Introduction
“Preface to Shakespeare” is one of the classic and universally recognized documents in the field of literary criticism in English society, which came from the pen of Samuel Johnson. This work is a collection of reliable knowledge, assumptions, and ideas of the author about the great playwright’s life moments and creative heritage. The critic easily and enthusiastically introduces a reader to the specifics and peculiarities of Shakespeare’s creative potential, his extraordinary views, and judgments on the nature of things and human phenomena. Johnson, despite the opinions of his “colleagues,” defends and elevates the English playwright, skillfully refuting all doubts about the works of the poet, relating Shakespeare’s creations to something truly unique and inimitable phenomena in literature. This paper will present a brief analysis of “Preface to Shakespeare” based on the neoclassical view.
Analysis
From the point of view of neoclassical approaches, views, and concepts, the following key elements can be distinguished in “Preface to Shakespeare” by Samuel Johnson. For instance, it is worth noting that such moments as the elevation and exaltation of the English poet are so vividly expressed in the “Preface.” Johnson (3) claims that: “Shakespeare is above all writers, at least above all modern writers, the poet of nature.” Moreover, the critic also highlights the fact that: “the Poet […] may now begin to assume the dignity of an ancient” (Johnson 2). Thus, Johnson equates Shakespeare with those great ancient classics, whose contributions to literary creativity are challenging to overestimate. In Samuel’s view, the poet appears to the same extent as an innovator and a pioneer who formed further trends and styles in culture, art, philology, and literature. Shakespeare’s sonnets and plays are endowed with the richness, variety, expressiveness, and breadth of imagination that the works are fully recognized as classical and traditional. Indeed, the creations of the English poet can be represented as a kind of role model and in the form of an ideal, which is extremely difficult to achieve, but quite fascinating.
However, it is also worth paying attention to the unique feature that appears in the critical essay. Samuel Johnson’s task was not only to defend and justify Shakespeare but also to provide a comprehensive and in-depth analysis of the poet’s creations. For example, the man noted that Shakespeare in some way neglected the unity of place and time and did not pay due attention to these stylistic and literary elements. Although, indeed, the composition of the creative works of the predecessors included such significant aspects. However, this phenomenon can hardly be called a substantial drawback since the author’s works themselves are “plastic,” and the sequence of events there is not violated. In addition, the playwright tried to please everyone, “sacrificing virtue for convenience.” The plots are poorly developed and interconnected, the dialogues are worked out in a rather rough form, sometimes ridiculous wordplay is manifested in the works, and the result does not always justify itself. Anyway, some of these moments are insignificant, and they are swept into the background by the greatness of colorfully described life moments and phenomena, universality, as well as the wealth of wisdom and inclusiveness.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Shakespeare, according to Johnson’s opinion in “Preface,” is a kind of central link connecting ancient features with several modern trends and directions that continue to live and gain their significance to this day. Moreover, the great poet was able to catch a special thought inherent in his scale of perception and thought, as well as to feel and develop it. William Shakespeare set a memorable and unique pace and rhythm for further transformations of the public domain’s literary and cultural creations and objects. In this key, the English playwright himself is a kind of indivisible absolute. Everyone else is either an imitator or a lover of literature, who is never destined to write a genuine, authentic poetic, living text, as Shakespeare and his predecessors did.
Work Cited
Johnson, Samuel. Preface to Shakespeare Together with Selected Notes on Some of the Plays. E-book ed., Adelaide, 2004.