Katherine Chiljan – The First Folio Fraud

Twenty Shakespeare plays were printed for the first time, along with 16 previously printed ones, in the First Folio of 1623. This publication of 36 Shakespeare plays was certainly the greatest literary event of that century, if not of all time. The title page featured the great author’s portrait, followed by a preface of letters and poetic tributes, and then 900 large pages of play texts. At first glance, this grand book would inspire the 17th century reader’s awe, as well as excitement to learn something about the great author, who, before this book, was virtually unknown. Instead the preface confused the reader with lies and contradictions, gave no biography of the great author, and only hinted at his home town. This paper, based on a chapter of Shakespeare Suppressed, will analyze the Folio’s preface and the messages it tried to convey, which fostered the greatest hoax in literature. Katherine Chiljan is an independent scholar who has studied the Shakespeare Authorship Question for over three