Art and Artifice in Shakespeare

work by Stoll

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Last updated

July 16, 2026

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Elmer Edgar Stoll's Art and Artifice in Shakespeare (1933) explores how Shakespeare's plays are deeply connected to their historical context. Stoll emphasizes that theatrical conventions, such as costuming, gestures, and the theatre itself, convey meaning to the audience and must be understood within their historical setting. This approach, known as historical criticism, seeks to understand the social, political, economic, and theatrical environment in which Shakespeare wrote. The work suggests that "artifice" in Shakespeare refers to the skillful construction of plays within these historical conventions, while "art" might represent a more profound, unanalyzable creative force.12

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William Shakespeare
Historical criticism
Elmer Edgar Stoll, in Art and Artifice in Shakespeare (1933), stressed the ways in which the plays could be seen as constructs intimately connected with their historical environment. Playacting depends on conventions, which must be understood in their historical context. Costuming signals meaning to the audience; so does the…
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Elmer Edgar Stoll, in Art and Artifice in Shakespeare (1933), stressed the ways in which the plays could be seen as constructs intimately connected with their historical environment. Playacting depends on conventions, which must be understood in their historical context. Costuming signals meaning to the audience; so does the…
Read More