Notes to Shakespeare, Volume III: The Tragedies

"Notes to Shakespeare, Volume III: The Tragedies" by Samuel Johnson is a critical commentary on the tragedies of Shakespeare, written in the mid-20th century. This work provides in-depth analysis and notes on various plays, examining thematic elements, character motivations, and historical contexts of Shakespeare's tragedies. Readers interested in both Shakespearean literature and literary criticism will find this exploration insightful to understand the intricacies of these classic works. The opening of the volume features an introduction by Arthur Sherbo that outlines Samuel Johnson's complex emotional response to Shakespeare's tragedies. It highlights Johnson's personal experiences with the plays, delving into specific scenes that evoked strong feelings in him, such as the Ghost in "Hamlet" or the death of Cordelia in "King Lear." Sherbo discusses Johnson's mixture of emotional involvement with certain moments in Shakespeare's works while maintaining a dispassionate editorial perspective on others, setting the stage for a nuanced exploration of the tragedies analyzed throughout the volume.