Some Remarks on the Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, Written by Mr. William Shakespeare (1736)

Some Remarks on the Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, Written by Mr. William Shakespeare (1736) by Anonymous delivers a brisk, persuasive snapshot of eighteenth-century response to Shakespeare’s most famous tragedy. Rooted in the neoclassical tastes of the period, the essay assesses Hamlet’s structure, moral lessons, and stage effectiveness while debating character motivation and dramatic plausibility without giving away the play’s outcomes. Drawing on Augustan critical norms, the anonymous author probes issues of tragedy, decorum, and theatrical practice, offering judgments about Shakespeare’s dramatic art that illuminate how 1730s readers reconciled genius with classical standards. The piece has long intrigued scholars because of its uncertain authorship—traditionally but dubiously linked to Thomas Hanmer—and for the way it reflects changing standards in literary criticism and theater production. A compact work of literary criticism and theater history, this essay is ideal for students and scholars of Shakespeare, listeners curious about historical reception, and anyone fascinated by how past eras read and debated Hamlet. Clear, historically informed, and sharply observant, it enriches contemporary understanding of Shakespearean interpretation.