Raphael Holinshed, The... Chronicles, 1577 - 'History of Scotland', title page.
Shakespeare’s ‘Scottish’ play is founded in history.
Holinshed’s first edition of The Chronicles, in 1577 included 'The Historie of Scotland' in which Shakespeare found the ...
Raphael Holinshed, The... Chronicles, 1577 - harvest woodcut, 'History of Scotland', p. 232.
A harvest scene, from a book known to Shakespeare.
Shakespeare’s parents both came from farming families so he knew well that everyone in country districts would help with cutting and sheaving ...
Raphael Holinshed, The... Chronicles, 1577 - Kings Cymbeline and Guiderius, 'History of England' p.47.
Shakespeare's source for Cymbeline.
Besides the story of Guiderius, which was based on myth and legend, Shakespeare found, in the 'Chronicles of Scotland', a tale of a nobleman and his two sons fighting ...
Raphael Holinshed, The... Chronicles, 1577 - Macbeth and Banquo, woodcut, 'History of Scotland', p.243, detail.
Shakespeare's source for Macbeth's meeting with the weird sisters.
This woodcut, from Holinshed's first edition of 'The Chronicles of Scotland' shows the meeting of Macbeth and Banquo with the three ...
Raphael Holinshed, The... Chronicles, 1577 - Macbeth and the weird sisters, 'History of Scotland', p.244, detail.
Shakespeare's source for the killing of King Duncan.
Macbeth kills Duncan, and has himself crowned at Scone, as Ross and Macduff discuss: ‘the sovereignty will fall upon Macbeth. He is already ...
Raphael Holinshed, The... Chronicles, 1577 - Macbeth, 'History of Scotland', p.244, detail.
Shakespeare's source for a prophecy: Macbeth becomes Thane of Cawdor
Here the Chronicles describe Macbeth being created Thane of Cawdor, and Duncan proclaiming Malcolm as his heir to the throne, two ...
Raphael Holinshed, The... Chronicles, 1577 - The thane of Cawdor is condemned, 'History of Scotland', p.244, detail.
The source for Shakespeare's Macbeth.
Shakespeare always amended and used his sources to suit the needs of drama. An example of this is Holinshed's tale that Banquo and others, as well as Lady Macbeth, ...
Raphael Holinshed, The... Chronicles, 1577 - Volume 1 title page
Shakespeare’s major sourcebook for the history plays.
Raphael (or Ralph) Holinshed began his career in London as a translator and worked on a history of the world of which the sections on England ...
Raphael Holinshed, The... Chronicles, 1577 - woodcut of King from page margin, p. 219.
A marginal woodcut that draws attention to an English king studied by Shakespeare.
The first edition of Holinshed’s Chronicles woodcuts is illustrated throughout, and the kings are presented ...
Raphael Holinshed, The... Chronicles, 1577 After the Romans left Britain, 'History of England', p.46-47.
Shakespeare's source for the story of Cymbeline and his son Guiderius.
The Chronicles include ‘history’ of the early mythical rulers of Britain at the time of the Romans, long before the ...
Raphael Holinshed, The... Chronicles, 1577, 'History of Scotland', - a sermon, woodcut, p.144, detail.
Sermons: frequently heard by Shakespeare.
Regular attendance at church made all Elizabethans familiar with sermons delivered by the local, or visiting clergy. In Shakespeare's comedies especially, ...
Raphael Holinshed, The... Chronicles, 1577, 'History of Scotland', - a siege, woodcut, p. 231, detail.
War in Europe in Shakespeare’s time.
War between the states of Europe was common in the sixteenth century and Queen Elizabeth's armies, and navy fought against the Spanish, and in the Low Countries ...
Raphael Holinshed, The... Chronicles, 1577, 'History of Scotland', - battle woodcut, , p.99, detail.
Contemporary battles inspired woodcuts in the first edition of Shakespeare’s source.
The detailed woodcuts in Holished's first edition, inspired by contemporary Elizabethan campaigns in Ireland, ...
Raphael Holinshed, The... Chronicles, 1577, 'History of Scotland', - naval conflict, woodcut, p. 233, detail.
Sea-battles in Shakespeare’s time.
Throughout Shakespeare’s early years in London there was continual war between England and Spain, culminating in 1588 with the defeat of the Spanish Armada ...
Raphael Holinshed, The... Chronicles, 1587 - binding back board detail
The craft of the bookbinder in Shakespeare’s time.
Ornamental tools, which had a metal rolling piece were heated over hot charcoal, and then used to decorate the leather ‘blindly’ ...
Raphael Holinshed, The... Chronicles, 1587 - binding view
Books for Shakespeare’s library use.
Large folio volumes such as this were frequently kept in college libraries, or libraries in great houses, often chained to the reading desks. Although the ...
Raphael Holinshed, The... Chronicles, 1587 - binding, front board.
An ornamented binding on a large ‘folio’ volume of Shakespeare's time.
This copy of the enlarged edition of Holinshed's Chronicles has its original leather binding which covers heavy wooden ...
Raphael Holinshed, The... Chronicles, 1587 - Henry V ,in Vol.3, p. 543
A text that Shakespeare followed closely.
William Shakespeare’s history plays, from Richard II to Richard III and Henry VIII, are closely based on aspects of history he found in this later edition ...