Montaigne and Shakspere

Reading Montaigne alongside Shakespeare gives J. M. Robertson a way to examine how a dramatist's thought develops. Published in 1897, this study argues that the Essays influenced Shakespeare more deeply than a single borrowed passage in The Tempest. Robertson compares ideas and wording, paying particular attention to Hamlet and to John Florio's English translation of Montaigne. He also reviews earlier critics, weighing their claims against the evidence they offer.

The discussion extends to Shakespeare's working life as an actor, playwright and partner in a theatre business. Robertson connects practical pressures, experience and intellectual stimulus with the growth of dramatic ability. His judgments are direct and sometimes sharp, especially when he challenges speculative readings or easy admiration. Readers interested in literary sources will find an argument about how reading enters creative work, supported by comparisons between an essayist's reflections and a dramatist's language.