The Making of Shakespeare's First Folio by Emma Smith

by Emma Smith

Shakespeare is synonymous with English literature. Well-loved the world over, his work endures for its ability to speak powerfully to the follies and foibles of human nature. We endlessly debate not only the finer points of each of his plays and sonnets but also the identity of the Bard himself. Yet no fanfare surrounded the initial publication of Shakespeare’s First Folio —no queue of eager readers, no launch to the top of the best seller list. It wasn’t until four hundred years after Shakespeare’s death that the book would be the subject of a national book tour.
           
The Making of Shakespeare’s First Folio offers the first comprehensive biography of the earliest collected edition of Shakespeare’s plays. In November 1623, the book arrived in the bookshop of the London publisher Edward Blount at the Black Bear. Long in the making, Master William Shakespeare’s Comedies, Histories, and Tragedies — as the First Folio was then known—appeared seven years after Shakespeare’s death. Nearly one thousand pages in length, the collection comprised thirty-six plays, half of which had never been previously published. Emma Smith tells the story of the First Folio ’s origins, locating it within the social and political context of Jacobean London and bringing in the latest scholarship on the seventeenth-century book trade.
           
Extensively illustrated, The Making of Shakespeare’s First Folio is a landmark addition to the copious literature on Shakespeare. It will shed much-needed light on the birth of the First Folio —of which fewer than 250 copies remain—and the birth of Shakespeare’s towering reputation.

Genres: Shakespeare, History, Nonfiction, Literature, Biography, Books About Books, Literary Criticism

Hardcover

First published November 15, 2015

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.

Emma Smith is Professor of Shakespeare Studies at the University of Oxford. She has lectured widely in the UK and beyond on the First Folio and on Shakespeare and early modern drama. Her research interests include the methodology of writing about theatre, and developing analogies between cinema, film theory and early modern performance. Her recent publications include Macbeth: Language and Writing (2013), The Cambridge Shakespeare Guide (Cambridge, 2012) and Shakespeare's First Folio: Four Centuries of an Iconic Book (2016).

Reviews

[Haim]

This is an amazing read. If you enjoy Shakespearian booklore, Shakespeare, or book history, this the book for you. I learned a tremendous amount.

[Christine · Rating 4 out of 5]

For a highly prestigious academic, who some may posit as elite, Emma Smith's writing is highly accessible. In the past, I have read academic books that have been incredibly difficult to understand, due to being written in a language some may define as highbrow. But this isn't the same for every academic, and Smith is one of a number of exceptional academics who consciously or unconsciously, explains ideas in a clear language that is accessible to people from all walks of life: the university-educated, the non-university educated, the Shakespearean expert and the novice.

The Making of Shakespeare's First Folio is the only full-length book I am aware of that is wholly dedicated to the production of Shakespeare's 1623 First Folio. It's an interesting book that covers nearly everything there is to cover about the making of the book that turned Shakespeare into a celebrity and culture icon. But that's just it; Smith does not go into so much detail about this part, the biggest chapter is chapter 3, the backers, and it describes all the people who played an imperative part in Shakespeare's First Folio's production but have remained invisible. A lot of the First Folio's production was associated with and handled by immigrants, and Smith does touch on this, but not as much as I would have liked her to. Chapter 2 is dedicated to Shakespeare's reputation, it explains how Shakespeare's late writing became highly out of fashion, his reputation was declining and by the time the First Folio was made, Shakespeare was dead but also his reputation was dead too. The First Folio used clever marketing techniques to revitalize Shakespeare's reputation. It embedded the idea into people's minds that Shakespeare was a genius who solo-authored all his plays, a celebrity worth reading and celebrating. A lot of these claims are responsible for the way Shakespeare has been received in contemporary culture and continues to be.

This is a fascinating book that is easy to read. Only I feel Smith should have given more equal weight to each chapter or explained why more pages were given to the backers. I expect it is because the backers: chapter 3, details those who had a part in the production process of this important book, a significant part, but were excluded from it with no mention at all. And Smith is honoring these people by giving so much of the book to them, Smith is crediting those that were made invisible and giving them visibility. This is a brilliant book, well worth reading, and is very accessible. Only I wish to learn more about the immigrants who were involved, but that's just it, with Shakespeare a lot will forever be unknown.

[Martin Bussey · Rating 5 out of 5]

A treasure trove of information, not just about Shakespeare but how books were made and printed in the early 17th century. Written by an expert but with clarity and without any sense of being patronising. Emma Smith’s enthusiasm shines through and it’s clear she wants to share it with everyone.

[Joanne Gass · Rating 5 out of 5]

Emma Smith is my favorite Shakespeare scholar, these days. This new edition with the latest discovery, is excellent.

