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There's always been word that Shakespeare didn't actually write the things he's credited for.

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Shakespeare Unlimited: Episode 22

"Her father loved me, oft invited me,

Still questioned me the story of my life

From year to year-the battles, sieges, fortunes

What do we know about Shakespeare's life? The answer: Not as much as we would like to. As much or as little, in other words, as we would about any middle-class Englishman of his time.

This episode of Shakespeare Unlimited considers not only that question, but two others: During the past four centuries, when and how did biographers learn about Shakespeare's life? And does knowing about any writer's biography, including Shakespeare's, make any difference in responding to their work?

To tackle those big, and intriguing, questions, Rebecca Sheir talks with Brian Cummings, Anniversary Professor of English at the University of York. Cummings delivered the 2014 Shakespeare's Birthday Lecture on "Shakespeare, Biography, and Anti-Biography" at the Folger Shakespeare Library; the lecture also opened the Folger Institute's NEH-funded collaborative research conference, Shakespeare and the Problem of Biography, which Cummings co-organized.

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Shakespeare Unlimited: Episode 22"Her father loved me, oft invited me,Still questioned me the story of my lifeFrom year to year-the battles, sieges, fortunesThat I have passed." -Othello (1.3.149-152) What do we know about Shakespeare's life? The answer: Not as much as we would like to.

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The discovery and printing of Greek and Roman classics fed into Shakespeare's plays. London had expanded in that time period and people were learning that the Earth isn't the center of the universe. Shakespeare included what was happening in his plays.

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Fastforward to 1593, London, the plague had it, making all the theatres close. Shakespeare turned to poems, creating many successful poems. In 1594, Shakespeare became a founding member, actor, playwright and shareholder of the Lord Chamberlain's Men.

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Shakespeare Unlimited: Episode 22

"Her father loved me, oft invited me,

Still questioned me the story of my life

From year to year-the battles, sieges, fortunes

What do we know about Shakespeare's life? The answer: Not as much as we would like to. As much or as little, in other words, as we would about any middle-class Englishman of his time.

This episode of Shakespeare Unlimited considers not only that question, but two others: During the past four centuries, when and how did biographers learn about Shakespeare's life? And does knowing about any writer's biography, including Shakespeare's, make any difference in responding to their work?

To tackle those big, and intriguing, questions, Rebecca Sheir talks with Brian Cummings, Anniversary Professor of English at the University of York. Cummings delivered the 2014 Shakespeare's Birthday Lecture on "Shakespeare, Biography, and Anti-Biography" at the Folger Shakespeare Library; the lecture also opened the Folger Institute's NEH-funded collaborative research conference, Shakespeare and the Problem of Biography, which Cummings co-organized.

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Shakespeare Unlimited: Episode 22"Her father loved me, oft invited me,Still questioned me the story of my lifeFrom year to year-the battles, sieges, fortunesThat I have passed." -Othello (1.3.149-152) What do we know about Shakespeare's life? The answer: Not as much as we would like to.

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Large open playhouses like the Globe are marvelous in the right weather, but indoor theaters can operate year-round, out of the sun, wind, and rain.

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In Shakespeare's time, a stage wasn't just one type of space; plays had to be versatile. The same play might be produced in an outdoor playhouse, an indoor theater, a royal palace-or, for a company on tour, the courtyard of an inn.

In any of these settings, men and boys played all the characters, male and female; acting in Renaissance England was an exclusively male profession. Audiences had their favorite performers, looked forward to hearing music with the productions, and relished the luxurious costumes of the leading characters. The stage itself was relatively bare. For the most part, playwrights used vivid words instead of scenery to picture the scene onstage.

Playhouses and the Globe | Theaters and Palaces | Audience Experiences | Actors, Costumes, and Staging | Stage and Screen after Shakespeare

In 1576, when Shakespeare was still a 12-year-old in Stratford, James Burbage built the Theatre just outside London. The Theatre was among the first playhouses in England since Roman times. Like the many other playhouses that followed, it was a multi-sided structure with a central, uncovered "yard" surrounded by three tiers of covered seating and a bare, raised stage at one end of the yard. Spectators could pay for seating at multiple price levels; those with the cheapest tickets simply stood for the length of the plays.

Shakespeare's company, the Lord Chamberlain's Men, was one of several to perform at the Theatre, appearing there by about 1594. A few years later, the Burbages lost their lease on the Theatre site and began construction of a new, larger playhouse, the Globe, just south of the Thames. To pay for it, they shared the lease with the five partners (called actor-sharers) in the Lord Chamberlain's company, including Shakespeare.

The Globe, which opened in 1599, became the playhouse where audiences first saw some of Shakespeare's best-known plays. In 1613, it burned to the ground when the roof caught fire during a performance of Shakespeare's . A new, second Globe was quickly built on the same site, opening in 1614.

