Shakespeare in the world

A roundup of Shakespeare stories, including discoveries about his only London real estate purchase and family papers; all Shakespeare’s plays ranked as well as video games Shakespeare would love; and actors sharing Shakespeare.

Viewers might be surprised by the number of Shakespearean elements in the miniseries which fictionalizes the doomed relationship between John F. Kennedy, Jr. and his wife Carolyn Bessette. And they’re not all from Romeo and Juliet. 

The acclaimed actor talks about the essential message of love he discovered at the heart of each sonnet while recording all 154 for a new audiobook. He also shares recordings of three of the sonnets, including his favorite one.

One of the most unusual paintings in the Folger collection was originally exhibited at the Boydell Shakespeare Gallery. Explore how British artist George Romney portrayed the “natural genius” of Shakespeare at a time of rising bardolatry.

The reality competition show is, surprisingly, filled with Shakespeare quotes, aesthetics, and symbols. Hosted by Alan Cumming, an actor who knows his Shakespeare, The Traitors transforms Shakespeare into an entire vibe.

We’re celebrating the start of spring with some of our favorite Shakespeare quotes about the season, a time of renewal, rebirth, and new beginnings.

Shakespeare as the creator of heroes is explored in Wonder Man, the newest entry in the vast Marvel Cinematic Universe. Austin Tichenor explores the series’ interest in the power of theater and storytelling over super-powered beings fighting evil.

Recently, on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Sir Ian McKellen shared a monologue that some believe Shakespeare may have written. We look at the speech, known as The Strangers’ Case, from Sir Thomas More.

Reference Associate Erika Giddens, who manages the Folger’s Ask a Librarian service, takes us behind the scenes to share some of the most asked questions about Shakespeare and how she answers them.

We’re sharing some of the Shakespeare stories in the news in December 2025 and January 2026, from Hamnet to Bridgerton, The Beatles and King Lear, imagining Richard III’s voice, and remembering theater legend Tina Packer.

What did people eat in Shakespeare’s England? In Much Ado About Cooking, food historian Sam Bilton uncovers the surprising world of early modern cuisine, a delicious world shaped by global trade, humoral medicine, and delight in spectacle.

Austin Tichenor takes a look at Chloé Zhao’s film adaptation of Maggie O’Farrell’s 2020 novel Hamnet, writing that Jessie Buckley’s performance as Agnes is the fiercest and most fully-rounded onscreen portrait of Shakespeare’s wife ever seen.