Shakespeare, montaigne, and classical reason

[Extract] A long-standing assumption and justification of literary culture is that major authors offer readers ethical or political counsel: practical wisdom about fundamental dilemmas of human life. Poetry teaches as well as delights – “is full of virtue-breeding delightfulness”, as Sidney said (389). Shakespeare has been a prime site for the faith that major authors can provide us with advice on “how to live”: not infrequently is it taken for granted that the study of his works may comprise an education in moral, perhaps political, rationality