A Shakespeare Motley is a delightful cabinet of Shakespearean curiosities, arranged in alphabetical order, that will inform, enthuse, intrigue, and amuse anyone who wants to know more about the life and work of the world’s best-known author. Drawing unusual connections, this ingenious guide will show you what Hamlet’s Ophelia has to do with The Tempest and Twelfth Night, and how a stage direction speaks to Elizabethan treatment of bears. With entries ranging from “apothecary” to “zephyr,” this succinct book is full of captivating details illuminating all corners of Shakespeare’s world.
The volume is illustrated throughout with images taken exclusively from the archives of the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust. Readers will quickly gain a vivid, authentic sense of Shakespearean times, from the fascination of falconry to the elegance of eglantine and the resonances of ring-giving.
Accessible yet also full of expert insight and knowledge, this is a wonderful window on the ideas and influences that may have informed Shakespeare’s work. A perfect gift for theater lovers, anglophiles, and all those fascinated by the life and work of the playwright.
Contributors
The Shakespeare Birthplace Trust
Author
The Shakespeare Birthplace Trust is the independent charity that cares for the world’s greatest Shakespeare heritage in his hometown of Stratford-upon-Avon. It is the global center for learning about and experiencing the works, life, and times of the world’s best-known writer. Through the historic Shakespeare family homes, internationally designated museum collections, and award-winning learning programs, the trust attracts approximately three-quarters of a million visitors each year.
