Footnotes Quote by Peter Porter
““ The Arden Shakespeare is intended both as a student text and as a revision of traditional scholarship. If it is to be used in the first way, then the often narrow thread of text above a sediment of footnotes, something Dr Leavis so deplored, can prove debilitating. Poems, especially the classics of our language, should be read headlong. Dubieties may be looked up later.””
About This Quote
Academic texts should serve learning, not overwhelm readers with excessive footnotes; primary works deserve direct, immersive reading.
In simple terms: Read classics straight, consult notes later.
Key Takeaway
Prioritize primary text over secondary commentary.
Themes
education
reading
scholarship
literature
Mood
pragmatic
reflective
Type
academic
advice
When to use this quote
- college literature class
- self‑study of Shakespeare
- preparing a scholarly essay
Key Concepts
pedagogy
cognitive load
Practical Applications
- Read the main text first
- Use footnotes only for clarification
Questions to Reflect On
- How does over‑annotation affect comprehension?
- When is deep scholarly context essential?
![“[Footnote:] Pliny the Elder described a Whale called "Balaena or Whirlpool, which is so long and broad as to take up more in length and breadth than two acres of ground." This brings up again the old question: Are the classics doomed? Our ancestors believed that four years of this sort of…” quote by Will Cuppy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/1c1/will-cuppy-7569_acres_footnote-pliny-the-elder-described-a-wha_84284.jpg)
