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1.5 The First Folio in Context: 'To the great Variety of readers'

Preliminary page 17
Use this resource to explore the University of Leeds Brotherton Collection digital First Folio, to find out more about the significance of the book, and the history of this particular copy.
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Macbeth. I. i. 1 - I. ii. 62
The significance of the plays in Shakespeare's first folio. Part of an online resource for exploring the first folio edition of Shakespeare's plays, held in the Brotherton Collection in Special Collections at the University of Leeds Library.
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Preliminary page 3
The significance of Shakespeare as a literary figure. Part of an online resource for exploring the first folio edition of Shakespeare's plays, held in the Brotherton Collection in Special Collections at the University of Leeds Library.
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Preliminary page 15
The context of the first folio of Shakespeare's plays - the principal actors. Part of an online resource for exploring the first folio edition of Shakespeare's plays, held in the Brotherton Collection in Special Collections at the University of Leeds Library.
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Portrait of Shakespeare (first folio)
The context of the first folio of Shakespeare's plays - Shakespeare's portrait. Part of an online resource for exploring the first folio edition of Shakespeare's plays, held in the Brotherton Collection in Special Collections at the University of Leeds Library.
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Preliminary page 7
The context of the first folio of Shakespeare's plays - the readers. Part of an online resource for exploring the first folio edition of Shakespeare's plays, held in the Brotherton Collection in Special Collections at the University of Leeds Library.
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Preliminary page 2
The condition of the Library's copy of Shakespeare's first folio. Part of an online resource for exploring the first folio edition of Shakespeare's plays, held in the Brotherton Collection in Special Collections at the University of Leeds Library.
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Outside front cover
The condition of the binding of the Library's copy of Shakespeare's first folio. Part of an online resource for exploring the first folio edition of Shakespeare's plays, held in the Brotherton Collection in Special Collections at the University of Leeds Library.
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Brotherton First Folio Box
The condition of the containing box of the Library's copy of Shakespeare's first folio. Part of an online resource for exploring the first folio edition of Shakespeare's plays, held in the Brotherton Collection in Special Collections at the University of Leeds Library.
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Photograph of Lord Brotherton, 1926
Read about Lord Brotherton of Wakefield, who purchased Shakespeare's First Folio and donated it to the University of Leeds. Part of an online resource for exploring the first folio edition of Shakespeare's plays, held in the Brotherton Collection in Special Collections at the University of Leeds Library.
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Theodore Newton Vail, 1845-1920, bust portrait, facing left]
Read about Theodore Vail, a previous owner of Shakespeare's First Folio now owned by the University of Leeds. Part of an online resource for exploring the first folio edition of Shakespeare's plays, held in the Brotherton Collection in Special Collections at the University of Leeds Library.
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Read about the digitisation of Shakespeare's first folio undertaken by the University of Leeds Library. Part of an online resource for exploring the first folio edition of Shakespeare's plays, held in the Brotherton Collection in Special Collections at the University of Leeds Library.
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Preliminary page 17
View a high-resolution digitised version of Shakespeare's First Folio. Part of an online resource for exploring the first folio edition of Shakespeare's plays, held in the Brotherton Collection in Special Collections at the University of Leeds Library.
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Perhaps what is most distinctive about Shakespeare's Folio is the extent to which it appears to give itself to its readers and leave itself open to their interpretations.

As the Folio largely frees itself from the contexts of politics, patronage and classical precedent, and from any direct authorial voice, so it appears to hand itself over to the reader.

This is reflected in the unusual placing of the address "To the Reader" on the very first page, even before the title of the work.

The preface "To the great Variety of Readers", begins by embracing the full spectrum of readers "From the most able, to him that can but spell"

While insisting upon the inherent value of the texts, "To the great Variety of Readers", does not attempt to dictate any meaning of the book, but rather accepts the role of the reader in determining meaning and suggests the plurality of interpretation.

Dr Jane Rickard

With kind permission of Manchester University Press

References

Meek, Richard, et al. 2008. Shakespeare's book: essays in reading, writing and reception.

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