The Bible was everywhere in Shakespeare's England. Through sermons, catechisms, treatises, artwork, literature and, of course, biblical reading itself, the stories and language of the Bible pervaded popular and elite culture. In recent years, scholars have demonstrated how thoroughly biblical allusions saturate Shakespearean plays. But Shakespeare's audiences were not simply well versed in the Bible's content - they were also steeped in the practices and methods of biblical interpretation. Reformation and counter-reformation debate focused not just on the biblical text, but - crucially - on how to read the text. The Bible on the Shakespearean Stage is the first volume to integrate the study of Shakespeare's plays with the vital history of Reformation practices of biblical interpretation. Bringing together the foremost international scholars in the field of 'Shakespeare and the Bible', these essays explore Shakespeare's engagement with scriptural interpretation in the tragedies, histories, comedies, and romances.

'The essays in The Bible on the Shakespearean Stage: Cultures of Interpretation in Reformation England continue this expansion of the historical and literary perspectives in the field whilst concentrating on Shakespeare. It will certainly help move the scholarly conversation onwards along new axes.'

Jem Bloomfield Source: The Review of English Studies

'… Fulton and Poole have gathered a formidable body of scholarship to help us think about and with Shakespeare’s religious culture. This collection of essays may be read, excerpted, and deployed in a number of productive ways in the undergraduate and graduate classroom … It is a must-read for scholars wishing to expand and deepen their knowledge of early modern biblical exegetes and their influence on Shakespeare’s culture and works.'

Kurt Schreyer Source: Modern Philology

'The collection is admirably clear, sensible, and well focused on its central thesis. This is a splendid book.'

David Bevington Source: Renaissance Quarterly