Shakespeare Lexicon and Quotation Dictionary: A Complete Dictionary of All the English Words, Phrases, and Constructions in the Works of the Poet (Volume 1 A-M

by Alexander Schmidt

In more than 300 years of Shakespearean scholarship, only one book, the famous Shakespeare Lexicon and Quotation Dictionary, has investigated the meaning of every word that Shakespeare wrote. The lifetime work of Professor Alexander Schmidt of Königsberg, this book has long been the indispensable companion for every person seriously interested in Shakespeare, Renaissance poetry and prose of any sort, or English literature. It is really two important books in one.
Schmidt’s set contains every single word that Shakespeare used, not simply words that have changed their meaning since the seventeenth century, but every word in all the accepted plays and the poems. Covering both quartos and folios, it carefully distinguishes between shades of meaning for each word and provides exact definitions, plus governing phrases and locations, down to the numbered line of the Cambridge edition of Shakespeare. There is no other word dictionary comparable to this work.
Even more useful to the general reader, however, is the incredible wealth of exact quotations. Arranged under the words of the quotation itself (hence no need to consult confusing subject classifications) are more than 50,000 exact quotations. Each is precisely located, so that you can easily refer back to the plays or poems themselves, if you wish context.
Other features helpful to the scholar are appendixes on basic grammatical observations, a glossary of provincialisms, a list of words and sentences taken from foreign languages, a list of words that form the latter part of word-combinations. This third edition features a supplement with new findings.

Genres: Shakespeare, Reference, Nonfiction, Theatre, Drama, Language

768 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1874

About the author

Alexander Schmidt (1816–1887) was a German schoolmaster and philologist best known for his Shakespeare-Lexicon, a reference work that cataloged and defined the vocabulary, phrases, and constructions in Shakespeare’s plays and poems. First published in 1874–75, it became a standard tool for Shakespeare scholarship and was later revised and expanded by Gregor Sarrazin in a 1902 edition.

Reviews

[L Blanchard]

This and Volume 2 were quite the tool for my professional days of acting Shakespeare. With it and a little work you can make clear the meaning of some of the most obtuse sentences that the bard has written and even the ones that seem simply straightforward.

[Lisa Bettini]

A MUST if you read Shakespeare or perform it. Variable meanings and intents with every single word the Bard ever wrote. Indispensable!

[Jeff Alan-Lee]

Fascinating. Every actor should have this in their library. It makes the work come alive for actors. Get both dictionaries! I always start with this dictionary before working on Shakespeare. I've helped young actors get into major colleges using this as a prep. It is THE key into understanding and the first step to mastering the gorgeous work of Shakespeare.

[Kate]

Indispensible for any actor or student of Shakespeare.

[Gaenolee]

A need-to-have for every Shakespeare student. Every single word is explained and its origin discussed.

[Edward]

A must for performance.