Begun in 1874 and completed in 1880, Swinburne’s study traces what he called the metrical progress of Shakespeare, as heard by the ear rather than counted on the fingers. He divides the plays into periods by their changing style and tone, with long passages on Hamlet and the great tragedies, and takes aim at the verse-counting scholars of the New Shakspere Society.
Passionate, partisan criticism from a great Victorian poet, full of quotable judgements. Download the free EPUB.