Wolfson History Prize
2 appearances
-
Edition 130 (2023) Nominee
Emma Josephine Smith
えま・じょせふぃん・すみす
Ema Josafin Sumisu
Profile
- Gender
- Female
- Born
- 1970-05-15 （Leeds, West Yorkshire, England）
- Nationality
- United Kingdom, England
- Languages
- English
- Residence History
- Oxford
Career
- Occupations
- Literary scholar, Historian, Academic, Professor of Shakespeare Studies
- Active Years
- 1997-2024
- Affiliations
- Hertford College, Oxford, University of Oxford, All Souls College, Oxford, New Hall, Cambridge
- Memberships
- Board member of Royal Shakespeare Company, Associate Scholar of Royal Shakespeare Company
- Influenced By
- William Shakespeare, Thomas Kyd, Thomas Middleton
- Nominations
- 2023 Wolfson History Prize shortlist (Portable Magic)
Education
| Institution | Faculty | Department | Degree | Period | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abbey Grange School | — | — | — | — | United Kingdom |
| Somerville College, Oxford | Faculty of English | — | BA | 1988-1991 | United Kingdom |
| University of Oxford | Faculty of English | — | DPhil | — | United Kingdom |
Abbey Grange School
Country:
United Kingdom
Secondary school
Somerville College, Oxford
Faculty of English
Degree:
BA
Period:
1988-1991
Year of Graduation:
1991
Country:
United Kingdom
Undergraduate
University of Oxford
Faculty of English
Degree:
DPhil
Year of Graduation:
1997
Country:
United Kingdom
Thesis: Sifting strangers: some aspects of the representation of the European foreigner in the English drama, 1580-1617
Awards
| Year | Award | Work | Category | Organization | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | Hoffman Prize | Article on All's Well That Ends Well collaboration | — | The Marlowe Society | won |
| 2015 | Title of Distinction: Professor of Shakespeare Studies | — | — | University of Oxford | awarded |
Hoffman Prize
2014
Work:
Article on All's Well That Ends Well collaboration
Organization:
The Marlowe Society
Result:
won
Title of Distinction: Professor of Shakespeare Studies
2015
Organization:
University of Oxford
Result:
awarded
Awards & Nominations
Works
Major Works
Portable Magic: A History of Books and their Readers
2022 History of the bookA history of books and their readers, exploring the physicality and cultural impact of books.
History of the bookReading cultureMaterial culture
This Is Shakespeare
2019 Shakespeare studiesA guide to Shakespeare's plays in chronological order, based on lectures and podcast.
Shakespeare's rangePlay analysisContemporary readings
Shakespeare’s First Folio: Four Centuries of an Iconic Book
2016 Book history / ShakespeareExplores four centuries of the history of Shakespeare's First Folio.
First FolioPrinting historyShakespeare myth
Bibliography
- Portable Magic: A History of Books and their Readers
- This Is Shakespeare
- Shakespeare’s First Folio: Four Centuries of an Iconic Book
- The Making of Shakespeare's First Folio
- Women on the Early Modern Stage: A Woman Killed with Kindness, The Tamer Tamed, The Duchess of Malfi, The Witch of Edmonton
- The Elizabethan Top Ten: Defining Print Popularity in Early Modern England
- Five Revenge Tragedies: The Spanish Tragedy, Hamlet, Antonio's Revenge, The Tragedy of Hoffman, The Revenger's Tragedy
- The Cambridge Shakespeare Guide
- The Cambridge Introduction to Shakespeare
- Shakespeare's Comedies: a Guide to Criticism
- Shakespeare's Histories: a Guide to Criticism
- Shakespeare's Tragedies: a Guide to Criticism
- Shakespeare in Production: Henry V
- Thomas Kyd: The Spanish Tragedie (ed.)
Style & Themes
- Literary Style
- Lucid and accessible criticismLecture and podcast styleBridging academic and popular audiences
- Recurring Motifs
- Textual instability in ShakespeareMateriality of booksCollaboration in early modern theatre
Legacy
Leading scholar in Shakespeare studies and book history. Oxford professor contributing to education and research. Known through RSC board and BBC appearances.
In Popular Culture
- Multiple appearances on BBC Radio 4's In Our Time
- Script advisor for Mary Queen of Scots (2018 film)
Trivia
- Attended Oxford from a non-traditional background.
- Lives with partner Elizabeth.
- Made Honorary Bencher at Middle Temple in 2024.
- Elected Honorary Fellow at Somerville College in 2025.