Shakespeare’s First Folio assembled the world’s greatest literature
Published 400 years ago, the book fixed the playwright’s canon for posterity
Not much in European trade runs the same way now as it did four centuries ago. However, English-language publishers still advertise future titles at the Frankfurt Book Fair—just as they did in 1622. In that year, a catalogue of forthcoming English works featured an intriguing volume, announced between blurbs for a biblical commentary and a genealogical tome. It alerted potential buyers to the imminent appearance of “Plays, written by M. William Shakespeare, all in one volume, printed by Isaack Jaggard, in fol[io].”
This article appeared in the Culture section of the print edition under the headline “With a little help from his friends”
Culture April 22nd 2023
From the April 22nd 2023 edition
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