Shakespeare: The Four Folios

Shakespeare's Four Folios were published between 1623 and 1685.

Although 'folio' actually refers to the large size of the books, it is also a reflection of the standing in which the plays and their author were held.

Up until the publication of the First Folio , works of literature had never before been produced in such large and luxurious a format.

This type of production had been reserved for the Bible and works of theology.

It was not just this factor, however, that made the Folios unique: this was also the first time that Shakespeare's plays had been collected together in one volume.

In each of the Folios the 36 plays were arranged in genres of Comedies, Histories and Tragedies.

In addition to the standard 36 plays, Folios three & four included seven plays attributed to Shakespeare.

Each Folio included letters to the reader and introductory notes, by the editors, Heming and Condell.

Routledge/Thoemmes Press have published as facsimile the Four Folios in their original size and format, as they would have appeared in the 17th century.

Less than a quarter of the books from the original print run still exist, mostly in private collections. This is a unique opportunity to read Shakespeare's plays as his contemporaries intended.