Shakespeare & Beyond
Coat of arms discovery yields new insights into Shakespeare
Dig deeper into one of the biggest Shakespeare stories of 2016: the discovery of previously unknown depictions of Shakespeare’s coat of arms. Folger Curator of Manuscripts Heather Wolfe and Folger Director Michael Witmore elaborate on the significance of those discoveries…
Theater making real history
In this excerpt from the Shakespeare Anniversary Lecture Series at the Folger, Yale professor Joseph Roach argues that “the theater occasionally makes real history itself, materializing it for audiences by its own expressive means, especially so during an age of…
A Renaissance recipe for citrus tarts
Food historian Francine Segan has a taste for the Renaissance and a love of Shakespeare. Here she adapts a recipe for “Citron pye” from a 1587 cookbook. You’ll find an intense combination of vinegar and pepper in these citrus tarts.
Richard III's dagger
Richard (Drew Cortese) and the Duke of York (Remy Brettell) in Richard III, directed by Robert Richmond, Folger Theatre, 2014. Photo by Teresa Wood. This is an excerpt from Yale professor Joseph Roach’s talk for the Shakespeare Anniversary Lecture Series…
Shakespeare New Year's resolutions for 2017
If Shakespeare characters were making New Year’s resolutions, what would (or should) they be? Here are a few of our favorite responses from Twitter. https://twitter.com/JoeDramaTurg/status/814157862897381380 What Shakespeare quote sums up your New Year’s resolution? https://twitter.com/DrRubidium/status/814186091599147009 We also asked if anyone…
A recipe for Twelfth Night cake
Park’s Shakspearean Twelfth-Night Characters. Handcolored print, ca. 1830. Folger Shakespeare Library. Twelfth Night is a Christian holiday typically celebrated on January 5 or 6, concluding the 12 days of Christmas and celebrating the visit of the Magi (the three kings). Twelfth…
The First Folio tour: How American communities celebrated Shakespeare in 2016
Throughout 2016, the Folger has been sending a copy of the First Folio to every state, Puerto Rico, and Washington, DC, in a traveling exhibition.
12 contemporary YA novels that retell Shakespeare
Are you a fan of YA novels? Young adult literature is booming right now, from contemporary sob-fests like The Fault in Our Stars to action adventure series like The Maze Runner. And with Shakespeare a staple of the high school classroom, it makes…
9 Christmas gift ideas for Shakespeare fans
We’ve got nine Shakespeare-themed Christmas gift ideas for you, selected from the Folger shop and all under $20. Find something for your friend, your sibling, your favorite English teacher, or yourself! 1. A Shakespeare quotes mug Drink hot chocolate from a mug with…
Off the Shelf: A Shakespearean Botanical, The Battle of Agincourt, Year of the Fat Knight, and more
Here’s a round-up of Shakespeare-related books, fiction and nonfiction, that are on our must-read list. Ira’s Shakespeare Dream Glenda Armand (author), Floyd Cooper (illustrator) This story of famed African-American actor Ira Aldridge, who believed he could be a great Shakespearean…
See what caught Prince Charles's attention when he visited the Folger Shakespeare Library
(l-r) Gail Kern Paster, Prince Charles, Camilla, Georgianna Ziegler. 2005. By Esther Ferington Charles, Prince of Wales, celebrates his birthday on November 14. To mark the occasion, we’ve been recalling his visit to the Folger Shakespeare Library in 2005, with…
A mulberry tree and other Shakespeare bindings
By Esther Ferington Among the curious items in the Will & Jane exhibition is a 19th-century edition of Shakespeare’s works in an unusual binding. A small frame in the binding’s front cover encloses a piece of wood, described in an…