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In Shakespeare's time, a stage wasn't just one type of space; plays had to be versatile. The same play might be produced in an outdoor playhouse, an indoor theater, a royal palace-or, for a company on tour, the courtyard of an inn.

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The Theatre was among the first playhouses in England since Roman times.

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In Shakespeare's time, a stage wasn't just one type of space; plays had to be versatile. The same play might be produced in an outdoor playhouse, an indoor theater, a royal palace-or, for a company on tour, the courtyard of an inn.

In any of these settings, men and boys played all the characters, male and female; acting in Renaissance England was an exclusively male profession. Audiences had their favorite performers, looked forward to hearing music with the productions, and relished the luxurious costumes of the leading characters. The stage itself was relatively bare. For the most part, playwrights used vivid words instead of scenery to picture the scene onstage.

Playhouses and the Globe | Theaters and Palaces | Audience Experiences | Actors, Costumes, and Staging | Stage and Screen after Shakespeare

In 1576, when Shakespeare was still a 12-year-old in Stratford, James Burbage built the Theatre just outside London. The Theatre was among the first playhouses in England since Roman times. Like the many other playhouses that followed, it was a multi-sided structure with a central, uncovered "yard" surrounded by three tiers of covered seating and a bare, raised stage at one end of the yard. Spectators could pay for seating at multiple price levels; those with the cheapest tickets simply stood for the length of the plays.

Shakespeare's company, the Lord Chamberlain's Men, was one of several to perform at the Theatre, appearing there by about 1594. A few years later, the Burbages lost their lease on the Theatre site and began construction of a new, larger playhouse, the Globe, just south of the Thames. To pay for it, they shared the lease with the five partners (called actor-sharers) in the Lord Chamberlain's company, including Shakespeare.

The Globe, which opened in 1599, became the playhouse where audiences first saw some of Shakespeare's best-known plays. In 1613, it burned to the ground when the roof caught fire during a performance of Shakespeare's . A new, second Globe was quickly built on the same site, opening in 1614.

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In Shakespeare's time, a stage wasn't just one type of space; plays had to be versatile. The same play might be produced in an outdoor playhouse, an indoor theater, a royal palace-or, for a company on tour, the courtyard of an inn.

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The 1623 First Folio of Shakespeare is the first printed collection of Shakespeare’s plays, published seven years after his death in 1616. Of the 36 plays assembled by his friends and fellow actors John Heminges and Henry Condell, eighteen were being published for the first time.

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Without the First Folio, half of Shakespeare's plays might have been lost forever. Learn more about this remarkable book, published in 1623.

What is a Shakespeare First Folio?

The 1623 First Folio of Shakespeare is the first printed collection of Shakespeare's plays, published seven years after his death in 1616. Of the 36 plays assembled by his friends and fellow actors John Heminges and Henry Condell, eighteen were being published for the first time. Learn more about the First Folio and its historical importance.

The Folger's First Folios

The Folger Shakespeare Library has 82 copies of the First Folio, the largest collection in the world. Of an estimated original print run of about 750 copies, only 235 are known to survive.

In 2016, to mark the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare's death, the Folger sent 18 of its First Folios on a tour of the United States. More than half a million people saw this traveling exhibition, First Folio! The Book That Gave Us Shakespeare, at public libraries, universities, museums, and other venues in all 50 states, Puerto Rico, and Washington, DC. Meet the 18 Folger First Folios from the tour, learn about their history, and read some of the stories from their travels.

Read a First Folio

Printing the First Folio

How was the First Folio made? The Folger has created a teaching tool called DIY First Folio for understanding the printing process. This visually rich narrative of the First Folio's 1623 printing features interactive exercises that allow users to fold and unfold Folio sheets, create play gatherings, and print high-resolution facsimile images of pages from the First Folio. DIY First Folio was created with the support of a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities.

More First Folio Resources
How Shakespeare's First Folio Became a Star
Adam Hooks and Daniel De Simone chart the rise of the First Folio-how and when this book became a cultural icon with such a dizzying price tag.
Creating Shakespeare's First Folio
Emma Smith offers an intimate, step-by-step examination of how the First Folio was conceived, how Shakespeare's plays were gathered, how the rights for them were obtained, how the book was laid out, and - most vividly - how it was assembled and printed.
The Millionaire and the Bard
Andrea Mays talks about some of the fascinating financial and personal details of Henry Folger's life, and in particular, how he went about collecting so many First Folios.
A New First Folio Discovery
Eric Rasmussen, who authenticated the discovery of a new First Folio in 2014, shares fascinating stories and observations about one of the world's most iconic rare books.
Inside the Folger Conservation Lab
To celebrate 400 years of Shakespeare in 2016, 18 of the Folger's First Folios toured the United States. Go behind the scenes with the conservators who prepared the books for travel.
Editing Shakespeare
Paul Werstine and Suzanne Gossett talk about editing Shakespeare and why the First Folio is considered such a foundational text.
Portraits of Shakespeare
The Droeshout engraving in the First Folio is considered one of the few authentic portraits of Shakespeare. Katherine Duncan-Jones explains why.
The Book of Will
Lauren Gunderson discusses her play about John Heminges and Henry Condell, their families, and everyone involved in gathering and creating the First Folio.

