Shakespeare Inc.

Illustration for TIME by Lou Beach

When two actors, Henry Condell and John Heminges, started putting together a book of all their friend's plays, they could not have guessed where it would lead. But they did know publishing was an expensive and risky business — if their labor of love wasn't going to end in financial disaster, it had to sell. By the time he died in 1616, William Shakespeare was already a popular playwright and well-known actor in England. So when Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies hit the shelves seven years later, the title page carried the author's name in big letters. Underneath it...

Want the full story?

Subscribe Now

Subscribe
Subscribe

Learn more about the benefits of being a TIME subscriber

If you are already a subscriber sign up — registration is free!