"He was not of an age, but for all time."

This was written by Ben Jonson in his dedicatory verses to the memory of William Shakespeare in 1623. His contemporaries recognized during his life time the dimension of his work, and if anything, we continue to affirm his genius today with an even greater appreciation. No writer in any language, from any time period, can begin to rival the universal appeal that Shakespeare has enjoyed. No one else in any artistic endeavor has projected a cultural influence so broad and so deep to compare to his. After almost four-hundred years of exposure, he continues to have a daily effect on virtually every aspect of popular culture throughout the world.

The passage of centuries, the lack of factual records, the sheer volume of his works, their universality, and the intense interest in a man of such genius, have left us with volumes of speculation surrounding his life. The more learned perspectives of the countless scholars and historians who have devoted their lives to the study and understanding of Shakespeare have produced as much speculation as fact. Like the celebrities of today, everything about Shakespeare is fair game for the inquisitive. His religious affiliation, sexual orientation, collaborations, authorship, finances, marriage, children, and education are some of the topics still explored.

While Shakespeare could not prevent the endless probing of his motives, manners, and means, he was successful in his last request, expressed in his epitaph:

Medium : 1 print : mezzotint

Created/Published : c1815

Creator : Charles Turner, engraver, 1774-1857 : Cornelius Jansenius, artist, 1585-1638

Housed in the Prints and Photographs Division of the Library of Congress

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Product #: cph3g11465