Defending Dr. Johnson.Clare Asquith's article on Shakespeare was enlightening en·light·en tr.v. en·light·ened, en·light·en·ing, en·light·ens 1. To give spiritual or intellectual insight to: and stimulating, serving as an excellent companion piece to an essay by Adrian Adrian, Roman emperor Adrian, Roman emperor: see Hadrian. Adrian, city, United States Adrian, city (1990 pop. 22,097), seat of Lenawee co., SE Mich., on the Raisin River; inc. 1836. Hastings on the same topic in the Oxford Companion to Christian Thought. But one hates to see Dr. Johnson misrepresented. Far from censuring Shakespeare for failing to observe the classical unities of action, place, and time, Johnson ridiculed the classical unities and praised Shakespeare for recognizing, for example, that if we can imagine being in Athens for the first act, we can surely imagine being in Rome for the second (see "Preface pref·ace n. 1. a. A preliminary statement or essay introducing a book that explains its scope, intention, or background and is usually written by the author. b. An introductory section, as of a speech. 2. to Shakespeare," from Samuel Johnson's Collected Poetry and Prose). Johnson concludes by remarking on his own temerity te·mer·i·ty n. Foolhardy disregard of danger; recklessness. [Middle English temerite, from Old French, from Latin temerit in challenging the time-honored unities. LEO GAFNEY Lakeville, Conn. |
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