Though Shakespeare grew up on the Avon River in Stratford, the ocean is central to many of his plays—from the ship and island settings in The Tempest and the shipwrecks that separate twins in the comedies, to its role in his histories and tragedies, too. Picture the waves and breathe in the salt air as you try this quiz on Shakespeare and the sea.
Quiz Maker – powered by Riddle
If you’d like to learn more about the topic, enjoy the materials from our 2010 exhibition Lost at Sea: The Ocean in the English Imagination, 1550-1750. And if you’re on vacation by the sea—or, on the other hand, far away from it—you may enjoy some recent books in our online Virtual Book Club archive.
We also invite you to visit us at the Folger Shakespeare Library—just a block from the US Capitol—to enjoy our exhibitions, performances, and Quill & Crumb café.
Keep exploring
Shakespeare and the Ocean, with Steve Mentz
Steve Mentz’s books connect literary criticism with marine ecology. He takes us on a deep dive into Shakespeare and the sea.
Collection Connections: 'The Last True Poets of the Sea' by Julia Drake
Dr. Emma Poltrack shares items she presented on August 5, 2021 as an introduction to ‘The Last True Poets of the Sea’ by Julia Drake.
Julia Armfield Reimagines King Lear in a Drowning World
How does King Lear resonate in a world reshaped by climate change? Julia Armfield’s Private Rites, set in a flooded London, explores inheritance, power, and queerness amid disaster. Longlisted for the 2024 Climate Fiction Prize, she shares how Shakespeare influences her work.
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