Setting

The novel By Any Other Name is set across two distinct time periods, interweaving narratives from the present day and Elizabethan England. The contemporary storyline follows Melina Green, a young playwright living in modern-day America, likely in a major city with a thriving theater scene.

The historical narrative takes place in 16th century England, primarily in London during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. This era, known as the Elizabethan period, was a time of great cultural and literary flourishing. The story focuses on Emilia Bassano, a real historical figure who moves within the aristocratic circles of London society and becomes intimately connected to the theater world of the time.

While specific locations are not extensively detailed in the available descriptions, readers can expect vivid depictions of Elizabethan London, including the bustling theater district and the opulent homes of the aristocracy. The contrast between this historical setting and the modern-day scenes creates a compelling backdrop for exploring themes of ambition, gender roles, and artistic expression across centuries.

Characters

• Melina Green: A young contemporary playwright who has written a play inspired by her Elizabethan ancestor, Emilia Bassano. She faces challenges in getting her work performed due to gender bias in the theater world. Melina's story explores themes of ambition, identity, and the struggles faced by women in the arts.

• Emilia Bassano: A 16th-century woman who becomes the secret author behind Shakespeare's plays. She is educated, witty, and gifted in storytelling, but constrained by the societal norms of her time. Emilia's journey highlights the historical challenges faced by women in literature and the arts.

• William Shakespeare: The famous playwright who, in this fictional account, serves as a front for Emilia's work. His role in the story explores themes of authorship and the nature of creative collaboration in Elizabethan theater.

• Lord Chamberlain: Emilia's patron and the overseer of theater productions in England. His relationship with Emilia provides insight into the power dynamics and societal expectations of the Elizabethan era.

• Melina's Best Friend: This character takes initiative by submitting Melina's play to a festival under a male pseudonym, catalyzing the contemporary storyline.

Quick facts

• Jodi Picoult has described By Any Other Name as “a story about how women have been written out of history by the men who were writing it [and] how women’s voices were silenced in the past and are still being silenced today.” 

• Picoult was inspired to write the novel after reading an article in The Atlantic speculating on whether Shakespeare’s plays were written by a woman. 

• By Any Other Name has two parallel storylines about women playwrights—one set in 1581 London, focused on Emilia Bassano, and the other set in 2024 New York City, focused on Emilia’s ancestor, Melina Green. 

• Emilia Bassano is a real-life historical figure, a 16th-century playwright and poet who published the first book of poetry by a woman in England.  

• Emilia Bassano came from an Italian family of musicians discovered and brought to the royal court by King Henry VIII.

• Like the rest of her family, Emilia Bassano was a “hidden Jew” who couldn’t show her faith in public.

• At age seven, Emilia Bassano became the ward of a countess who gave her an extensive legal and classical education—a rarity for women at the time. 

• At 13, Emilia Bassano became the mistress to Lord Chamberlain, with whom she worked closely for 10 years in overseeing England’s theater productions and vetting the work of playwrights.  

• Published in 2024, By Any Other Name was a New York Times bestseller and an Amazon Editors’ pick for Best Book of the Year.  

About the Author

Jodi Picoult (1966-) is an American author of contemporary fiction exploring complex social issues and moral dilemmas, ranging from race relations to assisted suicide. Her novels—29 to date, including numerous #1 New York Times bestsellers—have sold close to 40 million copies worldwide, with translations into 34 languages.

Born on New York’s Long Island, Picoult wrote her first story, titled “The Lobster Which Misunderstood,” at age five. She studied creative writing at Princeton University, publishing two short stories in Seventeen magazine while still in college. After graduation, she worked in a variety of jobs, from editing textbooks to teaching eighth-grade English. Inspired by the examples of her mother and grandmother, both dedicated teachers, she went on to earn a  master's degree in education from Harvard University. 

Picoult launched her career as an author in 1992 with her debut novel, Songs of Humpback Whale. In 2007, she published her first novels to debut at #1 on the New York Times bestseller list, Nineteen Minutes, about the aftermath of a school shooting in a small town. Her acclaimed and popular novels also include Handle with Care (2009), House Rules (2010), Leaving Time (2014), Small Great Things (2016), A Spark of Light (2018), The Book of Two Ways (2020), Mad Honey (2022), and By Any Other Name (2024). Several of her novels, including  The Pact (1998) and My Sister’s Keeper (2004), have been adapted for film. She has also written numerous short stories and published one collection, Leaving Home (2011).              

Jodi Picoult has been recognized for her writing with the New England Bookseller Award for Fiction, the American Library Association’s Alex Award, and the New Hampshire Literary Award. In addition to her adult fiction, she collaborated with her daughter Samantha van Leer on two young adult novels, Between the Lines (2012) and Off the Page (2016). Based in New Hampshire, Picoult maintains an active online presence, engaging with her fans through various social media platforms.