Shakespeare and women have a long history together—from the first published critical response to Shakespeare by Margaret Cavendish in 1664; to the first known reading group, the Shakespeare Ladies Club in the early 1700s; to the Women’s Clubs that took Shakespeare across the entire country with the pioneers; to the preponderance of women at lectures about Shakespeare that inadvertently had a negative impact on Shakespeare in universities. Discover how integral woman have been in the history of Shakespeare.
Robin Williams, Ph.D., has a doctorate in the history and future of Shakespeare reading groups and editorial practices. She lives in Santa Fe.
