Folger Shakespeare Library
 
 
Stage and Screen Education and Inspiration The American Identity

THE AMERICAN IDENTITY

 

A Lifelong Interest in Shakespeare
A Lifelong Interest in Shakespeare
Walter Mondale, Vice President of the United States, 1977 to 1981; United States Senator from Minnesota, 1964 to 1977

WALTER MONDALE: I was a student at Macalester College and I took a course on English literature that involved Henry V. I had a wonderful teacher, and she had us all read it carefully, recite it carefully, and then we went to Laurence Olivier's film, and it changed me. And then I started reading Shakespeare. I have a wonderful library that I often use.

The other night we went to see Hamlet again here at the Guthrie. Joan and I went to the opening of Hamlet at the new Guthrie Theater 43 years ago, and last night we went to the last presentation at the current Guthrie Theater—we just built a new one—and it was of Hamlet. So we had once again revisited our old friend.