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.
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.
John Barrymore: A bridge to Shakespearean actors past
John Barrymore is sometimes passed over in the lists of great Shakespeare actors, but he was an important transitional figure in our understanding of the evolution of Shakespearean performance styles, writes Austin Tichenor.
Drawing Shakespeare: Hamlet
In this Folger bas-relief, sculptor John Gregory shows Hamlet facing the sources of his torment: his father’s murder and his mother’s betrayal.
Tastes of the Mediterranean: Italian food before Italy
Italian regions share a culinary history that is rooted in the ingredients, tastes, and techniques that came out of early-modern innovations, explorations, and cultural movements.
What's onstage at Shakespeare theaters in April
Shakespeare was born on April 23, which makes April the perfect month to catch one of his plays at a theater near you. We checked in with some of our theater partners to find out what they have onstage.