High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! Characters of Shakespear`s Plays is an 1817 book of criticism of Shakespeare`s plays, written by early nineteenth century English essayist and literary critic William Hazlitt. Composed in reaction to the neoclassical approach to Shakespeare`s plays typified by Dr. Johnson, it was among the first English-language studies of Shakespeare`s plays to follow the manner of German critic A. W. Schlegel, and, with the work of Coleridge, paved the way for the increased appreciation of Shakespeare`s genius that was characteristic of later nineteenth century criticism. It was also the first book to cover all of Shakespeare`s plays, intended as a guide for the general reader.