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Shakespearean Tragedy: Lectures on Hamlet, Othello, King Lear, and Macbeth (Penguin Classics) Paperback – October 1, 1991

by A. C. Bradley (Author), John Bayley (Foreword)
4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 91 ratings
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"A.C. Bradley put Shakespeare on the map for generations of readers and students for whom the plays might not otherwise have become 'real' at all" writes John Bayley in his foreword to this edition of Shakespearean Tragedy: Lectures on Hamlet, Othello, King Lear and Macbeth.

Approaching the tragedies as drama, wondering about their characters as he might have wondered about people in novels or in life, Bradley is one of the most liberating in the line of distinguished Shakespeare critics. His acute yet undogmatic and almost conversational critical method has—despite fluctuations in fashion—remained enduringly popular and influential. For, as John Bayley observes, these lectures give us a true and exhilarating sense of "the tragedies joining up with life, with all our lives; leading us into a perspective of possibilities that stretch forward and back in time, and in our total awareness of things."

For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators.
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Previous page
  1. Print length
    480 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Penguin Classics
  4. Publication date
    October 1, 1991
  5. Dimensions
    5.14 x 0.81 x 7.77 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    9780140530193
  7. ISBN-13
    978-0140530193
  8. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

About the Author

A. C. Bradley was born in Cheltenham in 1851, the son of a clergyman. He was educated at Balliol College, Oxford, where he studied classics. He first taught literature at Liverpool University, then in 1889 became professor of English language and literature at Glasgow. From 1901 to 1906 he was professor of poetry at Oxford University. His lectures appeared in book form as Shakespearean Tragedy in 1904, and five years later he published Oxford Lectures on Poetry, which includes a memorable one on Antony and Cleopatra. A. C. Bradley died in 1935.

John Bayley is a former Thomas Warton Professor of English Literature at the University of Oxford and is the author of books on Tolstoy, Hardy, and Housman. He has also written several novels and a memoir, Elegy for Iris.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ 0140530193
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Penguin Classics (October 1, 1991)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 480 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 9780140530193
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0140530193
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.31 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.14 x 0.81 x 7.77 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 91 ratings

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A. C. Bradley

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Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
4.5 out of 5
91 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Jeff
5.0 out of 5 stars The Best Shakespearean Criticism I Have Read So Far
Reviewed in the United States on December 7, 2021
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I have read every play and poem by Shakespeare, but have only read what scholarship was assigned for my classes. This, Coleridge, and Bloom are the only critics of Shakespeare I’ve read outside of a classroom setting. This book was the most enjoyable of all the Shakespeare criticism I’ve read so far. Bradley writes very clearly, and the lecture format makes the book much more digestible. Bradley is an expert at posing intelligent, intriguing questions, and he gives us amazing, in-depth analyses of the characters. I’ve read critiques of Bradley that say he treats Shakespeare’s characters as though they were historical people, but I don’t think this is a fair judgment. Bradley seems to assume that the characters have a certain depth and background outside of the immediate events of the play, and I think that’s a fair assumption and works well for him.

Of the Shakespeare criticism I’ve read so far, this book and Coleridge’s lectures seem to be the most engaging. Sadly, Coleridge’s lectures are out of print, so I’ve never read all of them, but I’m very glad Bradley’s book is still in print. This is a great book and a great edition.
4 people found this helpful
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Christopher
5.0 out of 5 stars One of the greatest books I've ever read!
Reviewed in the United States on April 21, 2022
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Bradley examines Shakespeare's four greatest tragedies: Macbeth, Othello, King Lear and Hamlet.

He focuses with great intensity, and charm, on the characters of the plays - on how the characters shape the action and are shaped by it. He exposes the deeper meaning of the plays. I have read a great deal of Shakespearean criticism and this book makes modern works look like high school projects. Many scholars today pull Shakespeare down to our obsession with "isms", but Bradley attempts to rise up to the level of the greatest human genius.

