Class Description
“If you stopped a passerby in the street and asked, ‘What could you tell me about the woman William Shakespeare married?’ They’d probably say one of two things: that she forced him into marriage by getting pregnant, and that he hated her.”
So says Maggie O’Farrell in an interview about her 2020 bestselling novel, Hamnet. For centuries, historians and literary critics have made claims like these, based on very little evidence. But in the corners of history, a completely different Anne Shakespeare lurks, just waiting to be uncovered.
Join this one-session course to examine the traditional view of Anne Shakespeare as desperate spinster, designing woman, and nagging shrew and explore the historical evidence that supports an entirely different way of thinking about this fascinating but often maligned figure. Then delve into the novel Hamnet to discuss how Maggie O’Farrell drew from this other vision of Anne to inform her fictional retelling of a critical event in the lives of the entire Shakespeare family.
All virtual classes are recorded and made available to participants registered in the class. These recordings are password-protected and available for up to two weeks after the class ends.
Kay Daly is a writer, teacher, and scholar living in Chicago. She specializes in the literature and culture of early modern England and holds a PhD from Northwestern University. Her debut novel, Wilton House, comes out in Spring 2027.
What to Expect
Format: Virtual
Class Capacity: 24
Class Style: Mix of lecture and discussion; participation encouraged
Materials List
Required
- Maggie O'Farrell, Hamnet. Vintage, 2021. ISBN: 9781984898876
Recommended
- Hamnet (2025). Directed by Chloé Zhao. Available to stream on Peacock, or to rent on Prime or Apple TV.
First Assignment
- Read Hamnet by Maggie O'Farrell
- Optional: View Hamnet (2025)
Cost and Registration
1 Session, $75 ($67.50 for Newberry members, seniors, and students). Learn about becoming a member.
We offer our classes at three different price options: Regular ($75), Community Supported ($70), and Sponsor ($80). Following the models of other institutions, we want to ensure that our classes are accessible to a wider audience while continuing to support our instructors. You may choose the price that best fits your situation when registering through Learning Stream.
To register multiple people for this class, please go through the course calendar in Learning Stream, our registration platform. When you select the course and register, you’ll be prompted to add another registrant.
Having trouble signing up? Take a look at our step-by-step guide to registration by clicking here.
RegisterThe views and opinions expressed in this class and/or by the instructor are not necessarily representative of the Newberry. We aim to ensure that in our classes, participants can have respectful disagreement to foster critical thinking. This is a space to challenge and expand our own worldviews to work towards better understanding and appreciating humanity.
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