So much Shakespeare!
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The Slippery History of Eels in Shakespeare’s England
From the sea to someone’s table, eels were a staple food at all levels of society. Learn how they were caught and cooked, and why Shakespeare though they were “ingenious.”
Gallant Fellows & Their Feathered Hats
Feathered hats for men and the reflection of power, status, and economy that we can see in their fashion choices.
The Thermometer invented before Galileo
In 1612, just one year after Shakespeare wrote The Tempest—a play where Prospero wields observation and instruments to command his environment—a real-life innovator in Venice, Santorio Santori, was quantifying temperatures through numbers, turning Galileo’s thermoscope ideas into measurable thermometers.
Glamis Castle in Shakespeare’s Lifetime
Explore Shakespeare’s Glamis—royal power, ghostly legends, Renaissance grandeur, and the real castle that inspired Macbeth’s haunting tale.
Dragons, Saints, Witchcraft, and Magic of the 16th Century
Discover the folklore that shaped Shakespeare’s world—from cunning folk and “accidental witches” to mermaids on maps, healing wells, crooked coins, and hidden shoes. Explore the magical traditions and superstitions of 16th-century England that blurred the line between daily life and the supernatural.
Roses by All Their Names: Perfume, Medicine, and Distillation
Explore roses in Shakespeare’s England with Dr. Aysu Dincer—medicine, perfumery, recipes, and symbolism in Elizabethan life and literature.
Music for the King of Scots: Recreating Linlithgow Palace’s Soundscape
Linlithgow Palace was the site of a beautiful choral performance in the 16th century. Our guest this week made a project of recreating it.
Islam and the Turks in 16th Century England
Othello fights Ottomans. Richard II rails at “Turks & Saracens.” Discover Elizabethan England’s real ties with sultans, Morocco, and Persia.
Let the Sky Rain Potatoes: Rebecca Earle on the Potato in Shakespeare’s England
Shakespeare joked about potatoes, but what did they mean to Elizabethans? Rebecca Earle uncovers the tuber’s curious role in his world.
The Holy Grail in Shakespeare’s England
Discover how Shakespeare’s England understood the Holy Grail—myth, politics, and legend—in this episode with historian Sean Munger.
What the Anne Hathaway Epitaph Reveals About Her Legacy
Anne Hathaway has a Latin epitaph with intricate history behind it, and it reveals a great deal about her and her family legacy.
Feathers in Dress and Costume for the 16th-17th Century
This week, Dr. John Kuhn joins us to explore the materials, methods, & meanings behind the feathered costumes seen on the early modern stage.
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