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All 78 posts by

emma poltrack

has a PhD in English and Comparative Literature Studies (with a focus on contemporary Shakespearean performance) from University of Warwick. She earned her MA in Shakespeare, Stratford-upon-Avon and the Cultural History of Renaissance England at The Shakespeare Institute.
Innogen and Ghost Characters
emma poltrack post
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Innogen and Ghost Characters

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emma poltrack

In a humorous post from 2017, web comic creator Mya Gosling mused about the absence of mothers in Shakespeare’s plays. Employing her signature stick-figure style, she presented a series of single-panel comics that put these absent maternal figures back in…

Collection Connections: 'Love in Color: Mythical Tales from Around the World, Retold' by Bolu Babalola
Folger Spotlight

Collection Connections: 'Love in Color: Mythical Tales from Around the World, Retold' by Bolu Babalola

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emma poltrack

Dr. emma poltrack shares items she presented on June 2, 2022 as an introduction to ‘Love in Color: Mythical Tales from Around the World, Retold’ by Bolu Babalola.

Resource Guide: 'If We Were Villains' by M. L. Rio
Graphic illustration of stacks of books in purple. aqua, and white
Folger Spotlight

Resource Guide: 'If We Were Villains' by M. L. Rio

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emma poltrack

On April 7, 2022 the Folger hosts its Virtual Book Club, featuring a discussion of If We Were Villains by M. L. Rio. To prepare for the discussion, we have pulled together a list of resources related to the novel,…

Words, Words, Words: 'If We Were Villains' by M. L. Rio
Folger Spotlight

Words, Words, Words: 'If We Were Villains' by M. L. Rio

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emma poltrack

The Folger’s virtual book club continues on Thursday, April 7 with a discussion of ‘If We Were Villains’ by M.L. Rio. To get ready for the conversation, we’ve compiled some introductory information on this twisty thriller about Shakespeare students at…

Resource Guide: 'The Weight of Ink' by Rachel Kadish
Graphic illustration of stacks of books in purple. aqua, and white
Folger Spotlight

Resource Guide: 'The Weight of Ink' by Rachel Kadish

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emma poltrack

On February 3, 2022 the Folger hosts its Virtual Book Club, featuring a discussion of ‘The Weight of Ink’ by Rachel Kadish. To prepare for the discussion, we have pulled together a list of resources related to the novel, religion…

Artemis, a fierce and fickle goddess
The Greek goddess Artemis - also called Diana
Shakespeare and Beyond

Artemis, a fierce and fickle goddess

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emma poltrack

Artemis (possibly Shakespeare’s favorite) was the Greek goddess of chastity, hunting, and the moon, often depicted with her trusty bow and arrow and a short tunic to aid in running through the woods.

Words, Words, Words: 'The Weight of Ink' by Rachel Kadish
Folger Spotlight

Words, Words, Words: 'The Weight of Ink' by Rachel Kadish

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emma poltrack

The Folger’s virtual book club continues on Thursday, February 3 with a discussion of Rachel Kadish’s ‘The Weight of Ink.’ To get ready for the conversation, we’ve compiled some introductory information on this time-traveling scholarly mystery.

Athena: How Shakespeare's plays invoke the Greek goddess of wisdom and battle strategy
Athena
Shakespeare and Beyond

Athena: How Shakespeare's plays invoke the Greek goddess of wisdom and battle strategy

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emma poltrack

We continue our “Shakespeare and Greek Myths” series with another major goddess of the Grecian pantheon, Athena. Also called Athene, Pallas, and Minerva (her Roman name), this patron of Athens was the deity devoted to wisdom, the law, and strategy…

Resource Guide: 'All's Well' by Mona Awad
Graphic illustration of stacks of books in purple. aqua, and white
Folger Spotlight

Resource Guide: 'All's Well' by Mona Awad

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emma poltrack

On December 6, 2021 the Folger hosts its Virtual Book Club, featuring a discussion of All’s Well by Mona Awad. To prepare for the discussion, we have pulled together a list of resources related to the novel and the plays…

Aphrodite (Venus): The oft-invoked goddess of love
Shakespeare and Beyond

Aphrodite (Venus): The oft-invoked goddess of love

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emma poltrack

One of the figures that Shakespeare and his characters frequently invoke is Aphrodite, the goddess of love, often referred to by her Roman name, Venus, both in the plays and sonnets and in Shakespeare’s popular long poem, Venus and Adonis.…

Resource Guide: 'The Porpoise' by Mark Haddon
Graphic illustration of stacks of books in purple. aqua, and white
Folger Spotlight

Resource Guide: 'The Porpoise' by Mark Haddon

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emma poltrack

On November 4, 2021 the Folger hosts its Virtual Book Club, featuring a discussion of ‘The Porpoise’ by Mark Haddon. To prepare for the discussion, we have pulled together a list of resources related to the novel and the themes,…

Circe: A transformative enchantress
Shakespeare and Beyond

Circe: A transformative enchantress

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emma poltrack

The enchantress Circe, best known for turning men into pigs, is mentioned several times in Shakespeare’s plays and has been a literary inspiration for more authors up to the present day. Explore her story in the latest installment of our…

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