herder essay on shakespeare

‘Shakespeare’ by Johann Gottfried Herder

Herder’s Shakespeare is not merely a treatise on the great Elizabethan playwright; it is a monumental turning point in the history of literary criticism and aesthetic philosophy, a work that helped to realign the intellectual landscape of Europe at a crucial juncture. Published in 1773 as part of the pamphlet Von deutscher Art und Kunst , this essay signals Herder’s decisive break with Enlightenment poetics and the stifling dominance of French neoclassicism, offering instead a vision that would set the stage for the rise of Romanticism and profoundly influence the trajectory of modern thought.

Herder’s engagement with Shakespeare is nothing less than revolutionary. Rather than viewing Shakespeare through the lens of classical norms, Herder insists on understanding the bard’s works within the context of their own time, place, and culture—a radical historicist approach that was nearly unprecedented. This insistence on the particularity of cultural artifacts, on judging a work of art by the conditions under which it was produced rather than by arbitrary, externally imposed standards, marks the dawn of a new way of thinking about art and literature that would come to dominate the Romantic movement.

Herder’s Shakespeare is deeply rooted in a broader critique of the Enlightenment’s universalizing tendencies. At a time when many intellectuals sought to impose rigid, classical ideals on contemporary art and literature, Herder argues for the importance of local, organic traditions. He critiques the neoclassical reverence for Aristotle, not by outright rejection but by revealing how those so-called universal rules were themselves products of a specific historical and cultural milieu—ancient Greece—and how it is absurd to apply them unchanged to the vastly different context of Shakespeare’s England. This perspective anticipates later developments in cultural relativism and the hermeneutics of suspicion, where the act of interpretation is seen as contingent on historical and cultural factors.

The essay itself is not simply a dry academic critique but a passionate and, at times, poetic defence of Shakespeare. Herder’s prose vibrates with a sense of urgency and personal investment, reflecting the intensity with which he embraced the playwright as a kindred spirit. Herder sees in Shakespeare a model for German literature, a force capable of revitalizing a culture that had been stifled by foreign, particularly French, influences. In his view, Shakespeare’s genius lies not in adherence to classical form but in his profound connection to the spirit of his own people and time—a connection that Herder believes German writers must cultivate if they are to achieve a similar greatness.

Herder’s vision of Shakespeare is inextricably linked to his broader project of cultural renewal. He was writing at a time when Germany, fragmented into countless small states and dominated culturally by France, lacked a unified national culture. Herder’s Shakespeare is part of a larger effort to forge a distinct German identity, one that draws on the strengths of its own history and traditions rather than imitating those of other nations. For Herder, Shakespeare embodies the potential of a national literature to express the deepest values and emotions of a people, a potential that he believed could be realized in Germany if only writers would break free from the shackles of neoclassicism and embrace their own cultural heritage.

This new edition of Herder’s essay, expertly translated by Gregory Moore, brings to life the vibrancy and relevance of Herder’s thought for contemporary readers. Moore’s translation captures the rhetorical flourish and emotional intensity of Herder’s original text, while his introduction provides valuable context, situating the essay within the broader currents of 18th-century thought and exploring its lasting impact on the development of literary criticism. Moore’s work ensures that Herder’s insights remain accessible and compelling, offering today’s readers a chance to engage with one of the most important documents in the history of literary theory.

Herder’s Shakespeare is more than an academic text; it is a clarion call for the liberation of art from the constraints of artificial rules and foreign domination. It challenges us to see art and literature not as static entities to be judged by fixed standards, but as dynamic expressions of the cultural and historical forces that shape them. In doing so, it lays the groundwork for a new kind of aesthetic appreciation, one that values authenticity and creativity over conformity and tradition.

This essay’s importance cannot be overstated. It is not merely a reflection on Shakespeare but a foundational text in the history of aesthetics, a work that helped to define the transition from Enlightenment to Romanticism and that continues to influence how we think about art and literature today. Whether you are a scholar of Shakespeare, a student of German literature, or simply a lover of ideas, Herder’s Shakespeare offers a profound and transformative vision of what art can be—a vision that remains as vital today as it was over two centuries ago.

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