David Nichol Smith's book isn't a single story or argument. Instead, it's a carefully curated museum of thought. He gathers essays from major 18th-century figures like Samuel Johnson, Alexander Pope, and Joseph Addison. These aren't just dry critiques; they're passionate, often contradictory, attempts to make sense of a playwright who didn't follow the classical rules they admired.

The Story

There's no plot, but there is a clear narrative arc created by the order of the essays. It starts with early attempts to edit and 'fix' Shakespeare's plays for a more polite audience. You see writers struggling with what they see as flaws—jokes they find crude, plots they think are messy. Then, as the century goes on, a shift happens. Critics begin to push back against this tidying-up. They start arguing for Shakespeare's original genius, saying his power comes from his freedom, not from rules. The 'story' is the evolution of Shakespeare's reputation, from a problematic talent to a national treasure, told in the critics' own words.

Why You Should Read It

This book completely changed how I see Shakespeare's legacy. We're so used to him being the greatest, that it's easy to forget it wasn't always so. Reading these essays makes his genius feel earned and fought for. It's incredibly humanizing. You see smart people being genuinely perplexed by aspects of the plays we now take for granted. It also makes you appreciate the work of editors and critics who helped preserve and champion his work. Most of all, it's a relief to see that even the greatest art can be debated, questioned, and slowly understood over time. It takes Shakespeare off the pedestal and puts him back into the messy, opinionated world where his plays were meant to live.

Final Verdict

This is a perfect pick for Shakespeare fans who want to go deeper than the plays themselves. It's also great for anyone interested in the history of ideas or literary criticism. You don't need a PhD to enjoy it—just curiosity. If you've ever read a hot take on a modern movie or book and thought 'people have strong opinions,' this shows that strong opinions about art are a centuries-old tradition. It's not a light read, but it's a consistently surprising and engaging one that will make you see the most famous writer in English in a whole new light.