The Publication of Shakespeare’s First Folio, 1623

This lectures celebrates the 400th anniversary of one of the most important books ever, Shakespeare’s First Folio. The lecture is jointly organised by the Bath Shakespeare Society and the Literature & Humanities Convenor Group of BRLSI.

Why is Shakespeare’s First Folio still considered to be one of the most important books ever printed, four hundred years on? Professor Ian Gadd of Bath Spa University will help answer this by introducing us to its editors, printers, and publishers, and explaining how it was printed, published, marketed, and sold. He will also consider its literary and cultural legacy, especially as it is the only source for plays such as The Tempest, As You Like It, Measure for Measure, Twelfth Night, Macbeth, Julius Caesar, and Anthony and Cleopatra. 

Ian Gadd is Professor of English Literature at Bath Spa University, where he is also the Director of the Global Academy of Liberal Arts, an international network of universities, and Head of Development for European Projects, overseeing EU-funded collaborations. He is also Chair of the Board of Bath Royal Literary and Scientific Institution.

Image showing Shakespeare’s coat of arms courtesy of Bodleian Library