When we think about William Shakespeare, we almost synonymously think of him holding a quill pen, or furiously scratching away on a piece of parchment with ink on his hands creating a masterpiece. When it comes to the history of writing, pens in particular, and even references to writing that happens inside Shakespeare’s plays, the world of writing instruments in Shakespeare’s lifetime was really widely varied. Not only were there other options beyond the infamous quill pen, but it’s highly likely many of Shakespeare's plays were actually taken down using a precursor to the same No. 2 pencils many of us create our artwork with today. 

Here to help us explore the history of writing instruments in England, including table books, graphite pencils, and a delightful look at Elizabethan erasers, is professor of Shakespeare and early modern drama, Tiffany Stern.