Routledge A Specimen of a Commentary on Shakspeare - 1794 Edition

Discover the origins of twentieth-century Shakespearean criticism with this rare scholarly work. This Routledge Library Edition provides the text of the first 1794 edition of Walter Whiter's Specimen of a Commentary on Shakspeare. This specific version has been revised by the author and was never previously published in this form. While many scholars focus on character studies, Walter Whiter, a classical scholar and country parson, took a different path. He developed a unique form of textual criticism that examines the workings of Shakespearean imagery. This work laid the foundations for critical studies conducted over one hundred and fifty years later. This edition is an essential resource for students and academics studying the history of literary criticism and the evolution of Shakespearean analysis. By accessing this previously unpublished text, readers can explore the early methods used to analyze the linguistic and imagery-based foundations of Shakespeare's plays.