A widely recognized medieval scholar discussed the many questions surrounding William Shakespeare's identity as a part of the university’s Folger Library exhibit, “First Folio! The Book that Gave Us Shakespeare."
Raymond Clemens, who was referred to by Scott Gwara, an English professor, as “a scholar who literally wrote the book,” used his extensive experience with medieval manuscripts to present "Will the Real Shakespeare Please Stand Up?" Clemens used early manuscripts and other print sources to convey what scholars know about Shakespeare. He included details about his research as well as images from early works attributed to William Shakespeare.
The First Folio is the original compilation of almost all written works said to be created by Shakespeare. Using this book as an example, Clemens discussed the production of early manuscripts and their popularity and timeliness that led publishers to attribute plays to him.
“There was certainly an element of risk in launching the enterprise, but there was also a good deal of marketing research as we might say to call it today," Clemens said. "The First Folio, unlike the quartos, was a very conscious production to present Shakespeare as a literary figure based solely on the plays that he had written."
Clemens described how the size of the folio — as opposed to quartos, which were much smaller books — is indicative of its value and importance. The folio was particularly remarkable in that its popularity led to the printing of second, third and fourth folios.
Clemens is the curator of early books and manuscripts at the Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library at Yale University. He previously worked as the acting director of the Newberry Library’s Center for Renaissance Studies and was an associate professor of history at Illinois State University for 13 years.