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ChapterI.ShakespeareearlyEuropeanreception(1623-1725)
importantpiecesofShakespearecriticism1Theiracclamationoftheplay-
wright’sachievementsinthefieldofliteraturegainedsupportfromotherwriters
andcritics
BenJonson(1573-1637),alaboriouswriterhimself,enrichedtheFirst
Foliowithhisode‘Tothememoryofmybeloved,TheAUTHORMaster
WilliamShakespeare’.Thatoutstandinghomagetohiscolleagueandformida-
blecompetitorisanepitomyofprofoundadmirationanddevotiontothewriter
whom‘neitherman,normuse,canpraisetoomuch’([1623]1994:xlv).For
BenJonson,Shakespeare,‘thewonderofourstage!’,wasabrilliantplaywright
whoexcelledinpoetryfarabovesuchwritersasChaucer,Spencer,‘sporting’
Kydor‘mighty’Marlowe(xlv).
EvenShakespeare’sliabilitiessuchashislackofathoroughclassicaleduca-
tionasheonlyhad‘smallLatin,andlessGreek’,servedtohisadvantage.Shake-
speare’sworksnotonlystoodthecomparisonwith‘allthatinsolentGreece,or
haughtyRomesentforth’buthewastheone‘TowhomallscenesofEurope
homageowe’(xlv)2.TheElizabethanplaywright,therefore,matchedtheachieve-
mentsoftheancientswithoutbeingindebtedtothem.Hisnatural,prolific
1
WilliamShakespearealreadyenjoyedfameandconsiderablecriticalattentionduring
hisownlifetime.Thoseremarks,however,werelimitedtothepraiseofhisgenial
character,industryandeloquence.Theyweregenerousbutbynomeanspenetrating.
Theplaywrightwasnotsparedfrombittercriticism.RobertGreene’sdeath-bedpam-
phletGreen’sGroats-WorthofWit(1592)wasaviciousattackdenouncingShakespeare
asayoungupstartforhisnervetocompetewithUniversityWits.HenryChettle
(1560-1607)aprinter,whopublishedGreene’struculentoutburst,counteredit
withthehandsomeretractionKindHeart’sDream,wherehecomplimentedShake-
speare’s‘honesty’and‘graceinwriting’(Chettle,[1592]1841:xiv;Vickers,1995:
vol.1:1).FrancisMeres(1565-1647)anauthorandcommentatorofLondonliter-
arysceneinhisworkof1598entitledPalladisTamia:WitsTreasuryreferredtoShake-
spearethreetimes.Firstly,MeresstatedthatShakespearewasoneofthewriterswho
‘mightilyenriched’theEnglishlanguage,hecompared‘honey-tongued’playwright
fromtheBritishIslestoOvidandfinallyconcludedthat‘theMuseswouldspeak
withShakespearesfine-filedphrase,iftheywouldspeakEnglish’(Meres,[1598]
1815:150-152).‘SweetShakespeare’wasmentionedseveraltimesinParnassusplays
fashionableCambridgesatireswrittenforChristmasentertainmentinthe1600s
(Kujawińska-Courtney,2007:xvii-xviii;Vickers,1995:vol.1:2).
2
BenJonsoncouldnothaverealizedhowprophetichiswordswereandtowhatextent
ShakespearewouldinfluenceEuropeantheatre.ReferringtoShakespeare’simpact
onEuropeanstagesin1623,hemusthavehadinmindEnglishstrollingactorswho
atthattimetravelledthewidthandbreadthofcontinentalEuropewiththeplaysof
theBardincludedintheirrepertory(Kujawińska-Courtney,1996:189-191).
