Category Archives: Shakespeare’s World

Come, here is the map: Mercator at the British Library

Now available on the British Library’s Online Gallery of Virtual Books is the Mercator Map of Europe. You might assume from the name that it’s an early printed atlas, but this book is far more interesting than that. It was … Continue reading

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Shakespeare’s mothers and sons

For Shakespeare’s towards the end of his life, early September must have been a sad time, not just because it signalled the end of summer. Both parents died at this time of year: his father was buried on 8 September 1601, and … Continue reading

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Keeping Shakespeare’s spirit alive at New Place, his final home

In August 2014 a further consultation is taking place on the future of New Place, Shakespeare’s last home, the final public consultation day being 30 August. Since the first consultation last year, I’ve spent a lot of time reading about … Continue reading

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Taking notes: Shakespeare and table-books

In the latest edition of Theatre Notebook, published by the Society for Theatre Research, June Schlueter* considers the connection between Hamlet’s “tables”, and the two exceedingly rare drawings that have come down to us showing us what the Elizabethan playhouse … Continue reading

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Harvest time in Shakespeare’s England

For once the English summer hasn’t let us down and until the last few days we’ve enjoyed weeks of fine, warm weather. August is harvest-time. In The Tempest, Shakespeare writes of the “sunburnt sickle men, of August weary”, and tell … Continue reading

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Stirling Castle’s links to Shakespeare

On my recent trip to Stirling for the British Shakespeare Association conference I made a point of visiting the city’s historic castle. Although I knew of its importance at a strategic spot overlooking the crossing of the River Forth, I … Continue reading

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Symbols of honour: heraldry at the Folger Shakespeare Library

The Folger Shakespeare Library in Washington, DC, has just opened a new exhibition on the subject of heraldry, entitled Symbols of Honour: Heraldry and Family History in Shakespeare’s England. We think of coats of arms as belonging only to the … Continue reading

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Thomas Heywood’s women

About a week ago I wrote about the extraordinary playwright, poet, prose writer and actor Thomas Heywood whose work is being investigated at the Shakespeare Institute’s Heywood Marathon. This reaches its conclusion on Saturday with Love’s Mistress, Amphrisa, the forsaken shepherdess, … Continue reading

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Shakespeare and the UNESCO Memory of the World

The good news has been announced that the Shakespeare documents held by the National Archives and the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust have been accepted onto the UNESCO Memory of the World UK register, recognising their national and international significance.  This is … Continue reading

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Reading Thomas Heywood

Down at the Shakespeare Institute in Stratford-upon-Avon the students are holding another marathon playreading. In 2013 it was Beaumont and Fletcher, with a tally of 53 plays and 1 masque. This year, between 9 and 28 June they are taking … Continue reading

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