...by the progress of time and circumstance. This assumption is made by all his critics. Pope says : " Every single character in Shakespeare is as much an individual as those in life itself ". Schlegel tells us that his characters " possess such truth that when (they are) deformed monsters...

...He passes to the Characters, and says that whereas those of other poets have a constant resemblance, 'every single character in Shakespeare is as much...itself; it is as impossible to find any two alike'. He speaks next of Shakespeare's power over the Passions, a power which was never possessed in a more...

...nature herself, that 'tis a sort of injury to call them so distant a name as copies of her. . . . But every single character in Shakespeare is as much an...itself; it is as impossible to find any two alike; . . . To this life and variety of character, we must add the wonderful preservation of it; which is...

...Nature herself, that 'tis a sort of injury to call them by so distant a name as copies of her. . . . Every single character in Shakespeare is as much an...it is as impossible to find any two alike ' ; and Theobald echoed him in a lyrical passage, — ' If we look into his Characters, and how they are furnished...

...another, and were but multiplyers of the same image. . . . But every single character in Shakespear is as much an Individual, as those in Life itself;...impossible to find any two alike; and such as from their relation or affinity in any respect appear most to be Twins, will upon comparison be found remarkably...

...multiplyers of the same image : each picture like a mock-rainbow is but the reflexion of a reflexion. But every single character in Shakespeare is as much an...impossible to find any two alike ; and such as from their relation or affinity in any respect appear most to be Twins, will upon comparison be found remarkably...

...Works of MR William Shakespeare" seems to have intended praise: every single character in Shakespear is as much an Individual, as those in Life itself; it is as impossible to find any two alike; . . . had all the Speeches been printed without the very names of the Persons, I believe one might...

...the dramatic personae were indeed "natural." Therefore, Alexander Pope's often cited criticism that "every single Character in Shakespeare is as much an individual as those in Life itself" acquires a layer of verbal irony unintended by the author: text is transformed into life, and life...

...soul':41 so comprehensive, indeed, that Pope could declare that 'every single character in Shakespear is as much an Individual, as those in Life itself; it is as impossible to find any two alike'.4- Johnson, who makes his appeal *to nature' in the 'Preface' to his Shakespeare edition, also...

...much Nature her self that 'tis . . . injury to call them by so distant a name as Copies of her. . . . [E]very single character in Shakespeare is as much an Individual as those in Life itself; it is . . . impossible to find any two alike; . . . To judge therefore of Shakespeare by Aristotle's rules...