Shakespeare’s Fight with the Pirates and the Problems of the Transmission of his Text

This book presents a detailed analysis of Shakespeare's early Quartos, arguing they are more reliable than previously thought. Shakespeare’s Fight with the Pirates and the Problems of the Transmission of his Text challenges traditional views.

Originally delivered as a series of lectures at Cambridge in 1915, Shakespeare’s Fight with the Pirates and the Problems of the Transmission of his Text explores the measures taken to combat book piracy in early modern England. The author argues, often controversially, that the early Quartos of Shakespeare's plays are more closely aligned with the original manuscripts than previously believed. This assertion challenges long-standing assumptions about the bibliographical value of these texts, which were often dismissed due to perceived errors and inconsistencies.

In this meticulous study, the author, a noted bibliographer and literary scholar, scrutinizes the traditional methods of Shakespearean bibliography, questioning the validity of the belief that early Quartos were unreliable. By highlighting the historical context of printing piracy, the book makes a compelling case for the significance of these Quartos in understanding Shakespeare's work. The author’s insights, shared alongside contemporaries like J. Dover Wilson and W. W. Greg, helped lay the groundwork for what would become New Bibliography.

Upon its release, Shakespeare’s Fight with the Pirates and the Problems of the Transmission of his Text sparked what the introduction describes as 'friendly controversy' among scholars. The book, first published in 1915 and revised in 1920, continues to be an important text for those studying Shakespeare’s works and the complexities surrounding their transmission.