Shakespearean Tragedy

A.C. Bradley

• Publisher: Red Globe Press
• Year: 2018
• Print ISBN:
  9780230001893
• Edition: 4
• eBook ISBN:
  9781137092533
• Topic: Literature
• Subtopic: Literary Criticism in Poetry
• Index: Literature

A.C.Bradley's Shakespearean Tragedy, first published in 1904, ranks as one of the greatest works of Shakespearean criticism of all time. In his ten lectures, Bradley has provided a study of the four great tragedies - Hamlet, Othello, King Lear and Macbeth - which reveals a deep understanding of Shakespearean thought and art.

This centenary edition features a new Introduction by Robert Shaughnessy which places Bradley's work in the critical, intellectual and cultural context of its time. Shaughnessy summarises the content and argumentative thrust of the book, outlines the critical debates and counter-arguments that have followed in the wake of its publication and, most importantly, prompts readers to engage with Bradley's work itself.

Table of contents

• Cover
• Half Title
• Title
• Copyright
• Dedication
• Contents
• Introduction to the Fourth edition by Robert Shaughnessy
• Original Introduction
• LECTURE I: The Substance of Shakespearean Tragedy
• LECTURE II: Construction in Shakespeare’s Tragedies
• LECTURE III: Shakespeare’s Tragic Period - Hamlet
• LECTURE IV: Hamlet
• LECTURE V: Othello
• LECTURE VI: Othello
• LECTURE VII: King Lear
• LECTURE VIII: King Lear
• LECTURE IX: Macbeth
• LECTURE X: Macbeth
• NOTE A. Events before the opening of the action in Hamlet
• NOTE B. Where was Hamlet at the time of his father’s death?
• NOTE C. Hamlet’s age
• NOTE D. ‘My tables - meet it is I set it down’
• NOTE E. The Ghost in the cellarage
• NOTE F. The Player’s speech in Hamlet
• NOTE G. Hamlet’s apology to Laertes
• NOTE H. The exchange of rapiers
• NOTE I. The duration of the action in Othello
• NOTE J. The ‘additions’ to Othello in the First Folio. The Pontic Sea
• NOTE K Othello's courtship
• NOTE L. Othello in the Temptation scene
• NOTE M. Questions as to Othello, IV.i
• NOTE N. Two passages in the last scene of Othello
• NOTE O. Othello on Desdemona’s last words
• NOTE P. Did Emilia suspect Iago?
• NOTE Q. Iago’s suspicion regarding Cassio and Emilia
• NOTE R. Reminiscences of Othello in King Lear
• NOTE S. King Lear and Timon of Athens
• NOTE T. Did Shakespeare shorten King Lear?
• NOTE U. Movements of the dramatis person? in King Lear, II
• NOTE V. Suspected interpolations in King Lear
• NOTE W. The staging of the scene of Lear’s reunion with Cordelia
• NOTE X. The Battle in King Lear
• NOTE Y. Some difficult passages in King Lear
• NOTE Z. Suspected interpolations in Macbeth
• NOTE AA. Has Macbeth been abridged?
• NOTE BB. The date of Macbeth. Metrical Tests
• NOTE CC. When was the murder of Duncan first plotted?
• NOTE DD. Did Lady Macbeth really faint?
• NOTE EE. Duration of the action in Macbeth. Macbeth’s age. ‘He has no children’
• NOTE FF. The Ghost of Banquo
• Notes by Robert Shaughnessy
• Index