[Colin Cox · Rating 4 out of 5]

Since graduate school, I have continued to read Early Modern and English Renaissance scholarship. Admittedly, I do so in fits and starts, but textual scholarship, loosely understood as the study of book and manuscript production, has become a rewarding preoccupation. Emma Smith's The Making of Shakespeare's First Folio is a smart introduction to this field of scholarship and successfully articulates the importance of marginal figures who meaningfully assisted in the production of one of the most valuable books in the English canon. That is to say, Shakespeare matters, but so do the actors, writers, editors, printers, typesetters, and merchants who contributed to the production of a wildly complex piece of literature. Smith's argument mirrors this scholarly injunction to locate or situate Shakespeare within a complex network of players, both artistic and commercial. She writes, "In this book, I argue instead that the First Folio is the product of recoverable human, technological and commercial enterprise, and that Shakespeare himself is only one agent in its preparation and realisation. This doesn't diminish the extraordinary literary achievement contained there, but it does apportion credit more widely" (3). There are two key features to this statement that encapsulate what scholarship about the First Folio attempts to accomplish. The notion that non-Shakespeare contributions are "recoverable" is essential because it antagonizes the assumption that any single individual can produce a text of such size and technical difficulty. However, Shakespeare's contributions should not be overlooked, which explains why Smith references Shakespeare's "literary achievement." This balance or negotiation represents what textual scholarship that does not wish to appear as cold and clinical as stalwart new historicism might look like (not that anyone, as I understand it, continues to practice this brand of new historicism or any new historicism for that matter).

With that said, the book at times is a mixed bag. The first two and final two chapters on the plays, Shakespeare's reputation during his lifetime, printing and publishing practices, and "Early Readers," are fascinating and thought-provoking. Chapter 3, on the contrary, feels superfluous, which is upsetting since it is the longest chapter in this surprisingly thin volume. So read Smith's book if the subject matter is of interest, but do so with the understanding that it is more of an overview than a thoroughly-researched piece of new textual scholarship.

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have appeared onstage in two separate Shakespearian works: Much Ado about Nothing and Twelfth Night. If I may pat myself on the back a little, I was cast in two others--A Midsummer Night's Dream and The Merry Wives of Windsor--that I could not fulfill due to personal complications. As a performer, I have always viewed Shakespeare from a cautious distance: I want to be a fan, but I don't want to expose my ignorance of the man and his works. Speaking of performing, as I write this review, I am serving as director of a comedy/drama titled The Book of Will, which dramatizes the story of John Heminges and Henry Condell, the last two surviving members of the King's Men theatrical company, who led a frantic effort to get Shakespeare's plays into publication before they were lost forever to history. I was curious to know which parts of the play were true to the story of the First Folio. Emma Smith's book is an education unto itself in that regard.

Smith dissects the clues that history has left behind about the First Folio's production. Readers will learn about the company of the King's Men, the theatrical atmosphere in the late 16th/early 17th century, the process of securing the rights to publish the plays, as well as the laborious methods involved in producing a book in those days. Smith's scholarship is formidable and admirable; the text is peppered with illustrations that skillfully depict some of the more technical aspects of printing such a large and imposing project. Smith also proves adept at discussing the journey through history of the First Folio itself: The book is the subject of the biography, and its passage into the modern day is documented as well as it possibly can be. Anyone looking for a lesson on how to produce a book using only letterpress technology will find their inquiries well rewarded.

One caveat: The Making of the First Folio reveals little about Shakespeare the man, or the life he lived. Details about him remain woefully hidden, so any acolytes hoping to learn more about their idol will come away disappointed. But anyone who approaches The Making of the First Folio for what it is--the story of producing perhaps the most legendary book in history--will come away sated.

[mxd · Rating 4 out of 5]

The edition of the First Folio I've seen has always left me in awe, because it feels like Shakespeare could have disappeared into obscurity so easily were it not for the existence of all his works bound together, and those people who would later take inspiration from him and bring him back into the spotlight in a way he wouldn't have been even in his own time (Smith comments on how his death was barely commented on, in comparison to Burbage who acted in his plays and was eulogised by many).

What Emma Smith's book does is, it takes us through all the layers of what went into the creation of the First Folio. How were the plays collected? Who financed the folio? Why use the folio format? What was left out and why? Who else might have had a hand in writing some of the plays? What was the printing process like, and how did it contribute to some of the oddities in the editions of the First Folio? Many many questions addressed, and many personalities mentioned along the way.

If you're studying Shakespeare, or interested in rare books, this is a must read. Chock full of information and a fairly digestible read.

[Ed · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a bibliographic gem, a detailed account to the typesetting, printing, marketing and sale of the First Folio as a physical object as well as the 36 plays it contained. Highly recommended for anyone interested in the intersection of art and commerce in London during the years after Shakespeare's death. There is a lot to keep in mind: Ben Jonson, who told the reader that Shakespeare "was not of an age but for all time!" was himself a quill for hire who wrote fulsome eulogies about many recently deceased poets; eighteen of the 36 plays were published for the first and only time in the Folio and would be lost to us otherwise; that the Folio as we know it is riddled with typos, mistakes, dirt and marginalia and that it took two years to produce at Jaggard's print shop, not turning a profit until seven years after it was first available to the public.

A delightful book, fully researched and beautifully written, well worth having.

