Early modern life

Greg Prickman explains how news of the 1623 book we now call the  First Folio appeared a year earlier, on the occasion of a trade fair in Frankfurt, Germany.

Shakespeare’s plays are full of sports and games. Test your knowledge with these questions.

Tabitha Stanmore tells the story of a 15th-century widow hiring a magic practitioner in this excerpt from her book “Cunning Folk: Life in the Era of Practical Magic.”

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

Fellow Andrés Gattinoni looks at Early Modern collections of music and jokes intended to cure melancholy.

Folger Fellow Emma Marshall explores the history of the women of the Lucy family.

The tale of George Saunders and his hopes for a wife.

A final look at the Powell family letters.

A continued look at the Powell family letters.

The first part of a series of posts examining the Powell family letters.

The Elizabethan period marked an unusually rich moment for theories of consciousness and for the representation of thought in literature, says scholar Helen Hackett.

Thanks to everyone who shared their guesses on last week’s post and congratulations to those of you who guessed correctly! Sermo mirabilis: or the silent language by Charles de La Fin, London, 1693. Folger call number: L174 The mystery image…