Overview
Shakespeare lived and worked in an extraordinary period of change and
discovery which can be hard to understand in 21st century. Just as
modern audiences connect to the enduring and universal appeal of his
plays, so we can connect to objects from his lifetime to illuminate our
understanding of his work. This unique book brings together, for the
first time, a selection of 50 objects from the Shakespeare Birthplace
Trust in Stratford-upon-Avon. An accessible and lavishly illustrated
object-based exploration of the role and significance of notable
paintings, furniture, ceramics, textiles and metal wares in the everyday
experience of people living in Shakespearean England, the book will
appeal to anyone with a love of Shakespeare. Organised along a simple
narrative based on the "Seven Ages of Man" speech from As You Like It,
the book reveals how material objects can provide greater insight into
such major themes as religious and social change, education, birth,
marriage, death, family life, professional and community life.
Published to mark the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare's death in 2016,
the book brings Shakespeare's life and times engagingly to life for
readers of all ages.