Johnson’s reaction against Shakespeare regarding distinction of time and place

Samuel Johnson, a prominent 18th-century literary critic, expressed his reaction against William Shakespeare’s handling of the distinction of time and place in his work “Preface to Shakespeare,” which was written in 1765. In this preface, Johnson discusses various aspects of Shakespeare’s plays and provides his critical analysis of the Bard’s dramatic techniques. One of the elements that Johnson critiques in Shakespeare’s plays is the lack of strict adherence to the classical principles of unity of time and place. According to the neo-classical rules, as derived from Aristotle’s Poetics, a play should take place within a single day (unity of time) and in one location (unity of place). This was seen as a way to maintain the coherence and verisimilitude of the dramatic action. <a href="https://valentinanahata.medium.com/johnsons-reaction-against-shakespeare-regarding-distinction-of-time-and-place-e2c8f3c9c7c2">Read More</a>