The first folio of Shakespeare's plays appeared in:

Correct option is D

Explanation:

The correct answer is 1623.

- The First Folio of Shakespeare’s plays was published in 1623, seven years after his death in 1616.

- It is a significant compilation of Shakespeare’s plays and is considered one of the most important works in English literature.

- It was prepared by John Heminges and Henry Condell, two of Shakespeare's colleagues from the King's Men acting company, who sought to preserve the works of Shakespeare for future generations.

Information Booster: 

- The First Folio was produced to preserve Shakespeare’s plays, many of which were at risk of being lost.

- Before the First Folio, Shakespeare's plays were published in individual editions called quartos, which were often unreliable.

- Many of these plays had been printed with errors or in incomplete versions. There was a need to collect and publish Shakespeare's works in one definitive volume to ensure their preservation for future audiences.

- The First Folio was compiled by John Heminges and Henry Condell, two of Shakespeare’s close friends and fellow actors from the King's Men, the theater company Shakespeare belonged to.

- They were committed to preserving Shakespeare’s legacy, and the First Folio contains 36 of Shakespeare’s plays, including some that had never been printed before.

- It was published by Edward Blount and William Jaggard.

- The First Folio contains 36 plays, and notably, 18 of them had never been published before, including Macbeth, Julius Caesar, The Tempest, Twelfth Night, and As You Like It.

- The publication not only saved iconic works such as Hamlet and Romeo and Juliet but also preserved Shakespeare’s influence in English drama, ensuring that his works would continue to be performed and studied for generations to come.

-  The First Folio is large and expensive, printed in folio format (a large page size). The book was printed in blackletter type, which was the standard typeface for English texts at the time.

- There are no modern punctuation marks in the First Folio, and the plays are presented as they were performed during Shakespeare's time, reflecting the performance-oriented nature of the plays.

- The First Folio played a major role in shaping Shakespeare’s reputation as one of the greatest English dramatists. It contributed significantly to Shakespeare's status as an icon of English literature. The folio’s publication helped preserve the original versions of Shakespeare’s works, and it set the standard for later editions of Shakespeare’s plays.