A Course of Lectures on Dramatic Art and Literature
by August Wilhelm Von Schlegel

Book may have numerous typos, missing text, images, or index. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. 1840. Excerpt: ... LECTURE XII. Comparison of the English and Spanish theatres.--Spirit of the romantic drama--Shakspeare.--His age and the circumstances of his life.--How far costume is necessary, or may be dispensed with.--Shakspeare the greatest drawer of characters.--Vindication of the genuineness of his pathos.--Play on words.-- Moral delicacy.--Irony.--Mixture of the tragic and comic.-- The part of the fool or clown.--Shakspeare's language and versification.--Account of his several works: comedies, tragedies, and historical dramas.--Appendix on the pieces of Shakspeare said to be spurious. In conformity with the plan which we at first laid down, we shall now proceed to treat of the English and Spanish theatres.--We were compelled in passing to allude cursorily, on various occasions, sometimes to the one and sometimes to the other, partly for the sake of placing, hy means of contrast, many ideas in a clearer light, and partly on account of the influence which these stages have had on the theatres of other countries. Both the English and Spaniards possess a very rich dramatic literature; both have had a number of fruitful dramatic poets of great talents, among whom even the least admired and celebrated, considered as a whole, display uncommon aptitude for dramatic animation and insight into the essence of theatrical effect. The history of their theatre has no connection with that of the Italians and French; for it developed itself wholly from the fulness of its own strength without any foreign influence: the attempts to bring it back to an imitation of the ancients, or even of the French, have either been attended with no success, or not been made till a late period in the decay of the drama. The formation of these two stages is

Available On:

Publisher: General Books LLC

Released: 2012