Shakespeare, Ben Jonson, Beaumont and Fletcher

Metadata

Gutenberg ID

25585

Title

Shakespeare, Ben Jonson, Beaumont and Fletcher

Language

en

Book source

Project Gutenberg

Description max 80 words

Samuel Taylor Coleridge offers a profound critical examination of Shakespeare, Ben Jonson, and the partnership of Beaumont and Fletcher. This text distinguishes Shakespeare's organic genius from the mechanical construction of his contemporaries, analyzing specific plays to reveal deep psychological truths and moral complexities.

Summary up to 500 words

In this seminal critical work, Samuel Taylor Coleridge offers a profound analysis of the major English dramatists of the Jacobean era, distinguishing the supreme genius of William Shakespeare from the mechanical plotting of his contemporaries. Coleridge begins by defining poetry and tracing the evolution of drama, establishing Shakespeare as a poet whose judgment equals his creative power. He meticulously dissects Shakespeare's comedies, praising the exquisite judgment evident in lines from *Henry IV*, and contrasts his historical plays with his tragedies. Coleridge argues that Shakespeare's masterpieces, such as *King Lear* and *Macbeth*, derive their enduring power from universal human passions rather than improbable accidents. He illustrates this by noting that even if the opening scenes of *Lear* were lost, the tragedy would remain intelligible because its foundation lies in the 'catholic' truths of parental anguish and filial ingratitude, not in fantastic hypotheses. Conversely, he critiques the works of Beaumont and Fletcher for relying on out-of-the-way accidents and mechanical incidents that lack psychological depth. While acknowledging their talent, Coleridge asserts that their characters often serve as mere personifications of vice or virtue without the profound moral complexity found in Shakespeare. He also provides specific textual corrections and interpretations for passages in *Henry IV*, *Henry V*, and *Macbeth*, highlighting Shakespeare's ability to develop characters like Richard III and Macbeth with sublime morality, showing how their intellectual pride leads to ruin. Throughout the text, Coleridge emphasizes the necessity of a genuine connection between the stage and the viewer's heart, asserting that Shakespeare's works remain relevant across all ages due to their ideal nature. He further contrasts Shakespeare's organic growth with the artificial arrangement of Beaumont and Fletcher, noting that while the latter excelled in mechanism, only Shakespeare achieved the height, breadth, and depth of true genius.

LLM editorial rating

4.8/5

Download URL

https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/25585.epub.noimages

Local file path

data/epubs/pg25585.epub

Download EPUB

Downloaded at

2026-07-05 06:58 UTC

Categories

• Classics
• Drama