Shakespeare in the world
Sharing a love of Shakespeare with your family
Families share Shakespeare together in so many ways, such as watching his plays, quoting familiar lines, or throwing a Shakespeare birthday party.
Eclipses in Shakespeare's plays
Here are three of the ways Shakespeare used eclipses in his plays and poems. Did you know? In 1598, England experienced a total solar eclipse.
The Astor Place riot: Shakespeare as a flashpoint for class conflict in 1849
In the whole history of Shakespeare in American life, perhaps the most shocking single fact is that 22 or more people once died as a result of a riot in New York over the correct theatrical interpretation of Macbeth.
Duke Ellington's Such Sweet Thunder: Shakespeare and jazz
It’s been 60 years since Duke Ellington recorded Such Sweet Thunder, a jazz suite based on Shakespeare’s plays. Eleven songs are linked to Shakespearean characters like Othello and Lady Macbeth, and the final number is a tribute to Shakespeare himself.
Five women artists: Interpreting Shakespeare through sculpture and book art
Meet five female artists, three sculptors and two book artists, whose interpretations of Shakespeare’s works are part of the Folger collection.
Fakespeare: 5 quotes commonly misattributed to Shakespeare
Fake quotes have been in the news lately, from the Republican National Committee’s Abraham Lincoln flub to the bogus Winston Churchill quote about supporting funding for the arts during World War II. Such misattribution is familiar to Shakespeare enthusiasts. Every…
Shakespeare the salesman: Advertising Coca Cola, iPhones, and chewing tobacco
Shakespeare is a familiar sight in the theater and on the movie screen, but he’s permeated many other areas of American life. Advertisers have picked up on the ubiquity of Shakespeare for more than two centuries.
The biggest Shakespeare stories of 2016
Let’s take a moment to revisit some of the biggest Shakespeare stories in the news this year, from the discoveries that grabbed headlines to the spectacular celebrations of the 400th anniversary to the celebrity performances that generated the most buzz.…
America's Shakespeare: The Bard goes west to Hollywood
“The Bard Goes West” showcases two ways that Hollywood adapts Shakespeare: staying fairly true to the play, and using the plots but not his language.
America's Shakespeare: The Bard goes west to California’s Gold Rush mining camps
Theater was very popular in California’s Gold Rush era, and miners couldn’t get enough of Shakespeare. Even gold-mining towns had stages or performance spaces.
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.
Six great Shakespeare quotes about power and politics
Shakespeare has a lot to say about power and politics in his plays. These six quotes touch on what it means to be a king, the power of the law, what separates royal from common, and speaking truth to authority. Folger…