ABSTRACT
William Shakespeare in China has always been viewed the greatest world literary and dramatic artist, and his works are taught in both Chinese and English departments of leading Chinese universities, on both undergraduate and graduate levels. This chapter focuses on his tragedies/ comedies but rather mainly deals with the historical sense of his plays in an attempt to argue that he should also be viewed and studied as a historicist. It is found that even some of his best tragedies and comedies should also be viewed as types of history plays as he has not only created superb works of art and historical figures but has also rewritten a sort of history or historical narrative in his dramatic work. As an artist, Shakespeare has also aestheticized and dramatized histories with his superb literary and artistic imagination and narrative force. It is true that Shakespeare is the most studied and discussed Western author in the world as well as in China.
