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Chapter 13. What’s in a stamp?

Romeo and Juliet in the postal system of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries
  • Francisco Fuentes
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<i>Romeo and Juliet</i> in European Culture
This chapter is in the book <i>Romeo and Juliet</i> in European Culture

Abstract

Since 1948, over 20 different postage stamps inspired by Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet have been issued all over the world. The issue of these stamps contributes to “officially” making Shakespeare a part of the issuing countries. The philatelic commemoration of Shakespeare’s play through the issue of postage stamps devoted to it is thus a culturally significant act. The aim of this chapter is to examine how postage stamps, with all the political, cultural and economic implications these documents entail, portray Romeo and Juliet and to what extent the reading of the play that these stamps convey is consistent with Shakespeare’s text.

Abstract

Since 1948, over 20 different postage stamps inspired by Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet have been issued all over the world. The issue of these stamps contributes to “officially” making Shakespeare a part of the issuing countries. The philatelic commemoration of Shakespeare’s play through the issue of postage stamps devoted to it is thus a culturally significant act. The aim of this chapter is to examine how postage stamps, with all the political, cultural and economic implications these documents entail, portray Romeo and Juliet and to what extent the reading of the play that these stamps convey is consistent with Shakespeare’s text.

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. List of contributors vii
  4. Introduction 1
  5. Chapter 1. Heavenly eloquence 25
  6. Chapter 2. Juliet’s balcony 37
  7. Chapter 3. Romeo and Juliet in Germany 61
  8. Chapter 4. Romeo and Juliet on the French stage 77
  9. Chapter 5. Romeo and Juliet in Spain 101
  10. Chapter 6. Judaisation in the first Hebrew translation of Romeo and Juliet 119
  11. Chapter 7. Giulietta e Romeo 139
  12. Chapter 8. Star-crossed lovers in Sweden 159
  13. Chapter 9. Romeo and Juliet  – The East Side Story 177
  14. Chapter 10. “Unveiling” Romeo and Juliet in Spain 197
  15. Chapter 11. Romeo and Juliet in British culture 227
  16. Chapter 12. A festival blockbuster 247
  17. Chapter 13. What’s in a stamp? 263
  18. Chapter 14. “In fair [Europe], where we lay our scene” 283
  19. Chapter 15. A selective timeline of Romeo and Juliet in European culture 301
  20. Index 321
https://doi.org/10.1075/sec.1.14fue

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. List of contributors vii
  4. Introduction 1
  5. Chapter 1. Heavenly eloquence 25
  6. Chapter 2. Juliet’s balcony 37
  7. Chapter 3. Romeo and Juliet in Germany 61
  8. Chapter 4. Romeo and Juliet on the French stage 77
  9. Chapter 5. Romeo and Juliet in Spain 101
  10. Chapter 6. Judaisation in the first Hebrew translation of Romeo and Juliet 119
  11. Chapter 7. Giulietta e Romeo 139
  12. Chapter 8. Star-crossed lovers in Sweden 159
  13. Chapter 9. Romeo and Juliet  – The East Side Story 177
  14. Chapter 10. “Unveiling” Romeo and Juliet in Spain 197
  15. Chapter 11. Romeo and Juliet in British culture 227
  16. Chapter 12. A festival blockbuster 247
  17. Chapter 13. What’s in a stamp? 263
  18. Chapter 14. “In fair [Europe], where we lay our scene” 283
  19. Chapter 15. A selective timeline of Romeo and Juliet in European culture 301
  20. Index 321
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