Folger Shakespeare Library: Shakespeare Unlimited

How did Shakespeare engage with the complexities of gender and sexuality in his time? Was his portrayal of cross-dressing and same-sex attraction simply for comedic effect, or did it reflect a deeper understanding of queer desire? In this episode, host Barbara Bogaev speaks with scholar Will Tosh, who delves into these questions through his new book Straight Acting: The Hidden Queer Lives of William Shakespeare. Tosh, Head of Research at Shakespeare’s Globe, explores Shakespeare’s work in the context of early modern London—a city bustling with queer subcultures. This conversation touches on Shakespeare’s depictions of gender fluidity, same-sex desire, and the influence of classical literature on his plays. The episode highlights the cultural and social dynamics of the time, revealing the complex ways in which gender and sexuality were understood and expressed in early modern England. Tosh also examines Shakespeare's schooling, shaped by homoerotic classics like Cicero’s De Amicitia and Ovid’s Metamorphoses,