Richard III

Was Shakespeare Catholic? The religious views of William Shakespeare are the subject of an ongoing scholarly debate dating back more than 150 years. Many scholars have speculated about his personal religious beliefs, based on analysis of the historical record and of his published work, more and more scholars are accepting claims that Shakespeare's family may have had Catholic sympathies and that he himself was a secret Catholic.

Was this master of the English language made such through the grace of his Catholic faith? We invite you to reread Shakespeare through this lens and discover a wealth of insights into some of the greatest works and stories of the English language. 

About the Series: The legendary Pelican Shakespeare series features authoritative and meticulously researched texts paired with scholarship by renowned Shakespeareans. Each book includes an essay on the theatrical world of Shakespeare's time, an introduction to the individual play, and a detailed note on the text used. Updated by general editors Stephen Orgel and A. R. Braunmuller, these easy-to-read editions incorporate over thirty years of Shakespeare scholarship undertaken since the original series, edited by Alfred Harbage, appeared between 1956 and 1967. With definitive texts and illuminating essays, the Pelican Shakespeare will remain a valued resource for students, teachers, and theater professionals for many years to come.

For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators.