A Study of Shakespeare

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About this book

A Study of Shakespeare is credited to Algernon Charles Swinburne. The preface says "Begun in the winter of 1874, a first instalment of “A Study of Shakespeare” appeared in the Fortnightly Review for May 1875". The preface also says "but the completed work was not issued in book form until June 1880".

The preface recalls a letter in which "Swinburne said: “I am now at work on my long-designed essay or study on the metrical progress or development of Shakespeare, as traceable by ear and not by finger". The text says "it is quite possible to show that the work of Shakespeare is naturally divisible into classes which may serve us to distinguish and determine as by landmarks the several stages or periods of his mind and art". The text speaks of "the high-hearted and tender-conscienced Hamlet, with his native bias towards introspection".

About the author

Algernon Charles Swinburne

Algernon Charles Swinburne (1837-1909) was an English poet, playwright, novelist and critic. He took part in the Pre-Raphaelite movement in poetry together with Dante Gabriel Rossetti and William Morris. His books include "Erechtheus" and "The Heptalogia".