Ariosto, Shakespeare and Corneille

A collection of three sustained critical essays applies a single aesthetic theory that treats art as intuitive expression and essentially lyrical. The first essay reads Ariosto through the predominance of love, showing how harmony arises from material elements and historical disassociations. The second distinguishes Shakespeare's practical from his poetical personality, traces dominant sentiments and motives, and analyzes dramatic technique alongside the duties of criticism. The third examines Corneille by critiquing prior commentary, defining his dramatic ideal, and investigating the mechanics and poetic character of his tragedies. Throughout, philosophical argument and close reading are combined to account for poetic effect and the autonomy of aesthetic judgment.