In this classic work of literary criticism, Henry Mercer Graves provides a detailed analysis of the works of William Shakespeare, focusing on the characters of Romeo, Hamlet, Juliet, and Ophelia. Drawing on historical research and textual analysis, Graves offers fresh insights into the meaning and significance of these iconic characters, as well as new observations on the works of Sir Walter Scott. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.