Record Number: 791
Reading Experience:
Evidence:
Macaulay's marginalia in response to a note by Dr Johnson at the end of King Lear. Johnson protested against the unpleasing character of a story, "in which the wicked prosper, and the virtuous miscarry." Macaulay responds: "There is nothing like this last scene in the world. Johnson talks nonsense. Torn to pieces as Lear's heart had been, was he to live happily ever after, as the story-books say? Wonderful as the whole play is, this last passage is the triumph of Shakspeare's [sic] genius. Every character is perfectly supported."
Century:1800-1849, 1850-1899
Date:Between 1800 and 1859
Country:n/a
Timen/a
Place:n/a
Type of Experience(Reader):
silent aloud unknown
solitary in company unknown
single serial unknown
(Listener):
solitary in company unknown
single serial unknown
Reader / Listener / Reading Group:
Reader: Age:Adult (18-100+)
Gender:Male
Date of Birth:25 Oct 1800
Socio-Economic Group:Professional / academic / merchant / farmer
Occupation:Historian and Critic
Religion:Church of England
Country of Origin:England
Country of Experience:n/a
Listeners present if any:e.g family, servants, friends
n/a
Additional Comments:
n/a
Text Being Read:
Author: Title:King Lear
Genre:Drama
Form of Text:Print: Book
Publication DetailsThe twelve volume edition of Shakespeare of 1778
Provenanceowned
Source Information:
Record ID:791
Source:Thomas Babington Macaulay
Editor:George Otto Trevelyan
Title:The Life and Letters of Lord Macaulay
Place of Publication:Oxford
Date of Publication:1978
Vol:2
Page:417
Additional Comments:
In chapter on Macaulay's marginal notes
Citation:
Thomas Babington Macaulay, George Otto Trevelyan (ed.), The Life and Letters of Lord Macaulay, (Oxford, 1978), 2, p. 417, http://www.open.ac.uk/Arts/reading/UK/record_details.php?id=791, accessed: 09 September 2024
Additional Comments:
None
