Samuel Johnson

Samuel Johnson's "Preface to Shakespeare" is a pivotal piece of literary criticism in that it attacks many of the notions of classical theory, such as: a drama cannot change locations, a drama cannot last more than the time that elapses on stage, and a comedy and tragedy cannot be juxtaposed against each other in a work.  Johnson does this in defense of Shakespeare's groundbreaking writing, which was even under attack by people contemporary to Johnson, such as Voltaire.  Voltaire is even quoted in saying, "Shakespeare is a drunken savage with some imagination whose plays please only in London and Canada."  While Shakespeare's work still pleases many readers in London and Canada 417 years after his death, he is also the most widely read author in the world.  Though this is an impressive fact, Johnson stays away from exalting a writer because he has simply stayed the test of time, although he doesn't deny its impressiveness.  Johnson says "Shakespeare is above all writers... the poet that holds up to his readers a faithful mirrour of manners and of life."  He juxtaposes this to the writers who write with "fanciful invention."  Such writing can only last for a little while after the newness wears off.  When a writer portrays the world and all of the characteristics of humanity, he writes something timeless.  An example of this in Shakespeare's use of "serious" and "ludicrous" characters.  By doing this he produces both sides human emotion, which went against the criticism of the time.  As Johnson says, "That this is a practice contrary to the rules of criticism will be readily allowed; but there is always an appeal open from criticism to nature."