Books and Characters, French & English

"Books and Characters, French & English" by Lytton Strachey is a collection of thoughtful essays that looks at famous writers from France and England. Published in the early 1900s, the book examines how differently people judged important literary figures based on whether they were French or English. Strachey compares the views on playwrights like Racine and Shakespeare, pointing out how critics and cultures had very different ideas about their work. The book wants to look closely at how we judge literature, all while respecting the value of these great writings. The opening essay compares and contrasts the writing styles of Racine and Shakespeare, using examples of critical reception as a way of discussing cultural preference. The book starts by presenting English critic Mr. John Bailey's writing on Racine, and then compares that writing to the praise from French critics like M. Lemaître to show how a nation's taste affects how we view greatness in literature. Strachey's goal is also to show readers how complicated an appreciation of poetry and plays is when looking across different cultures.