Eighteenth Century Essays on Shakespeare

This volume brings together nine seminal essays and prefatory pieces that shaped early discussion of Shakespeare’s work. Ranging from Dryan’s early 18th‑century reflections to the budding Romantic insights of Coleridge, the selections reveal a lively debate that long preceded the nineteenth‑century revival. Many of the texts, such as Rowe’s full 1714 account and Dennis’s 1721 essay, appear here in their original form for the first time in modern print.

The editor’s introduction maps how eighteenth‑century critics already recognised Shakespeare’s genius, arguing that figures like Pope, Johnson, and Theobald offered nuanced praise alongside pointed criticism. Detailed notes show how each essay evolved through its own editions, giving listeners a sense of the scholarly dialogue that animated the period. By hearing these restored voices, audiences can appreciate how the foundations of Shakespeare criticism were laid long before the later “Romantic” reassessments.