[Alan · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is good to be able to do an alternative close reading of Shakespeare that diverts from the usual studying of Shakespeare's poetry style and themes. It is an area of Shakespeare I'm more interested in; the biography of the writer or the history of his plays. It is easy to overlook the folio as an object and all the work that went into compiling, printing and selling the first folios. I can't remember the quote exactly but it was something like: if it wasn't for the printers, Shakespeare we may not have heard of today; but if not for Shakespeare's drama and poetry there would not have been the demand to print it. Basically, Shakespeare's folio is a successful collaboration and that sums it up well for me.
It is a well written, academic approach to the subject but quite short at around 200 pages so not a demanding read. Recommended reading.

[Christopher Olshefski · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book answers all the questions I didn't know I had about Shakespeare's legacy. And, as so much of Shakespeare is shrouded in myth and fantasy, Smith's contribution is by far the most fact-based take on the subject I have ever encountered. She actually manages to tackle questions that have empirical answers. Where did this folio come from? We actually kind of know a lot about it: we know where the paper came from, we know how long it took to assemble, how much it cost, how the type was set. We also know some of the people that bought and annotated it. This analysis reinforces the unavoidable fact- as uncomfortable as it makes many of Bardolaters-"Shakespeare is the sum of his writing, not his biography" (p.185). And the writing in question is found in this first folio, published six years after his death by his friends, fellow actors.

[Joseph · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having read this book, as well as Shakespeare's Book: The Story Behind the First Folio and the Making of Shakespeare, I know just about as much as I want to about the various factors behind the publication of the First Folio four hundred years ago, in 1623. My curiosity has been sated.

[Libby Beyreis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting topic but very dry delivery. This book discusses the making of the First Folio - not the writing, but the actual creation of the book. It talks about the printers, the audience, the book-selling world in Elizabethan England, and lots of other people who intersected with the creation of the object. It should have been right up my alley, but I found my mind wandering a lot and didn't really engage with the book. There's lots of good information in there, though.

[Mary L · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Making of Shakespeare's First Folio is the second book I've read by Emma Smith. Though this book wasn't as thrilling as This Is Shakespeare, I still learned a great deal about the printing process in the early modern period and how that process affects how we see William Shakespeare today.

[Martin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Who knew there was so much to know? Who knew there was so much unknown that's actually known? Who knew we almost didn't know all that we know? This fine author, that's who! And who knew, that 400 years later, my Shakespeare Haggadah would be, here and there by a select few, mistaken for the original folio? I certainly did not anticipate that!

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book and learned a great deal. People who have studied book production in this era will likely find it less informative, but for the general reader, there was a lot of interesting details on the process. It also does a good job of situating Shakespeare, his work, and the production of the folio within the overall culture and literary era.

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

A highly informative insight into everything that went into creating the first folio. Any question you have ever had is answered in this book and all information is presented in an easy to read manner.

[Tom · Rating 5 out of 5]

Emma Smith is a goddess.

Easy to read, this book deals with all the people behind the 1623 First Folio of Shakespeare's plays, why it is (and isn't) definitive.

I could probably have done with less on the actual printing, but I know people for whom that would be the best bit.

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

So much is revealed about Shakespeare's work when you understand his collaborators.

[Alex · Rating 3 out of 5]

A comprehensive examination of the seminal text of Western literature. Would it be harsh to suggest too comprehensive?

[Denise]

“What Are You Reading,” Bill Thompson, 4/2/24.

[Eileen McCauley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting with unexpected information.

[Eric · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting, but brief summary of how Shakespeare's First Folio, one of the most famous of all English works, was brought to life. This is not literary criticism, or Shakespearean biography, but a look at how the famous plays were preserved after the writer's death, and eventually printed in the form that saved so many for posterity. The book is short, and a touch repetitive, perhaps due to the intervening years since the work was printed. But there is plenty here to like, from the personalities of Shakespeare's friends and fellow players, who sought to print his life's work, to the printers and others, who were responsible for the physical work itself. Another work by Smith, covering the history of the First Folio, seems to serve as almost a sequel to this book, and perhaps the two could have been combined into one longer work. Very interesting, nevertheless, for those interested in the time period, Shakespeare's plays, or the history of printed works.

[Michael P. · Rating 4 out of 5]

The quibbles are minor: a typo here, an assumption expressed as a fact there, and that sort of thing. On balance, however, a book that tells you everything you always wanted to know about Shakespeare's First Folio succeeds in telling you (nearly) everything you always wanted to know about Shakespeare's First Folio. Bravo.

[Brian Page · Rating 4 out of 5]

THE MAKING OF SHAKESPEARE'S FIRST FOLIO is enormously entertaining and instructive. Emma Smith illuminates many obscure tidbits about the plays, the printing, the business, and the inside jokes. If nothing else, I learned from whence upper case and lower case originated.

[Jane Walker · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wanted to read this after hearing Emma Smith's radio programme on the history of some of the copies of the Folio. The book is a comprehensive, though short, study of the Folio itself and its making. There are some fascinating details about how books were produced in this period.

[Mills College Library]

002.09 S6467 2015

[Dana · Rating 3 out of 5]

There were certain areas I wish Smith had delved a littler deeper into, but overall interesting.

[Karen Buzzard · Rating 5 out of 5]

An interesting read. Kept my attention and covered the major contending portraits.