Elizabethan BeliefsElizabethan Beliefs

The Great Chain The Great Chain of Beingof Being

Divine Right of Divine Right of KingsKings

PrimogeniturePrimogeniture GhostsGhosts MachiavelliMachiavelli

Elizabeth I

1558 - 1603

The Great The Great Chain Chain ConceptConcept

One chain without branches links the universe One chain without branches links the universe A chain link determines your distance from GodA chain link determines your distance from God English society is based on the idea that everyone English society is based on the idea that everyone

and everything has a placeand everything has a place If you leave your place, you disrupt the chain If you leave your place, you disrupt the chain

(rebellion and discord happen)(rebellion and discord happen) If passion controls your reason or if you take If passion controls your reason or if you take

another’s spot, you get knocked down the chainanother’s spot, you get knocked down the chain Nature will reflect any disorders in the chainNature will reflect any disorders in the chain

God

The Elizabethan ViewThe Elizabethan View

There were three levels of attachment There were three levels of attachment within the great chainwithin the great chain

1.1. MacrocosmMacrocosm

2.2. MesocosmMesocosm

3.3. MicrocosmMicrocosm

The Great Chain of Being

Macrocosm

Mesocosm (Earthly) (3 groups in red) Microcosm =

the Individual

•God

•Angels

•People

•Animals

•Lion

•Dog

•Plants

•Inanimate

•Gold

•Dirt

•Church Pope Archbishops Bishops Priests

Laity or those not of the clergy

The State King Dukes Earls, etc. Knights

Middle Class

Family Husband | Wife | Son | Servants

•Spirit (reason)|

• Passion

The English Class System

The Nobility

The King Dukes Marquises Earls Viscounts Barons

The Gentry Baronets Knights Esquires Gentlemen

Commonalty (1) Middle People Citizens Burgesses Yeomen Professionals Merchants Lawyers Administrators Clergy

Commonalty (2) Small merchants or retailers Day-laborers, husbandmen, artisans The poor, infirm, and unemployed

Everyone has a place and harmony is everyone in his place

Nature will reflect any disharmony in this chain

King JamesKing James““Shakespeare was a great entertainer Shakespeare was a great entertainer who knew his audience, and the primary who knew his audience, and the primary audience member for audience member for MacbethMacbeth was King was King James I. This young and energetic King James I. This young and energetic King of Scotland took the English throne in of Scotland took the English throne in 1603, and Shakespeare’s company was 1603, and Shakespeare’s company was renamed the King’s Men that year in renamed the King’s Men that year in honor of James” honor of James” (Caraway, Amanda. (Caraway, Amanda. “What’s A Thane to Do? The Story of A Thane “What’s A Thane to Do? The Story of A Thane to Placate a King.”).to Placate a King.”).

MacbethMacbeth is set in Scotland during the reigns of is set in Scotland during the reigns of Duncan and Macbeth, who were kings of Scotland Duncan and Macbeth, who were kings of Scotland between 1037 and 57 C.E. Shakespeare alters the between 1037 and 57 C.E. Shakespeare alters the historical accounts in order to write a story that will historical accounts in order to write a story that will flatter King James. The Chronicles of Holinshed, flatter King James. The Chronicles of Holinshed, Shakespeare’s primary source for Shakespeare’s primary source for Macbeth,Macbeth, links links Banquo to the Stuart line of Kings, from which James I Banquo to the Stuart line of Kings, from which James I is descended (Evans, G. Blakemore, is descended (Evans, G. Blakemore, The Riverside The Riverside Shakespeare, 2nd editionShakespeare, 2nd edition [Boston, New York: [Boston, New York: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1997], 1356). Houghton Mifflin Company, 1997], 1356).

King JamesKing James

James thought of himself as a fighter of James thought of himself as a fighter of evil and a true man of God with the Divine evil and a true man of God with the Divine Right to Rule. He is remembered for Right to Rule. He is remembered for ordering a new translation of the Bible, ordering a new translation of the Bible, known as the known as the King James Version of the King James Version of the Bible.Bible. He considered himself to be a He considered himself to be a “scholar of witches and witchcraft” (Garber, “scholar of witches and witchcraft” (Garber, Marjorie B, Marjorie B, Shakespeare After All, 1st ed.Shakespeare After All, 1st ed. [New York: Pantheon Books, 2004], 697).[New York: Pantheon Books, 2004], 697).

Divine Right of KingsDivine Right of Kings

"…the figure of God's majesty, His captain, steward, deputy-elect, Anointed, crowned,…" (Richard II, 4.1)

The theory of the Divine Right of Kings aimed at instilling obedience by explaining why all social ranks were religiously and morally obliged to obey their government.

Monarchs ruled because they were chosen by God to do so and these kings were accountable to no person except God. They were considered to be divinely chosen.

PrimogeniturePrimogeniture

Families transferred their right to rule by Families transferred their right to rule by this practice of inheritancethis practice of inheritance

The eldest son of the ruling family inherits The eldest son of the ruling family inherits all power, titles and lands of the familyall power, titles and lands of the family

Ghosts!Ghosts!

Elizabethans, like people Elizabethans, like people today, had mixed beliefs in today, had mixed beliefs in their existence.their existence.

However, everyone then knew However, everyone then knew that a murdered person’s that a murdered person’s ghost would have no rest until ghost would have no rest until the murderer was brought to the murderer was brought to justice!justice!

This idea resulted from the This idea resulted from the chain of being in that nature chain of being in that nature reflected the disorder created reflected the disorder created by murder. by murder. HamletHamlet and and Julius Julius CaesarCaesar play upon this belief play upon this belief..

Hamlet seeing his murdered father’s ghost

Machiavelli (1469 – 1527)Machiavelli (1469 – 1527)

He writes He writes The Prince The Prince in in 15131513

He concludes that some He concludes that some “virtues” will lead to a “virtues” will lead to a prince’s destruction prince’s destruction whereas some “vices” whereas some “vices” will allow him to survive.will allow him to survive.

His ultimate conclusion His ultimate conclusion for keeping power is that for keeping power is that the end justifies the the end justifies the means.means.

Shakespeare’s Plays Shakespeare’s Plays Question MachiavelliQuestion Machiavelli

His histories and tragedies ask who is the His histories and tragedies ask who is the rightful ruler and whyrightful ruler and why

Does the end truly justify the means?Does the end truly justify the means?