Introduction to Global Folios: Shakespeare in Non-Anglophone Sources

More than 400 years have passed since the publication of William Shakespeare’s First Folio. Being compiled by John Hemmings and Henry Condell, the First Folio has shaped the Shakespearean canon and has had a profound impact on his popularity. Currently, only about 235 of an estimated 700 copies exist today. The series of subsequent folios that followed the First Folio also contributed to Shakespeare criticism and the development of editorial practices in English-language criticism. Eighteenth-century editors such as Nicholas Rowe and Samuel Johnson attempted to perfect folio versions of Shakespeare’s works. Modern publishers like Cambridge University Press and Oxford University Press have differentiated between quarto and folio versions in recent editions. The publication of Shakespeare’s works in non-Anglophone regions, like India and Latin America, has led to unique adaptations that challenge traditional Western views of Shakespeare. The impact of Shakespeare in non-Anglophone regions like India and Georgia is explored in detail in essays included in this special issue focusing on Shakespeare outside the Anglophone world. In India, Shakespeare’s works were among the first to be translated into languages like Kannada, influencing local theatre traditions. In Georgia, translating Shakespeare’s plays into Georgian enriched the Georgian language. Turkish Shakespeares, which are also featured in the special issue, highlight the influence of Shakespeare in Turkish theatre history and literature. Therefore, the essays in this collection shed new light on Global Shakespeares, showcasing the complex histories of transmission, adaptation, and scholarship of Shakespeare’s works in non-Anglophone contexts. They provide valuable insights into how Shakespeare continues to resonate across different cultures and languages, adding a crucial dimension to the understanding of the Bard’s legacy and the significance of the First Folio.