A Life of William Shakespeare

Sir Sidney Lee

Sir Sidney Lee (1859.1926) was an English biographer and critic, renowned for his extensive contributions to literary scholarship. Educated at the City of London School and Balliol College, Oxford, Lee graduated in modern history in 1882. He became assistant editor of the "Dictionary of National Biography" in 1883, later succeeding Sir Leslie Stephen as editor in 1891. Lee authored over 800 articles for the dictionary, focusing primarily on Elizabethan authors and statesmen. His profound interest in Shakespearean studies culminated in the publication of "A Life of William Shakespeare" in 1898, often regarded as the first modern biography of the Bard. Beyond his Shakespearean work, Lee edited the Oxford facsimile edition of the First Folio and held the position of Professor of English Literature and Language at East London College from 1913 to 1924. Knighted in 1911, Sir Sidney Lee's scholarly endeavors have left an indelible mark on the field of literary biography.