR—THE TRAGEDY OF A WORLD-CATASTROPHE — XXVII — ANTONY AND CLEOPATRA—WHAT ATTRACTED SHAKESPEARE TO THE SUBJECT — XXVIII — THE DARK LADY AS A MODEL—THE FALL OF THE REPUBLIC A WORLD-CATASTROPHE — BOOK THIRD — I — DISCORD AND SCORN — II — THE COURT—THE KING'S FAVOURITES AND RALEIGH — III — THE KING'S THEOLOGY AND IMPECUNIOSITY—HIS DISPUTES WITH THE HOUSE OF COMMONS — IV — THE CUSTOMS OF THE COURT — V — ARABELLA STUART AND WILLIAM SEYMOUR — VI — ROCHESTER AND LADY ESSEX — VII — CONTEMPT OF WOMEN—TROILUS AND CRESSIDA — VIII — TROILUS AND CRESSIDA—THE HISTORICAL MATERIAL . — IX — SHAKESPEARE AND CHAPMAN—SHAKESPEARE AND HOMER — X — SCORN OF WOMAN'S GUILE AND PUBLIC STUPIDITY — XI — DEATH OF SHAKESPEARE'S MOTHER—CORIOLANUS—HATRED OF THE MASSES — XII — CORIOLANUS AS A DRAMA — XIII — TIMON OF ATHENS—HATRED OF MANKIND — XIV — CONVALESCENCE—TRANSFORMATION—THE NEW TYPE — XV — PERICLES—COLLABORATION WITH WILKINS AND ROWLEY—SHAKESPEARE AND CORNEILLE — XVI — FRANCIS BEAUMONT AND JOHN FLETCHER — XVII — SHAKESPEARE AND FLETCHER—THE TWO NOBLE KINSMEN AND HENRY VIII . — XVIII — CYMBELINE—THE THEME—THE POINT OF DEPARTURE—THE MORAL—THE IDYLL —IMOGEN—SHAKESPEARE AND GOETHE—SHAKESPEARE AND CALDERON — XIX — WINTER'S TALE—AN EPIC TURN—CHILDLIKE FORMS—THE PLAY AS A MUSICAL STUDY—SHAKESPEARE'S ÆSTHETIC CONFESSION OF FAITH — XX — THE TEMPEST—WRITTEN FOR THE PRINCESS ELIZABETH'S WEDDING — XXI — SOURCES OF THE TEMPEST — XXII — THE TEMPEST AS A PLAY—SHAKESPEARE AND PROSPERO—FAREWELL TO ART — XXIII — THE RIDE TO STRATFORD — XXIV — STRATFORD-UPON-AVON — XXV — THE LAST YEARS OF SHAKESPEARE'S LIFE — XXVI — SHAKESPEARE'S DEATH — XXVII — CONCLUSION — THE END — THE END

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