ABSTRACT

Lang marvels at the means by which Shakespeare fuses his originality, his sheer inventiveness, with existing popular tradition. Lang the literary critic joins forces with Lang the folklorist; there is a nice touch of self-mockery as his two roles jostle in unsolemn, cooperative rivalry: ‘The fairies “in a wood near Athens” are so magically beautiful that even a hardened folk-lorist reluctantly approaches them with his odious comparative science.’