WOMEN AND SHAKESPEARE BIOFICTION

Women readers have had a long history with Shakespeare, which makes sense, since, as Mary Cowden Clarke claimed in the nineteenth century, Shakespeare “may well be esteemed a valuable friend of woman-kind.” Shakespeare biofiction, in particular, has had a close relationship with women. This chapter explores how the biographical women connected with Shakespeare - his mother Mary Arden, his wife Anne Hathaway, his daughters Susanna Hall and Judith Quiney, and his fictional Dark Lady of the Sonnets - have been employed in biofiction to position Shakespeare’s life story with enduring connections to women. In the last century, biofiction about the women connected to Shakespeare has increased substantially, offering additional avenues for creative exploration. This growing area of biofiction has significant implications for Shakespeare’s cultural and literary status, positioning Shakespeare as an author whose life story resonates with women’s issues and interests, no matter how “true” that may be. The intersection of Shakespeare, women, and biofiction has opened up numerous possibilities to secure Shakespeare’s importance both for literary studies and for an enthusiastic and equally important general readership.