A family in Stratford and a theatrical career in London
Shakespeare was born at Stratford-upon-Avon in 1564. His schooling is not documented, though the local grammar school provides a plausible setting for his early education. He married Anne Hathaway in 1582; their children were Susanna and the twins Judith and Hamnet. The years between this family record and his established London career remain incompletely known.
By 1594 he was a leading member of the Lord Chamberlain’s Men, working as actor, playwright and company shareholder. The Globe opened in 1599; later plays also used the indoor Blackfriars theatre and reached court audiences. Narrative poems, sonnets, comedies, histories and tragedies extended his literary career across different forms. He acquired property in Stratford and died there in 1616. The 1623 First Folio preserved many plays after his death, including The Tempest.
An island with competing memories of power
The Tempest’s first recorded performance was at court in November 1611. Its opening storm gives practical authority to the boatswain before the next scene reveals Prospero’s control of the event. Miranda’s distress and questions interrupt his account of their past. Ariel and Caliban bring further memories, demands and expectations of freedom, making the island a place of contested relationships.
The library copy includes Edmund Dulac’s illustrations, a much later interpretation of Shakespeare’s drama. Plates select particular speeches and moments, including Caliban’s recollection of early kindness and Ariel’s appearance as a harpy. Dialogue, music and stage action develop through time; each picture concentrates a moment into figures and landscape. Keeping the two forms in conversation allows the drama’s several voices to remain audible alongside the illustrator’s powerful visual choices.
