In today's episode, we cover the works of William Shakespeare, one of the greatest literary figures in English history. Specifically, we look at the supernatural elements in a number of his plays, from Henry IV and Richard III, to The Tempest and Macbeth. Straddling the reigns of Elizabeth and James, Shakespeare's career provides a window into how magic and witchcraft may have been seen in English culture.

This episode primarily makes use of the following sources:

Herrington, H. W., ‘Witchcraft and Magic in Elizabethan Drama’, in The Journal of American Folklore, 32, 126, (1919)Stanhill, Gerald., ‘Shakespeare’s Tempest, witchcraft and the Little Ice Age’, Weather, 71, iv, 100-102Holmes, R., Witchcraft in British History (1974)The plays of ShakespeareA full bibliography can be found on the website.

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