The Shakespeare & Beyond blog features a wide range of Shakespeare-related topics: the early modern period in which he lived, the ways his plays have been interpreted and staged over the past four centuries, the enduring power of his characters and language, and more.
Shakespeare & Beyond

Shakespeare & Beyond also explores the topics that shape our experience of Shakespeare today: trends in performance, the latest discoveries and scholarship, news stories, pop culture, interesting books, new movies, the rich context of theater and literary history, and more. As the word “beyond” suggests, from time to time Shakespeare & Beyond also covers topics that are not directly linked to Shakespeare.
Questions or comments? You can reach us at shakespeareandbeyond@folger.edu.

Quiz: Shakespeare and travel
In this busy travel time, try out our “Travel and Shakespeare” quiz about journeys in his plays and in real life, too.

Celebrating a spectacular Fourth with Folger exhibitions
On display: A letter from Abigail Adams and other extraordinary American items help celebrate the Fourth of July.

Michael Witmore on serving as director and the renovation
Michael Witmore talks about his experiences as Folger director and the recent Folger grand reopening.

“Speak what terrible language you will”: Shakespeare and TikTok
Austin Tichenor on whether TikTok, like Shakespeare, is adding new words and phrases.

Order It: "Sermons in stones" from As You Like It
Shakespeare’s phrase “sermons in stones” is from a speech in As You Like It. Take this quiz to see if you can correctly order the lines.

14 Shakespeare quotes about new beginnings
As the Folger prepares to reopen, we turn to Shakespeare’s plays for quotations about new beginnings and fresh starts.

New ideas for summer reading
Explore great Shakespeare-related ideas for summer reading from the Folger Shakespeare Library’s online book club, blogs, and podcast.

A touch of Shakespeare in new Folger spaces
Explore the new landscape and public spaces of the Folger Shakespeare Library to find touches of Shakespeare and the early modern age in which he lived.

What's onstage at Shakespeare theaters in June
Across the US, June features plenty of Shakespeare, plus classic stories adapted by Mary Zimmerman, Ken Ludwig, Whitney White, Heidi Armbruster, and Luis Quintero. What are you seeing onstage this month?

Shakespeare & Star Trek today
Shakespeare’s works are woven throughout Star Trek, but how do the current shows keep up the link? Explore that connection following the Discovery series finale.

Earle Hyman: An actor makes history
Explore photos, stories, and a video to learn more about actor Earle Hyman, whose bust is in the Folger’s Shakespeare Exhibition Hall.

A memorable Macbeth: Setting the Scottish play in 19th-century Haiti
Read about the 1936 “voodoo Macbeth” in this excerpt from The Playbook: A Story of Theater, Democracy, and the Making of a Culture War by James Shapiro.