After his death, William Shakespeare’s two friends, John Heminge and Henry Condel decided to publish his work. Publishers Edward Blount and Isaac Jaggard began to make what is commonly known as the “First Folio”, published in 1623.
Now, 400 years after its publication, the German Literary Archive Marbach has dedicated an exhibition to the book. The Frankfurt Book Fair, which first helped launch the ‘First Folio’, made a special announcement in their 1622 catalogue.
While Shakespeare’s success during his lifetime cannot be denied, this distribution of his works in print posthumously helped him become the global literary legend that he is today. It is also certain, without the folio, many of his works might have been lost. The list includes Macbeth, Twelfth Night, The Taming of the Shrew, Measure for Measure, Antony and Cleopatra, Julius Caesar, and The Tempest.
According to The Squadron, the director of the German Literary Archive, Marbach, Sandra Richter refers to the First Folio as a “great feat of publishing”. It is through the book’s contribution that Shakespeare’s “image of a world-class poet,” was created.
In an email to media company DW, Richter mentioned, “‘Hell is empty, all the devils are here!’ writes Shakespeare in his ‘Tempest,’ and that is how we read our present. We are struggling with many superhuman challenges, and it is quite unclear how we can overcome them. One thing, however, is clear: that Shakespeare, with his insights into politics and society, is our contemporary.”
What is commonly called the First Folio was first published with the title Mr William Shakespeare’s Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies. Though half the plays in the folio were already printed as quartos, some of the plays had different versions.
While Shakespeare’s friends stated they were using the original copies of the plays, there is no real way of knowing if that is the case. After all, Shakespeare had written at least 38 plays and more than 150 poems before he passed away. It is believed that about 750 copies of the First Folio were printed, but about 2/3rd of it is lost.
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