Picture a November in 1623. Two actors, John Heminges and Henry Condell, have prepared 36 of William Shakespeare’s plays for publication. The playwright himself has been dead for seven years, and this is the month the First Folio will be printed. This collection, although they cannot know this for sure, will play a key role in preserving 20 of the plays. These include The Tempest, as yet unpublished. Arguably, without this collection, these plays may go the way of Love’s Labours Won, and be lost to time and memory.Fast forward four hundred years. Gladstone’s Library does not hold an original copy of the First Folio. Only 235 of these are known to have survived from the early printing of an estimated 700-1,000 copies. However, our catalogue does include a modern reprint of the Complete Works of Shakespeare, copies of individual plays in book form, and some other notable items.Among these is 1623-1923: Studies in the first folio written for the Shakespeare Association in celebration of the first folio tercentenary, issued by the Shakespeare Association. Published just over a century ago by Humphrey Milford at Oxford University Press, this volume of literary criticism is accessible by request. Its existence is a testament to the enduring interest in the works of Shakespeare, as well as a cultural fascination with centenaries.
We also hold copies of Shakespeare’s plays which sit within the W.E. Gladstone Foundation Collection, held in our History Room, and were owned by William Gladstone himself. The plays of William Shakespeare, Vol. 10 edited by George Weaver contains annotations by William Gladstone, which you can see for yourself online, thanks to the Corporation of New York funded digitisation project which drew to a close this summer. You can explore the digitised book yourself: Click here to see it!In truth, Shakespeare’s plays are meant to be seen and heard rather than read. This is part of what makes culture before the advent of industrial-scale printing and mass literacy prone to loss: unless they are published, plays only live as long as they are recited. However, if you fancy browsing through a script, have a look at our catalogue (on www.gladstoneslibrary.org), or perhaps have a look in our Annex, where you can find modern reprints of Shakespeare’s plays..jpg)
This seems a timely opportunity to remind you of the Enchanting Shakespeare course taking place on Friday 2nd August to Sunday 4th August 2024. Course attendees will explore the enchantment of The Tempest with the guidance of course leader Emma Rees. We hope to see you there!
Thank you to our Facebook follower Dan Costinas for suggesting the First Folio as a theme for this column. Cover image John William Waterhouse: Miranda (CC licensed)