Notes to Shakespeare

In Short

This volume serves as a comprehensive critical commentary on the plays of William Shakespeare. Rather than offering a singular, unified narrative, it functions as a meticulous scholarly archive, providing line-by-line explanations of archaic vocabulary, interpretations of difficult passages, and candid moral assessments of the characters. By grounding Shakespeare’s "boundless invention" in the context of eighteenth-century literary standards, it established a foundation for modern textual criticism, remaining vital today for its blend of rigorous intellectual honesty and deeply personal, often sharp-tongued, appreciation for the drama.

The Story

The "story" of this work is the intellectual journey of a reader attempting to stabilize and explain a mercurial, centuries-old body of work. It begins with the premise that Shakespeare’s plays are often obscured by time, corruption in printing, and the shifting nature of language itself. The process unfolds as a series of encounters between the critic and the text, moving through the comedies and histories with a sense of detective-like inquiry.

The arc is defined by the tension between the critic’s profound admiration for Shakespeare’s "accurate observation of life" and his irritation at the poet's perceived lapses in judgment. In The Tempest, the reader follows an exploration of the play's nautical technicalities and the psychological depth of its characters. As the work progresses, the tone shifts from admiring analysis to frustration; the critic frequently finds himself battling against the "distorted" or "corrupt" lines left by previous editors.

A significant portion of the arc is dedicated to the "grave scenes" of plays like Measure for Measure, where the critic engages in a moral struggle with characters like Bertram or the "harsh and far-fetched" declamations of Isabella. He does not shy away from expressing his own resistance to the material, often admitting when he finds a scene "intricate rather than artful" or a joke "not worth the trouble of elucidation."

Ultimately, the work reaches its conclusion not with a final resolution of the plays, but with a series of "General Observations." These summaries serve as a final judgment on the nature of the drama, balancing the praise for the "natural and pleasing" comic scenes against the disappointment in plots that lack probability or moral consistency. The end of the work is a testament to the critic’s endurance; he does not merely read the plays, he wrestles them into a state of readability, acknowledging that while some passages remain stubbornly mysterious, the effort to engage with the "airy spirits" and "earthly goblins" of the stage is a worthy, if occasionally exhausting, endeavor.

How It Unfolds

The Initial Encounter The work opens by framing the task of the critic: to clarify the linguistic barriers—such as sailor’s terminology—that prevent a modern audience from fully appreciating the plays. It establishes the necessity of looking beyond the famous preface to the specific, granular notes that constitute the real labor of the editor.

The Linguistic Excavation The middle beats involve a deep dive into the "dialects" of the characters, where the critic parses archaic terms for honor, social hierarchy, and slang. He systematically refutes or confirms the interpretations of past scholars, often correcting punctuation or proposing emendations to make sense of otherwise "ungrammatical" sentences.

The Moral Reckoning As the critic moves through the problem comedies and histories, he assesses the characters based on his own ethical framework. He offers harsh critiques of figures he deems profligate or hypocritical, such as Bertram, while simultaneously noting the "extreme good sense" hidden under the blundering speech of others.

The Final Assessment The concluding beats provide a thematic review of the plays’ structure and pacing. The critic reflects on the unities of time and place, often lamenting where the playwright prioritized emotional impact over structural logic, yet ultimately affirming the enduring, natural genius of the work.

The People

The most prominent figure is the unnamed commentator himself—the critic—who serves as the steady, skeptical, and deeply moral intelligence behind the project. He is not a sycophant; he is a judge. He stands in the way of lazy reading, demanding that every word be justified by logic or historical context.

Shakespeare remains the distant, brilliant architect of the drama, whose "boundless invention" is both the subject of praise and the source of the critic’s frustration. The critic treats Shakespeare as a giant who nonetheless makes errors, often accusing him of "confusing" his own narratives or allowing his plots to devolve into absurdity.

Then there are the characters, whom the critic treats as if they were real people in a courtroom. There is the "good man" Gonzalo, whom the critic defends for his cheerfulness, and the "boaster and coward" Parolles, whose presence on stage is analyzed as a masterclass in the ridiculous. These figures, along with the "corrupt deputy" Angelo or the "black beauty" Rosaline, serve as the evidence the critic uses to build his case about the nature of humanity, morality, and the risks of human desire.

In Its Own Voice

"In his tragick scenes there is always something wanting, but his comedy often surpasses expectation or desire."

The critic highlights the contrast between the technical skill required for tragedy and the natural instinct required for the playwright's comedies.

"He has made it instrumental to the production of many characters, diversified with boundless invention, and preserved with profound skill in nature, extensive knowledge of opinions, and accurate observation of life."

This passage serves as the core defense of the playwright's mastery, particularly when applied to the rich, varied cast of The Tempest.

"It is therefore likely that there was then a story of Vincentio duke of Vienna, different from that of Maximine emperour of the Romans."

The critic displays his meticulous investigative mind while attempting to trace the historical origins of the plot in Measure for Measure.

What It's Really About

At its heart, this book is an argument for the accessibility of genius through the filter of reason. It grapples with the question of whether a work of art must be perfect to be profound. The critic posits that Shakespeare’s greatness lies not in his structural adherence to the rules of drama, but in his raw, untaught insight into human nature. The underlying theme is one of restoration: the idea that a critic’s duty is to strip away the "cant of the modern stage" and the errors of time to reveal the core of the text. It asks the reader to accept that a work can be simultaneously "absurd" and "very entertaining," suggesting that the imperfections of literature are often where its most human truths reside.

Why Read It Today

Readers who find modern literary criticism overly theoretical or detached will find this book a refreshing, if demanding, departure. It is a work of immense character; to read it is to sit across from a brilliant, cantankerous, and deeply thoughtful mind who refuses to let the reader take Shakespeare for granted. You will find yourself pausing to argue with the editor’s sharp judgments, which adds a layer of intellectual vitality to the reading experience.

Be prepared for the challenges: the text is dense, written in the formal, sometimes labyrinthine prose of the mid-eighteenth century, and it assumes a high level of comfort with classical allusions and archaic English terminology. It does not provide the "hype" of a modern introduction, but rather the quiet satisfaction of a puzzle solved. The experience is not for those looking for a quick summary; it is for the patient reader who enjoys the sensation of a slow, careful excavation. What stays with you is not just a better understanding of the plays, but a sense of respect for the sheer amount of moral and intellectual effort required to truly engage with a classic. It serves as a reminder that literature is not a static object, but a conversation that requires constant, rigorous attention.