Vergleichung Shakespears und Andreas Gryphs

work by Schlegel

Written by

The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last updated

July 14, 2026

Quick Summary

Johann Elias Schlegel, a German author and critic, wrote Vergleichung Shakespears und Andreas Gryphs in 1741. This work discussed the relative merits of William Shakespeare and the 17th-century German poet and dramatist Andreas Gryphius. Schlegel's criticism emphasized art's aim to provide pleasure rather than instruction, anticipating later aesthetic theories. Gryphius, a leading German writer of his time, was known for his plays characterized by melancholy and pessimism, often reflecting the hardships of the Thirty Years' War. His works explored themes of stoicism, religious constancy, and the contrast between illusion and reality.

Summary created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

4 Britannica Sources

Ask Britannica AI about this topic

Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.

Johann Elias Schlegel
…awareness of Shakespeare’s genius in Vergleichung Shakespears und Andreas Gryphs (1741), a discussion of the relative merits of Shakespeare and the leading 17th-century German dramatist and poet. Schlegel developed a theory of literary appreciation that anticipated later developments in the field of aesthetics; he insisted that art aims at providing…
Read More
…awareness of Shakespeare’s genius in Vergleichung Shakespears und Andreas Gryphs (1741), a discussion of the relative merits of Shakespeare and the leading 17th-century German dramatist and poet. Schlegel developed a theory of literary appreciation that anticipated later developments in the field of aesthetics; he insisted that art aims at providing…
Read More