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Shakespeare & Beyond

Shakespeare & Beyond

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.

"The Taming of the Shrew" on the American stage before "Kiss Me, Kate": An excerpt from "Shakespeare in a Divided America" by James Shapiro
James Shapiro
Shakespeare and Beyond

"The Taming of the Shrew" on the American stage before "Kiss Me, Kate": An excerpt from "Shakespeare in a Divided America" by James Shapiro

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Shakespeare & Beyond

The Taming of the Shrew is often referred to as one of Shakespeare’s “problem plays” because of its controversial depiction of gender roles; last year’s Broadway production of Kiss Me, Kate, the 1948 musical based on The Taming of the…

“As luscious as locusts”: Othello and locust-eaters in the early modern world
locusts
Shakespeare and Beyond

“As luscious as locusts”: Othello and locust-eaters in the early modern world

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Michael Walkden

Hiob Ludolf, Iobi Lvdolfi Dissertatio de locvstis anno praeterito immensa copia in Germania visis, 1694 (Wellcome Images, Public Domain) Folger 250379 (folio) In Act 1, Scene 3 of Othello, the manipulative Iago urges Roderigo, a wealthy Venetian recently disappointed in…

These 7 women have had enough. Match the Shakespeare character to her speech.
Katherine in The Taming of the Shrew
Shakespeare and Beyond

These 7 women have had enough. Match the Shakespeare character to her speech.

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Shakespeare & Beyond

Take our quiz to see how well you know Shakespeare’s plays.

Translating the Chinese classic 'The Peony Pavilion' with a 'Shakespearean flavor'
The Peony Pavilion
Shakespeare and Beyond

Translating the Chinese classic 'The Peony Pavilion' with a 'Shakespearean flavor'

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Esther French

The Peony Pavilion. “Kunqu performance at Peking University.” Wikimedia Commons / Antonis SHEN / CC BY-SA 2.0 Could Chinese literature be more popular with English-speaking audiences if translators favored words, phrases and poetic forms that spark associations with Shakespeare? This…

The Merry Wives of Windsor: What sets this comedy apart from Shakespeare’s other plays?
The Merry Wives of Windsor
Shakespeare and Beyond

The Merry Wives of Windsor: What sets this comedy apart from Shakespeare’s other plays?

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Michael Witmore

Simple (Derrick Truby) and Mistress Quickly (Kate Eastwood Norris) in The Merry Wives of Windsor, Folger Theatre, 2019. Cameron Whitman Photography. The Merry Wives of Windsor was written at the end of the 16th century, and is what I would…

"Thorny hedgehogs, be not seen": Hedgehogs in Shakespeare's plays and the early modern imagination
hedgehog illustration
Shakespeare and Beyond

"Thorny hedgehogs, be not seen": Hedgehogs in Shakespeare's plays and the early modern imagination

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Haylie Swenson

Edward Topsell. The historie of foure-footed beastes. 1607. FOLGER STC 24123 copy 1 While the global population of European hedgehogs (Erinaceus europaeus) is stable, their numbers have been rapidly declining in the UK for decades, especially in rural areas. This…

"A goodly prize": Award-winning Shakespeare movies
Photograph from Laurence Olivier's movie of Henry V: Olivier as Henry V. United Artists Corp. Folger Shakespeare Library.
Shakespeare and Beyond

"A goodly prize": Award-winning Shakespeare movies

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Austin Tichenor

Since we’ve just completed the annual Hollywood marathon called “Awards Season” — several self-congratulatory months filled with the Independent Spirit Awards, the Golden Globe Awards, various guild awards from around the world, the British Film & Television Academy Awards (the…

What's onstage at Shakespeare theaters in February
Shakespeare and Beyond

What's onstage at Shakespeare theaters in February

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Ben Lauer

Every month, we check in with our theater partners to give you a look at Shakespeare across the United States. Here’s what’s on in February.

The madness of Hamlet and King Lear: When psychiatrists used Shakespeare to argue legal definitions of insanity in the courtroom
King Lear, III, 2. Johann Heinrich Ramberg. 19th century. Folger Shakespeare Library.
Shakespeare and Beyond

The madness of Hamlet and King Lear: When psychiatrists used Shakespeare to argue legal definitions of insanity in the courtroom

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Shakespeare & Beyond

King Lear, III, 2. Johann Heinrich Ramberg. 19th century. Folger Shakespeare Library. Well-known Shakespeare characters such as King Lear and Hamlet suffer (or appear to suffer) from madness — and early American psychiatrists took note. Observations drawn from literature began…

Possets, drugs, and milky effects: A look at recipes, Shakespeare's plays, and other historical references
posset recipe
Shakespeare and Beyond

Possets, drugs, and milky effects: A look at recipes, Shakespeare's plays, and other historical references

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Khristian S. Smith

Shakespeare’s plays are full of references to food and cookery, but they’re not always very appetizing. In Hamlet, the ghost of elder Hamlet describes the effect of the poison that Claudius pours into his ears, how it winds its way…

Quiz: Find the perfect Shakespeare quote for your valentine
Shakespeare and Beyond

Quiz: Find the perfect Shakespeare quote for your valentine

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Ben Lauer Esther French

Valentine’s Day is coming soon! Take the quiz to find out which of our illustrated Shakespeare quotes is the right one for your special someone.

10 acclaimed directors on Shakespeare and their work
Shakespeare and Beyond

10 acclaimed directors on Shakespeare and their work

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Ben Lauer

A few of favorite quotes from some of the directors we’ve had on the Folger’s Shakespeare Unlimited podcast since 2014.

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