Titus Andronicus?
Othello?
Hamlet?
The Winter's Tale?
The Tempest?
Students from Saddleback College had gathered in the Langson Library for a session with Shakespeare’s First Folio. These are the titles they gave when Special Collections Librarian Anastasia Armendariz asked them to name some plays have come down to us only in the First Folio, the works of Shakespeare collected by the playwright’s friend after his death and published in 1623. Of the names shouted out by the students, only the last two are correct.
Without the First Folio, these and sixteen other plays by Shakespeare would be lost. We also wouldn’t have The Taming of the Shrew--or 10 Things I Hate About You.
Dr. Sheiba Kian Kaufman, who earned her Ph.D. in English from UC Irvine in 2013 and now teaches English at Saddleback College, arranged this visit with Special Collections on April 1, 2025. The enthusiastic group from Saddleback included English majors, honors students, and Gemstone, a lovable guide dog.
Public Services Library Assistant Hanako Roselei Ishizuka-Gunderson helped students find their favorite passages from A Midsummer's Night Dream and Romeo and Juliet. They took turns reading out loud from the First Folio, amused and surprised by the unfamiliar spellings.
Although UC Irvine’s copy of the First Folio is valuable, it is not pristine. Rust marks and wine stains tell stories about past users.
Distinguished Professor of English Julia Lupton ended the session with an interactive textual analysis
Christine Kuftedjian, an incoming junior transfer in English, attended the workshop. "History is almost right in front of me," Kuftedjian said, her eyes wide as she took in her new school.
Sheiba Kian Kaufman left with a full heart. “Visiting the First Folio with my college students was a moment of true access and equity,” she shared. “We brought an esteemed cultural artifact to a diverse group of youth who were so grateful for this unique opportunity. One student joyfully reflected that this book is older than America! Another student was contemplating the heavy weight of the paper and another said she prefers to read with this original hard copy rather than digital texts. I’m so thankful to UCI, Professor Lupton, Anastasia, and Hanako for creating this transformative educational experience.”
Related content: Julia Lupton at Saddelback College
--Jessica Rosenow, New Swan Intern