What according to Shakespeare, are the faults of Shakespeare?

In his "Preface to Shakespeare," Dr. Samuel Johnson discusses the faults of William Shakespeare's plays, as identified by the Bard himself. Johnson notes that Shakespeare was aware of his own shortcomings as a playwright and was not hesitant to critique his own work.

 

One of the primary faults that Shakespeare identified in his own plays was the use of "false wit." Shakespeare used the term "false wit" to describe the use of overly contrived language, wordplay, and puns that were not genuinely witty, but rather cheap tricks designed to amuse the audience. Shakespeare recognized that such humor was often at the expense of dramatic depth and psychological realism, and he sought to avoid it in his later plays.

 

Another fault that Shakespeare acknowledged in his work was the use of excessive and unrealistic plot twists. Shakespeare recognized that some of his earlier plays, such as "Titus Andronicus" and "Pericles," suffered from overly convoluted plots that strained credibility and distracted from the emotional and psychological content of the play. Shakespeare sought to simplify his plots and focus more on character development in his later plays.

 

Shakespeare also recognized the potential pitfalls of excessive sentimentality and melodrama in his plays. He acknowledged that some of his plays, such as "Romeo and Juliet" and "King Lear," contained moments of excessive emotion that could be seen as overwrought or maudlin. Shakespeare sought to balance the emotional intensity of his plays with psychological depth and complexity, allowing his characters to express genuine emotions without devolving into sentimentality.

 

Finally, Shakespeare acknowledged the potential for moralizing and didacticism in his plays. He recognized that some of his plays, such as "The Merchant of Venice" and "Measure for Measure," contained heavy-handed moral messages that could detract from the dramatic impact of the play. Shakespeare sought to incorporate moral themes and messages into his plays in a more subtle and nuanced way, allowing his characters to embody moral virtues and flaws without imposing moral judgments on the audience.

 

In conclusion, William Shakespeare was not hesitant to critique his own work and was aware of the faults in his plays. These included the use of false wit, excessive and unrealistic plot twists, sentimentality and melodrama, and moralizing. Shakespeare sought to address these faults in his later plays, focusing more on character development, psychological realism, and subtler moral themes. Despite these faults, Shakespeare's enduring literary legacy remains a testament to his immense talent and enduring cultural relevance.