Famous quote by Andrew Coyle Bradley

"Shakespeare very rarely makes the least attempt to surprise by his catastrophes. They are felt to be inevitable, though the precise way in which they will be brought about is not, of course, foreseen"

About this Quote

In the given quote, Andrew Coyle Bradley, a noted Shakespearean scholar, emphasizes an essential characteristic of William Shakespeare's significant style. Bradley recommends that Shakespeare's plays and their supreme resolutions-- described as "catastrophes" in the context of dramatic structure-- do not normally depend on surprising twists or unanticipated outcomes. Rather, they communicate an air of inevitability. This indicates that while audiences might not have the ability to anticipate the exact series of events leading to the climax, there's a hidden sense that the conclusion lines up naturally with the story's progression.

Shakespeare's ability to imbue a story with inevitability is tied to his profound understanding of humanity and fate. His characters are diligently crafted, with inspirations, flaws, and desires that, once set in movement, appear predestined to cause specific outcomes. For instance, in "Macbeth", from the minute the witches prophesy Macbeth's increase to power, the audience can pick up the eventual downfall that arises from his aspiration and moral descent. Though the accurate information of his demise might be shrouded in uncertainty, its occurrence feels inescapable.

Bradley's insight highlights the depth of mental and thematic exploration in Shakespeare's work. The playwright explores existential themes, providing characters that mirror the complexity and typically the awful defects found within humanity itself. This exploration cultivates a narrative where the location is naturally bound to the characters' intrinsic qualities and choices, conveying a sense of realism and fact.

Moreover, Bradley suggests that the strength of Shakespeare's storytelling does not rely on shock worth or unpredictability. Rather, it lies in the journey-- how each character's arc unfolds-- and the elaborate tapestry of thematic components that form the course to the last disaster. This method enables audiences to engage deeply with the story, considering the inescapable repercussions of the characters' actions, decisions, and ethical uncertainties.

About the Author

This quote is written / told by Andrew Coyle Bradley between February 12, 1844 and May 15, 1902. He/she was a famous Judge from USA. The author also have 16 other quotes.
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Andrew Coyle Bradley, Judge

"We cannot arrive at Shakespeare's whole dramatic way of looking at the world from his tragedies alone, as we can arrive at Milton's way of regarding things, or at Wordsworth's or at Shelley's, by examining almost any one of their important works"

Andrew Coyle Bradley, Judge

"Shakespeare's idea of the tragic fact is larger than this idea and goes beyond it; but it includes it, and it is worth while to observe the identity of the two in a certain point which is often ignored"

Andrew Coyle Bradley, Judge

"And I just think that to introduce an unknown Shakespeare is thrilling, too - not to do Hamlet or Romeo and Juliet, to do the richer Shakespeare. People will come to this and not know the story"

Julie Taymor, Director

"Shakespeare is the outstanding example of how that can be done. In all of Shakespeare's plays, no matter what tragic events occur, no matter what rises and falls, we return to stability in the end"

Charlton Heston, Actor

"In approaching our subject it will be best, without attempting to shorten the path by referring to famous theories of the drama, to start directly from the facts, and to collect from them gradually an idea of Shakespearean Tragedy"

Andrew Coyle Bradley, Judge

"A Shakespearean tragedy as so far considered may be called a story of exceptional calamity leading to the death of a man in high estate. But it is clearly much more than this, and we have now to regard it from another side"