On May 2, 2024 the Folger’s virtual book club continues with a discussion of The East Indian by Brinda Charry. To prepare for the discussion, we have pulled together a list of resources related to A Midsummer Night’s Dream and America’s early colonization.
READ the Shakespeare play referenced throughout novel
EXPLORE the play’s connection to trade and early globilization
- ‘In the spiced Indian air’: Trading coin and cloth in the empire of the Great Mughal
- Shakespeare’s Asia: Ships, spices, and porcelain
- written by Su Fang Ng, May’s guest speaker
- “More strange than true”: Finding America among the fairies
LISTEN to podcast episodes related to colonial history and impact
We would like to thank the following organization for its generous support of this program
Join us for a future event
Shakespeare Exhibition
Our Shakespeare Exhibition
See the Folger First Folios, learn more about Shakespeare and his plays, and explore the complexities of his cultural legacy.
Ongoing
Shakespeare's Birthday Celebration 2026
Shakespeare's Birthday Celebration
Celebrate Shakespeare’s birthday at the Folger with fun, family-friendly activities and birthday cupcakes for all! Make an Elizabethan ruff, watch sword-fighting and printing press demonstrations, write sonnets, and more.
Sat, Apr 18, 2026, 11am
Shakespeare's Birthday Lecture with Dr. Emma Smith
Shakespeare's Birthday Lecture with Dr. Emma Smith
Join us for the Folger Institute’s annual Shakespeare’s Birthday Lecture with Dr. Emma Smith, Professor of Shakespeare Studies at Oxford University.
Sat, Apr 18, 2026 at 7pm
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