Character Quote by George Henry Lewes
“I have always considered The Merry Wives one of the worst plays, if not altogether the worst, that Shakespeare has left us. The wit for the most part is dreary or foolish; the tone is coarse and farcical; and the characters want the fine distinctive touches he so well knew how to give. If some luckless wight had written such a comedy in our time, I should like to see what the critics would say to it?”
About This Quote
The critic argues that Shakespeare's The Merry Wives of Windsor lacks the wit, subtlety, and character depth of his other works, rendering it a coarse, unrefined comedy.
In simple terms: A harsh assessment of the play's quality.
Key Takeaway
Not all Shakespeare plays are equally brilliant.
Themes
literary criticism
Shakespearean drama
comedy
taste
artistic standards
Mood
critical
skeptical
analytical
Type
critical
opinion
analysis
When to use this quote
- academic discussion
- book club
- theatre review
- curriculum design
- personal reading
Key Concepts
wit
characterization
tone
coarseness
Practical Applications
- curriculum selection
- critical essay
Questions to Reflect On
- What criteria should define a 'good' Shakespeare play?
- How does personal taste shape literary judgment?
![“But there were other great writers who had done all these things. What set Shakespeare apart...even from other greats, was his generosity: his invitation, even insistence,for others to join him in the act of imagining...His reticence [to add stage directions] made his works wonderfully elastic. It…” quote by Jennifer Lee Carrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/c91/jennifer-lee-carrell-46657_writing_but-there-were-other-great-writers-who-h_2327616.jpg)
