--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: This therefore is the praise of…" description: "\"“This therefore is the praise of Shakespeare, that his drama is the mirrour of life; that he who has mazed his imagination, in following the phantoms w..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/778/samuel-johnson-50_life_this-therefore-is-the-praise-of-shakespe_3057822.png" --- # This therefore is the praise of Shakespeare, that his… ![“This therefore is the praise of Shakespeare, that his drama is the mirrour of life; that he who has mazed his imagination, in following the phantoms which other writers raise up before him, may here be cured of his delirious extasies, by reading human sentiments in human language; by scenes from…” quote by Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/778/samuel-johnson-50_life_this-therefore-is-the-praise-of-shakespe_3057822.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/778/samuel-johnson-50_life_this-therefore-is-the-praise-of-shakespe_3057822.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/778/samuel-johnson-50_life_this-therefore-is-the-praise-of-shakespe_3057822.png) > ““This therefore is the praise of Shakespeare, that his drama is the mirrour of life; that he who has mazed his imagination, in following the phantoms which other writers raise up before him, may here be cured of his delirious extasies, by reading human sentiments in human language; by scenes from which a hermit may estimate the transactions of the world, and a confessor predict the progress of the passions.”” [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Shakespeare's plays reflect real human emotions and social dynamics, offering insight into life and moral progress. **In simple terms:** Shakespeare shows life through drama. Key Takeaway Read his works to understand humanity. Themes literature human nature reflection Mood thoughtful analytical Type critical educational When to use this quote - studying drama - teaching literature - personal growth Key Concepts mirror of life human sentiment moral insight Questions to Reflect On - How do Shakespeare’s themes apply today? - What limits his universality? A Different Perspective His view may overlook non‑Western narratives. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shakespeare/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [ “He \[Alexander von Humboldt\] was to science what Shakespeare was to the drama.” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-g-ingersoll/he-alexander-von-humboldt-was-to-science-what-shakespeare-was-to-the/) [Robert G. Ingersoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-g-ingersoll/) > [There's a specificity of language that's required in Shakespeare that most drama students in England deal with - a specificity of language that is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-avery/there-s-a-specificity-of-language-that-s-required-in-shakespeare-that/) [James Avery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-avery/) > [It is difficult to know how the Tudors actually spoke because we're going back before Shakespeare; much of the drama from that period is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-mantel/it-is-difficult-to-know-how-the-tudors-actually-spoke-because-we-re/) [Hilary Mantel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-mantel/) > [English is capable of defining sentiments that the human nervous system is quite incapable of experiencing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/english-is-capable-of-defining-sentiments-that-the-human-nervous/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [Religions are the exponents of the highest comprehension of life... within a given age in a given society... a basis for evaluating human sentiments.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/religions-are-the-exponents-of-the-highest-comprehension-of-life/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [Of all human sentiments, enthusiasm creates the most happiness; it is the only sentiment in fact which gives real happiness, the only sentiment which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madame-de-stael/of-all-human-sentiments-enthusiasm-creates-the-most-happiness-it-is/) [Madame de Stael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madame-de-stael/) > [“I content myself with the fact that the general system of our trade is a system of selfishness, is not dictated by the high…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-ferris/i-content-myself-with-the-fact-that-the-general-system-of-our-trade/) [Joshua Ferris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-ferris/) > [Being singer is different than being an actor, where you call up sources from your own experience that you can apply to whatever Shakespeare…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-dylan/being-singer-is-different-than-being-an-actor-where-you-call-up/) [Bob Dylan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-dylan/) > [We studied so much Shakespeare in drama school and I'd like to go back to that. 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Shakespeare is just like learning a new, exciting language.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-barnett/it-s-like-saying-french-shouldn-t-be-taught-because-you-don-t/) [Samuel Barnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-barnett/) ## More by Samuel Johnson > [The size of a man's understanding might always be justly measured by his mirth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/the-size-of-a-man-s-understanding-might-always-be-justly-measured-by/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [Pound St. Paul's Church into atoms, and consider any single atom; it is to be sure, good for nothing; but put all these atoms…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/pound-st-paul-s-church-into-atoms-and-consider-any-single-atom-it-is/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [You can never be wise unless you love reading.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/you-can-never-be-wise-unless-you-love-reading/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [If our aim is to praise, we should forget to criticize; if our aim is to criticize, we should remember to praise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/if-our-aim-is-to-praise-we-should-forget-to-criticize-if-our-aim-is/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [All theory is against free will; all experience is for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/all-theory-is-against-free-will-all-experience-is-for-it/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [Had I learned to fiddle, I should have done nothing else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/had-i-learned-to-fiddle-i-should-have-done-nothing-else/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [It is as foolish to make experiments upon the constancy of a friend, as upon the chastity of a wife.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/it-is-as-foolish-to-make-experiments-upon-the-constancy-of-a-friend/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [Resolve not to be poor: whatever you have, spend less. 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