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.
Shakespeare & Beyond
Shakespeare & Beyond also explores the topics that shape our experience of Shakespeare today: trends in performance, the latest discoveries and scholarship, news stories, pop culture, interesting books, new movies, the rich context of theater and literary history, and more. As the word “beyond” suggests, from time to time Shakespeare & Beyond also covers topics that are not directly linked to Shakespeare.
Questions or comments? You can reach us at shakespeareandbeyond@folger.edu.
Savoring the seasons and Lettice Pudsey’s fritters
Food is intimately connected to climate and season. It was for Shakespeare and his contemporaries, and it is for us today. Beautiful, local produce is once again available in the northeast now that spring is turning into early summer. In…
"A Great Reckoning": a closer look at a fateful Final Jeopardy clue
We explore the history behind the Shakespearean Final Jeopardy clue that unseated “Jeopardy” champion James Holzhauer.
Drawing Shakespeare: Henry IV, Part 1
Drawing by Paul Glenshaw of the Folger bas-relief depicting a scene from Henry IV, Part 1 This is the tenth post in a series by artist Paul Glenshaw about drawing the bas-reliefs by sculptor John Gregory on the front of…
Love's Labor's Lost: The end of study
“What’s especially delightful about Love’s Labor’s Lost is that it’s a comedy about melancholy, a satire on youthful arrogance, intellectual pretension, and romantic naiveté,” writes Austin Tichenor.
5 things to look for when you watch "As You Like It"
What should you watch for in a production of Shakespeare’s “As You Like It?” We asked some friends what they look for in this classic play.
Masters of borrowing: Links between Shakespeare and Game of Thrones
If you’re a fan of “Game of Thrones” or “A Song of Ice and Fire,” you may have noticed some echoes from Shakespeare’s plays.
Influences for Love's Labor's Lost: Contemporary texts and historical figures
Love’s Labor’s Lost is one of three Shakespeare plays without a primary source (the others being A Midsummer Night’s Dream and The Tempest), but that doesn’t mean it was created in a vacuum. Using four items from the Folger collection,…
Elizabeth I and the Qing Empress Xiaozhuang
Like Elizabeth, Xiaozhuang was a woman with intellectual and political interests, attaining the powerful position of Empress Dowager in Qing China.
Quiz: Shakespeare's Mothers
There are more moms in Shakespeare’s plays than you might think. Take our quiz and see how well you know the mothers of Shakespeare.
Excerpt - The Assassin of Verona by Benet Brandreth
In Benet Brandreth’s historical thriller “The Assassin of Verona,” William Shakespeare is disguised as a steward to the English ambassador in 1586 Venice.
Excerpt - Miranda in Milan by Katharine Duckett
What happens after “The Tempest” ends? “Miranda in Milan,” Katharine Duckett’s debut novel, picks up where Shakespeare’s play leaves off.
Play on! Octavio Solis on translating ‘Edward III’
“The whole construction of the story is supported by a single theme: the value of a man’s word,” Octavio Solis writes about “Edward III,” which he translated for the Play on! project.