Romeo, Oh Romeo, how I love your First Folio.
Nearly four hundred years after his death, Shakespeare is back in the news. Well, not him, but his words.
If you don't know much about John Heminges and Henry Condell, then that's really okay. I wouldn't know them either if I weren't a teacher and a bit of a nerd. These two guys were actors who lived alongside Shakespeare and performed in his plays. Seven years after Shakespeare's death, Heminges and Condell compiled 18 of Shakespeare's plays in giant books called the First Folio. If it weren't for these two underappreciated actors, there would be no As You Like It, Romeo and Juliet, and Hamlet.
Heminges and Condell printed about 1,000 First Folios. As stated in this article, there are only 232 Folios left, 82 of them living in the Folger Shakespeare Library. Are they worth anything, you ask? The highest price paid for a First Folio was over $6 million dollars in 2001.
Long live Shakespeare, the bard who told every story there was to be told.
This is great history, and a wonderful little lesson for today. I would love to see one of these in person! And wow, that will require quite a savings! Good luck. : )
ReplyDeleteAlexander: I'll start socking away my entire salary starting now.
ReplyDeleteI had something here and it disappeared. I'm sure it was my fault. About Will: keep us posted. About your photo: Love it. Wish there was a little more afro. :)
ReplyDeleteI consider myself a big nerd and I had no idea who Heminges and Condell were. Thanks for spreading the knowledge. Cool stuff.
ReplyDeleteAnita: Pondering an afro for this coming winter. Colder months work better for long hair, not that it gets cold where I live.
ReplyDeleteMichael: Welcome, fellow nerd.
Nice! I never knew about this, and that's one expensive Folio. Thanks for posting this. You have a cool blog setup here.
ReplyDeleteDavid: Thanks for stopping by. I might be hitting you up for some advice soon. I'm breaking away from realistic (boy) middle grade and writing something bigger and more adventurous.
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