The Plays of William Shakespeare was an 18th-century edition of the dramatic works of William Shakespeare, edited by Samuel Johnson and George Steevens. Johnson announced his intention to edit Shakespeare's plays in his Miscellaneous Observations on Macbeth (1745), and a full Proposal for the edition was published in 1756. The edition was finally published in 1765.
In the "Preface" to his edition, Johnson justifies trying to determine the original language of the Shakespearean plays. To benefit the reading audience, he added explanatory notes to various passages. Later editors followed Johnson's lead and sought to determine an authoritative text of Shakespeare.
Read more about The Plays Of William Shakespeare: Background, Johnson's Shakespeare, Critical Response
Famous quotes containing the words william shakespeare, plays and/or shakespeare:
“Adieu, adieu, adieu! remember me.”
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616)
“Better to be despised and have a servant, than to be self-important and lack food.”
—Bible: Hebrew, Proverbs 12:9.
RSV translation reads, “Better is a man of humble standing who works for himself than one who plays the great man but lacks bread.”
“Jesu, Jesu, the mad days that I have spent! And to see how
many of my old acquaintance are dead!”
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616)