William James Craig
Encyclopedia
William James Craig was an editor of Shakespeare's
plays who produced the first Oxford Shakespeare
for the Oxford University Press.
, County Londonderry
, Ireland, where his father was an Anglican minister, on 6 November 1843 and he was educated at Portora School
, Enniskillen. In 1861 he was admitted to Trinity College, Dublin
, graduating BA
in 1865 and being awarded his MA
in 1870. He remained at Trinity for four further years, as a lecturer in literature and history.
, collated from editions of the first folio
. The complete Oxford Shakespeare followed in December 1891. Although marketed as a "portable" edition, from the fine india paper
upon which it was printed, the particular feature of this edition was its "Index of Characters" and a glossary. It had been Craig's intention to expand his glossary for separate publication, but this was unfinished at the time of his death. In 1901 he succeeded Edward Dowden
, a friend from his student days at Trinity, as general editor of the Arden Shakespeare
series, while continuing to teach English literature to private pupils from his rooms at 55a Gloucester Place, London. Among his pupils was the future novelist and lecturer in English literature Natsume Sōseki
, who had been sent to London on a scholarship from the Japanese government.
Craig died in London on 12 December 1906. He had never married.
William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare was an English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon"...
plays who produced the first Oxford Shakespeare
The Oxford Shakespeare
The Oxford Shakespeare is a common term for the range of editions of William Shakespeare's works produced by Oxford University Press. The Oxford Shakespeare is produced under the general editorship of Stanley Wells and Gary Taylor.-The Complete Works:...
for the Oxford University Press.
Early life
Craig was born in MacosquinMacosquin
Macosquin is a small village and townland in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. It is south-west of Coleraine, on the road to Limavady. In the 2001 Census it had a population of 596 people...
, County Londonderry
County Londonderry
The place name Derry is an anglicisation of the old Irish Daire meaning oak-grove or oak-wood. As with the city, its name is subject to the Derry/Londonderry name dispute, with the form Derry preferred by nationalists and Londonderry preferred by unionists...
, Ireland, where his father was an Anglican minister, on 6 November 1843 and he was educated at Portora School
Portora Royal School
Portora Royal School for boys, and some 6th form girls, located in Enniskillen, County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland, is one of a number of 'free schools' founded by Royal Charter in 1608, by James I...
, Enniskillen. In 1861 he was admitted to Trinity College, Dublin
Trinity College, Dublin
Trinity College, Dublin , formally known as the College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity of Queen Elizabeth near Dublin, was founded in 1592 by letters patent from Queen Elizabeth I as the "mother of a university", Extracts from Letters Patent of Elizabeth I, 1592: "...we...found and...
, graduating BA
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
in 1865 and being awarded his MA
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
in 1870. He remained at Trinity for four further years, as a lecturer in literature and history.
Tutor and editor
In 1874 Craig moved to London, where he became a private tutor for the Civil Service and Army entrance examinations, and university matriculation. From 1877 until 1879 he held the position of Professor of English at University College, Aberystwyth. In 1883 he published his first edition of Shakespeare: the New Shakspere Society's CymbelineCymbeline
Cymbeline , also known as Cymbeline, King of Britain or The Tragedy of Cymbeline, is a play by William Shakespeare, based on legends concerning the early Celtic British King Cunobelinus. Although listed as a tragedy in the First Folio, modern critics often classify Cymbeline as a romance...
, collated from editions of the first folio
First Folio
Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies. is the 1623 published collection of William Shakespeare's plays. Modern scholars commonly refer to it as the First Folio....
. The complete Oxford Shakespeare followed in December 1891. Although marketed as a "portable" edition, from the fine india paper
India paper
India paper is a type of paper which from 1875 has been based on bleached hemp and rag fibres, that produced a very thin, tough opaque white paper. It has a basis weight of 20 pounds, yet bulks 1,000 pages to the inch....
upon which it was printed, the particular feature of this edition was its "Index of Characters" and a glossary. It had been Craig's intention to expand his glossary for separate publication, but this was unfinished at the time of his death. In 1901 he succeeded Edward Dowden
Edward Dowden
Edward Dowden , was an Irish critic and poet.He was the son of John Wheeler Dowden, a merchant and landowner, and was born at Cork, three years after his brother John, who became Bishop of Edinburgh in 1886. Edward's literary tastes emerged early, in a series of essays written at the age of twelve...
, a friend from his student days at Trinity, as general editor of the Arden Shakespeare
Arden Shakespeare
The Arden Shakespeare is a long-running series of scholarly editions of the works of William Shakespeare. It presents fully edited modern-spelling editions of the plays and poems, with lengthy introductions and full commentaries...
series, while continuing to teach English literature to private pupils from his rooms at 55a Gloucester Place, London. Among his pupils was the future novelist and lecturer in English literature Natsume Sōseki
Natsume Soseki
, born ', is widely considered to be the foremost Japanese novelist of the Meiji period . He is best known for his novels Kokoro, Botchan, I Am a Cat and his unfinished work Light and Darkness. He was also a scholar of British literature and composer of haiku, Chinese-style poetry, and fairy tales...
, who had been sent to London on a scholarship from the Japanese government.
Craig died in London on 12 December 1906. He had never married.