You’re gotta be familiar with Sacred Texts, right? Their wonderful website collects many old and beautiful books and stores them online for us to read at our leisure. They have just added a brilliant title, the Folk-Lore of Shakespeare by T.F. Thiselton Dyer which was published in 1883. It is often hard to see the history of the Fey between the eras of the Mythological past that we have been covering in the stories of the Irish Mythological Cycle and the modern re-telling of folk-tales and memories that have been recorded by folklorists. Examination of the Elizabethan beliefs through the works of Shakespeare is a superb idea and now this book is available to study again!

Sacred Texts say:

This is a comprehensive studies of the folklore aspects of Shakespeare, providing a full-spectrum exposure to the cultural background of Elizabethan society. The Reverend Dyer, who also wrote Folk-lore of Women, delves into the source of innumerable passages in Shakespeare which were mysterious even back in Victorian times. Although usually he manages to clear up the mystery, in few instances he has to admit defeat.

This book is vital if you want to really understand Shakespeare’s cultural context and times. He covers everything from the supernatural (fairies, witches, mermaids) to the mundane: games, weddings, dance, punishments, proverbs, animal lore. You can read it straight through, but it is also a browser’s delight; you never know what bit of the bard lodged in your mind he will shed light on next.–J.B. Hare, April 16th, 2009.

Find the book on the  Sacred Texts website.

Originally posted 2009-04-30 09:45:37. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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