Critically comment on Dr. Johnson’s assessment of King Lear in ‘Preface to Shakespeare’. Discuss how those comments conform to Johnson’s overall assessment of Shakespeare, the dramatist.

 Samuel Johnson's "Preface to Shakespeare" is a landmark work of Shakespearean criticism that provides a unique and influential assessment of Shakespeare's plays. In his discussion of King Lear, Johnson offers a distinctive reading of the play that reflects his overall assessment of Shakespeare as a dramatist. This essay will critically comment on Johnson's assessment of King Lear in the "Preface to Shakespeare" and discuss how those comments conform to Johnson's overall assessment of Shakespeare.

Johnson's assessment of King Lear is rooted in his overall approach to Shakespeare as a dramatist. He believed that Shakespeare was a master of dramatic construction and that his plays were characterized by a complex interplay of plot, character, and language. Johnson also emphasized the importance of historical and cultural context in understanding and interpreting Shakespeare's plays.

Johnson's assessment of King Lear reflects these broader principles of Shakespearean criticism. He begins by noting that King Lear is one of Shakespeare's most challenging and complex plays, requiring careful attention to its structure, characters, and language. Johnson argues that the play is a tragedy of "intellectual energy," meaning that it explores the consequences of human beings who attempt to exercise their reason and will against the natural order of things.

One of the key features of Johnson's reading of King Lear is his emphasis on the play's thematic coherence. He argues that the play is unified by a central theme of justice, which is expressed through the actions and motivations of the characters. Johnson sees Lear's downfall as the result of his failure to recognize the just claims of his daughters and to acknowledge the limits of his own power. He also sees the play's other characters as struggling with similar issues of justice, including Gloucester, who is blinded for his misguided loyalty to Lear, and Edmund, who seeks power through deception and manipulation.

Johnson's assessment of King Lear is also notable for its attention to the play's language and imagery. He notes that the play is characterized by a rich and varied use of language, including poetic language, colloquial language, and even nonsense language. Johnson argues that Shakespeare's ability to use language to express complex ideas and emotions is one of his greatest strengths as a dramatist, and he praises the play's use of metaphor and imagery to convey the sense of chaos and disorder that characterizes Lear's world.

Overall, Johnson's assessment of King Lear conforms to his broader assessment of Shakespeare as a dramatist. Johnson saw Shakespeare as a master of dramatic construction, language, and characterization, and he believed that his plays explored fundamental human themes and dilemmas. He also emphasized the importance of historical and cultural context in understanding and interpreting Shakespeare's works, and he sought to establish a new standard of scholarship that would elevate Shakespeare's plays to the level of great literature.

However, Johnson's assessment of King Lear is not without its limitations. Some critics have argued that Johnson's focus on thematic coherence and moral justice may oversimplify the play's complex exploration of power, madness, and the natural world. Others have criticized Johnson's tendency to impose a single interpretation on Shakespeare's works, rather than allowing for the multiple meanings and possibilities that are inherent in the plays themselves.

In conclusion, Samuel Johnson's assessment of King Lear in the "Preface to Shakespeare" reflects his broader assessment of Shakespeare as a dramatist. Johnson saw Shakespeare as a master of dramatic construction, language, and characterization, and he emphasized the importance of historical and cultural context in understanding and interpreting his works. While Johnson's assessment of King Lear is not without its limitations, it remains a significant contribution to the ongoing critical conversation about Shakespeare's plays.