Samuel Johnson and the Tragic Sense

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The exploration of tragedy in the eighteenth century reveals a complex interplay between moral and aesthetic values, particularly in the works of Samuel Johnson. Leopold Damrosch argues that while Johnson understood human suffering, his Christian beliefs and broader worldview constrained his engagement with tragedy, leading to a limited appreciation of its exclusive aspects. Despite the era's shift towards nondramatic forms, Damrosch illustrates that readers still possessed the capacity for an imaginative response to tragic themes.