Shakespeare Goes to School: Charlotte M. Yonge's Edition of Henry IV, Part I

With performances from Mark Lewis and Zac Chastain. The bestselling Victorian novelist, Charlotte Mary Yonge, edited, introduced, and annotated an edition of Shakespeare’s Henry IV, Part I for Church of England schools.  Building upon Molly G. Yarn’s pioneering Shakespeare’s ‘Lady Editors’ (2022), this lecture will offer the first sustained exploration of Yonge’s editorial choices.  The complacent dismissiveness of bowdlerized editions will be questioned and challenged.  Yonge’s introduction and notes were focused on pointing out where Shakespeare’s play departed from historical accuracy. The scene summaries are lucid, and some wonderfully arcane knowledge is included in the notes. Charlotte Yonge’s own precocious and productive life becomes the backdrop and context for celebrating children and adults who love Shakespeare, Falstaff, and Henry IV, Part I.

Dr. Larsen is McManis Professor of Christian Thought and Professor of History at Wheaton College. Mark Lewis is the program director for Arena Theater and Professor of Communication at Wheaton. Zac Chastain is a Wheaton alum from New York, and he is reprising his role as Hal from the Shakespeare in the Park 2021 performance of Henry IV, Part 1.

This event is free and open to the public and will take place in Marion E. Wade Center,   Room 130 Bakke Auditorium,   located at 351 East Lincoln Avenue in Wheaton on the Northwest corner of campus at the intersection of Washington Street and Lincoln Avenue. For more information, contact Shakespeare Society at 630.752.5910 or shakespeare.society@wheaton.edu.