History of Criticism on Shakespeare

History of Criticism on Shakespeare

Written by Lee Kyoung-Sik

Published by Seoul University Publishing

Consisted of two parts, the first part is 810 pages with the price of 37 thousand Won, and the second part is 1,128 pages long with the price of 49 thousand Won.

This is a voluminous academic study of 2,000 pages long, collecting major criticisms on Shakespearian literature over the period of four century.

The book starts from the criticisms of Green Johnson and Webster who lived at the time space with Shakespeare, and continues to character criticism and mind image analysis in 18th century and ends in structuralism, dissolution theory, Marxism, new historicism in 20th century, collecting all the various approaches of criticism on Shakespeare. This makes the book indispensable for Shakespearean researchers.

Critics in 18th century were not always hospitable to Shakespeare since he ignored the literary traditions at the time including `trios unification principle.`

New classicism critics simultaneously pointed out the weak and strong points of Shakespeare, but Romantic critics in the 19th century inclined to praise him so much that they adored him like a God

In early 20th century, `poetic criticism` advocating textual approach excluding all historical or autobiographical elements, dominated the scene.

According to the author, currently the integrated criticism method adapting the strong points of various methods has been advocated. The author is an honorary professor of the Seoul National University.

Yoon-Jong Yoo gustav@donga.com