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Without the First Folio, half of Shakespeare's plays might have been lost forever. Learn more about this remarkable book, published in 1623. The 1623 First Folio of Shakespeare is the first printed collection of Shakespeare's plays, published seven years after his death in 1616.

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Shakespeare

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The Folger Shakespeare Library produces many resources that aid students, scholars, and enthusiasts alike in understanding Shakespeare's works and life. Browse our publications below or in the sidebar navigation to access Shakespeare's plays and poems online, discover audio resources, explore the latest Shakespeare scholarship, and more!

The Folger Shakespeare Library Editions, designed to make Shakespeare's plays and poems accessible to all readers, are the most popular Shakespeare texts in high school classrooms nationwide. They are currently available for purchase in print and e-book format.

Through Folger Digital Texts, Shakespeare's plays and poems can be easily accessed for free online, including on mobile phones and tablets, and can be downloaded as PDFs. You can learn more about FDT or go straight to the site and explore it yourself.

Folger Luminary Shakespeare Apps enrich the Folger Shakespeare Library Editions with unique audio and visual resources designed for the iPad. The apps feature full audio recordings of the plays, expert commentary, images, and group sharing tools, and can be downloaded in the iTunes App store.

Shakespeare Quarterly is a peer-reviewed journal based at the Folger that is committed to publishing essays at the forefront of Shakespeare studies. Information about how to access and subcribe to the journal, how to submit articles, and other general information is available on the Shakespeare Quarterly homepage.

Shakespeare Set Free provides resources and classroom materials to help teachers introduce seven Shakespeare plays. The books can be purchased in the Folger Shakespeare Library's online store.

World Shakespeare Bibliography

The World Shakespeare Bibliography is a searchable electronic database of Shakespeare-related scholarship and theatrical productions. It can be accessed through institutional subscription.

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The Folger Shakespeare Library produces many resources that aid students, scholars, and enthusiasts alike in understanding Shakespeare's works and life. Browse our publications below or in the sidebar navigation to access Shakespeare's plays and poems online, discover audio resources, explore the latest Shakespeare scholarship, and more!

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Shakespeare's works.                          (plays & poems)

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Shakespeare's works.                          (plays & poems)

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Shakespeare was a poet. He wrote over 150 short and long poems and at least 38 plays. His poems and short stories are so amazing that even 400 years after his death his work is still performed though the world.

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Shakespeare wrote at least 38 plays and over 150 short and long poems, many of which are considered to be the finest ever written in English. His works have been translated into every major living language, and some others besides (the Folger's holdings include translations in Esperanto and Klingon), and nearly 400 years after his death, they continue to be performed around the world.

The Folger has copies of every play, from the earliest printings to modern editions, and we offer carefully edited print and digital texts. Follow the links below for more information, including plot synopses, brief textual histories, and selected images from our collection.

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Shakespeare wrote at least 38 plays and over 150 short and long poems, many of which are considered to be the finest ever written in English. His works have been translated into every major living language, and some others besides (the Folger's holdings include translations in Esperanto and Klingon), and nearly 400 years after his death, they continue to be performed around the world.

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Evidence of Shakespeare's came from court records, wills, marraige certificates etc. He was born and raised in Stratford, was baptized there, and went to school there as well. Stratford had many successful actors and playwrights visit. Some say that sparked his interest in theatre.

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Shakespeare Unlimited: Episode 22

"Her father loved me, oft invited me,

Still questioned me the story of my life

From year to year-the battles, sieges, fortunes

What do we know about Shakespeare's life? The answer: Not as much as we would like to. As much or as little, in other words, as we would about any middle-class Englishman of his time.

This episode of Shakespeare Unlimited considers not only that question, but two others: During the past four centuries, when and how did biographers learn about Shakespeare's life? And does knowing about any writer's biography, including Shakespeare's, make any difference in responding to their work?

To tackle those big, and intriguing, questions, Rebecca Sheir talks with Brian Cummings, Anniversary Professor of English at the University of York. Cummings delivered the 2014 Shakespeare's Birthday Lecture on "Shakespeare, Biography, and Anti-Biography" at the Folger Shakespeare Library; the lecture also opened the Folger Institute's NEH-funded collaborative research conference, Shakespeare and the Problem of Biography, which Cummings co-organized.

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Shakespeare Unlimited: Episode 22"Her father loved me, oft invited me,Still questioned me the story of my lifeFrom year to year-the battles, sieges, fortunesThat I have passed." -Othello (1.3.149-152) What do we know about Shakespeare's life? The answer: Not as much as we would like to.