These lectures by Bradley are phenomenal but are not light reading. They force you to re-examine Shakespeare and perhaps to re-examine yourself in the light of his profound analysis.
5 people found this helpful
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Stephen Armstrong
5.0 out of 5 stars Speaking to 21st century readers....
Reviewed in the United States on August 8, 2002
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A.C. Bradley wrote these lectures in 1904, and the book has gone through at least 26 printings. It is significant that the Folger Shakespeare Library has republished these lectures. They are hugely important and vibrantly written. I am sure my father read these in college, and I know my son did, too. I'm glad I finally got around to them! You will be, also, for all the reasons that other reviewers have noted.
24 people found this helpful
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Aran Joseph Canes
4.0 out of 5 stars Shakespeare Geekdom!
Reviewed in the United States on August 17, 2023
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It’s said that excessive rumination is the sign of a neurotic mind. I, at least, find that when I reread some books, I focus on the same themes, characters and feelings that I had originally.

That’s why it can be helpful to listen to a lecture series or buy a commentary. A.C. Bradley’s lectures on Shakespearean tragedy, though more than a century old, have a way of reinvigorating the text so that you can return to it again; almost as if it were a new read.

He studies these tragedies from a very Victorian perspective: it’s the personalities and characters which concern him. The epitome of tragedy is the eruption of personality in a world with no concern for human beings. Characters are driven to their ends by their peculiar mix of virtues and vices. If Othello could be the protagonist of Hamlet and Hamlet the protagonist of Othello there would be no need for a tragedy.

While almost completely ignoring the actual words which make so many deem Shakespeare the greatest English author and tending to downplay any connection between biography and subject matter, these lectures did succeed in reopening the plays to me for new exploration.

Not to be snarky, but at times Bradley sounds like a nerd who is immersed in an imagined universe. He asks such questions as, “What was it like for Cordelia to grow up with sisters like Goneril and Regan?” But perhaps only someone who takes these imaginary characters so seriously could have had his insights.

If you do find yourself looking for new insights into an author who has spawned almost a Talmudic literature of his own these are classics in that ever growing genre. Perhaps, you too will start debating precisely how long Hamlet studied at Wittenberg…
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tinygard
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent help!
Reviewed in the United States on May 29, 2013
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This book really helped me to understand Shakepearean plays; I would highly recommend it if you are looking for a deeper reading experience.
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Richard Chandler
5.0 out of 5 stars Shakespearean Tragedy
Reviewed in the United States on June 29, 2014
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A larger-print and thereby readable edition of the classic study, one that grows wiser over time. Very highly recommended!
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Amazon Customer
3.0 out of 5 stars Disapointment, but still useful
Reviewed in the United States on July 17, 2015
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First let me point out that I like the book, but it wa not what I expected. I just saw Shakespearean Tragedy and thought it was a small anthology of his tragedy plays, but it's just a collection of essays that explain his tragedies of Hemlet, Othello, King Lear, and MacBeth. Why I was disapointed was because I was looking for a smaller anthology to use for my Shakesphere class that starts next month. Even though it wasn't what I was expecting, the eassays in it could help me with the plays we have to read for the class.
3 people found this helpful
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Ariel F.
5.0 out of 5 stars WE NEED THIS BOOK IN AUDIO FORM NOW!
Reviewed in the United States on May 21, 2019
A classic of Shakespearean criticism, and in the public domain!
2 people found this helpful
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Reader-718
5.0 out of 5 stars I cannot recommend this highly enough…
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 13, 2022
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Penguin are the masters when it comes to books like this. The quality of the physical book, and the content.

Whether you’re an aficionado or looking to understand Shakespeares major works, this is perfect.

Thoroughly recommended and very much enjoyed.
3 people found this helpful
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Kindle Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Qualidade
Reviewed in Brazil on August 22, 2020
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Muito bom
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Greg Hound
5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 1, 2019
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Character-led analysis of the great tragedies. Perfect for contemporary readers.
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Cameron
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 21, 2015
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It helped my granddaughter with her A levels
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d.b.lowbridge
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 27, 2015
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satisfactury
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