F. Theresa Chisholm Shakespeare Volume (the famous First Folio)
Shakespeare's works are still widely celebrated and studied today, and for good reason. He invented a multitude of words and phrases that are still in common use, and he created fantastic stories for generations to come. The First Folio includes many of his most famous plays, including Romeo and Juliet, A Midsummer's Night's Dream, Hamlet, King Lear, Macbeth, and The Tempest. As suggested by the title, the plays in the First Folio are arranged into three categories: comedies, histories, and tragedies.
Saint Mary’s Rare Book Room holds a lithographic reproduction of The First Folio that was published by Day and Son, Lithographers, in 1866. Lithography is a printing process that involves creating an image of the content to be printed on a plate, which is then covered in ink and used for printing. Alois Senefelder discovered this type of printing in 1798, and, soon after Senefelder's discovery, lithography became popular among many artists in France during the mid-1800s.
Lithography allowed for the creation of high-quality reproductions of early editions of Shakespeare's plays, which helped to spread his works and influence beyond England. Additionally, lithography allowed for the addition of beautiful and intricate illustrations alongside the text, further enhancing the plays' visual appeal. Overall, the First Folio is a remarkable piece of literary history and a testament to William Shakespeare's enduring influence and importance for future generations.
Saint Mary's lithographic reproduction of William Shakespeare's Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies is dedicated to F. Theresa Chisholm (d. 1943). Chisholm was an instructor in speech and drama at Saint Mary's College and the Achievement Award in Performing Arts was established in her name in the department due to her teaching skills, artistic interpretation, and devotion to her students. She laid the foundation for the growth and recognition of Saint Mary's excellence in Communication and Theatre studies. Unfortunately, she passed away in 1943 and is interred in St. Joseph's Cemetery in West Roxbury, Massachusetts.