Hazlitt’s Characters of Shakespear’s Plays

'Characters of Shakespear’s Plays' is a cornerstone of literary criticism that offers a profound and passionate exploration of the diverse figures inhabiting the dramatic world of William Shakespeare. Written by the celebrated English essayist William Hazlitt, this work shifts the focus of literary study from rigid structural analysis to the psychological and emotional depth of individual characters. Hazlitt treats Shakespeare’s creations-from the brooding Hamlet and the jovial Falstaff to the villainous Iago-as living, breathing entities, analyzing their motivations and the universal human truths they represent.Hazlitt’s writing is marked by its intellectual vigor and appreciative tone, capturing the vitality of the Elizabethan stage for a general audience. His essays navigate through the tragedies, comedies, and histories with a keen eye for poetic detail and dramatic effect. As a seminal text of the Romantic period, 'Characters of Shakespear’s Plays' helped redefine how audiences perceive the Bard’s work, emphasizing the internal lives and distinctive voices of his characters. This volume remains an essential resource for students of literature and enthusiasts of the theater who seek a deeper understanding of the enduring resonance of Shakespearean drama.This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore, you may see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work.This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.As a reproduction of a historical artifact, this work may contain missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.