The Elizabethan Great Chain of Being Shakespeare’s World View
The Great Chain of Being
Shakespeare’s language is different from ours because his thinking was different from ours, especially about nature and the order of the universe.
The Great Chain of Being
� An order of hierarchy in which every single created thing in the universe has its place. God’s love flows through, sustains, and holds together this whole system.
� Compounded Biblical lore, Greek philosophy, and much far fetched natural history.
� One of the most important and long-lasting ideas in man’s history.
Elizabethan World Picture
(Pure Being)
(Intelligence) (Order)
(Reason)
(Motion, Sense)
(Growth)
(Mere Existence)
God
Angels Spheres
Man
Animals
Plants
Stones
Elizabethan World Picture
Angels
Spheres Seraphim Cherubim Thrones
Dominations Virtues Powers
Principalities Archangels
Angels
Primum Mobile Stars
Saturn Jupiter Mars Sun
Venus Mercury Moon
Elizabethan World Picture
Man Family Emperor
King Nobles/Churchmen Professions/Soldiers
Trades Beggars
Fool
Father Mother
Eldest Brother . . .
Youngest Sister
Elizabethan World Picture
Animals
Animals(cont) 4-Leg
Lion
Fox
Wolf
.
.
.
mole
2-Leg Falcon
Fish Dolphin/Whale
Insects Bees
Ants
.
.
.
worms
Inert Animals Oysters, etc.
Elizabethan World Picture
Plants Stones Fruits Apples
Flowers Rose
Trees Oak
Vines Herbs Weeds
Liquids Metals
Gold
Silver
.
.
.
Lead
Stones
Elizabethan World Picture
Body Psychological Head
Eye
________________ Arm Trunk
________________ Leg Foot
Reason, Will
Memory, Fancy
Five Senses
Element Humor Fire (hot & dry) (choler) à “choleric” (easily angered)
Air (hot & moist) (blood) à “sanguine” (cheerful, confident)
Water (cold & moist) (phlegm) à “phlegmatic” (sluggish, apathetic)
Earth (cold & dry) (black bile) à “melancholy” (sad, depressed)
Rules: Great Chain of Being 1. Everything has its place 2. God’s love holds it all together 3. When someone tries to get out of line, the
whole order is thrown into confusion 4. Belief in the rightness of ORDER 5. Stating what a thing is implies its VALUE 6. Leads to comparison or analogy
A King could be called:
-God like -Gold
-Father of his land -Sun
-Head of his kingdom -Eagle
-Lion