OOOOOO I O The Great Chain of Being Shakespeare and Elizabethan Philosophy IIIIII

The Basics An Elizabethan philosophy popular in Shakespeare’s timeAn Elizabethan philosophy popular in Shakespeare’s time Worked its way into literature and entertainmentWorked its way into literature and entertainment Primary focus of Great Chain:Primary focus of Great Chain: Everything on earth and in heaven is linked and orderlyEverything on earth and in heaven is linked and orderly All people and things have their place in a grand schemeAll people and things have their place in a grand scheme Gave sense, order and meaning to lifeGave sense, order and meaning to life An Elizabethan philosophy popular in Shakespeare’s timeAn Elizabethan philosophy popular in Shakespeare’s time Worked its way into literature and entertainmentWorked its way into literature and entertainment Primary focus of Great Chain:Primary focus of Great Chain: Everything on earth and in heaven is linked and orderlyEverything on earth and in heaven is linked and orderly All people and things have their place in a grand schemeAll people and things have their place in a grand scheme Gave sense, order and meaning to lifeGave sense, order and meaning to life

The Great Chain God (Perfection) God (Perfection) Angels (Intuition) Angels (Intuition) Man (Existence, Growth, Passion, Reason) Man (Existence, Growth, Passion, Reason) Animals (Existence, Growth, Passion) Animals (Existence, Growth, Passion) Plants (Existence, Growth) Plants (Existence, Growth) Minerals (Existence) Minerals (Existence) The most heavenly beings placed at the top of the chain (seated at the Foot of God) The basest creatures are at the bottom, furthest away from God

Links in the Chain Each separate link (or sub-class) in the Great Chain bears its own inner hierarchyEach separate link (or sub-class) in the Great Chain bears its own inner hierarchy Roses are the greatest in the Plant hierarchy; gold, silver, diamond in the Mineral, etc.Roses are the greatest in the Plant hierarchy; gold, silver, diamond in the Mineral, etc. Angels (Intuition) Angels (Intuition) SeraphimSeraphim CherubimCherubim ThronesThrones DominionsDominions PowersPowers VirtuesVirtues PrincipalitiesPrincipalities ArchangelsArchangels AngelsAngels SeraphimSeraphim CherubimCherubim ThronesThrones DominionsDominions PowersPowers VirtuesVirtues PrincipalitiesPrincipalities ArchangelsArchangels AngelsAngels {{

The Human Link Most important was the hierarchy in the Human chainMost important was the hierarchy in the Human chain A chain of social status and powerA chain of social status and power Status in the Great Chain is immutable, being forged by God, especially at the topStatus in the Great Chain is immutable, being forged by God, especially at the top Royal AbsolutismRoyal Absolutism Most important was the hierarchy in the Human chainMost important was the hierarchy in the Human chain A chain of social status and powerA chain of social status and power Status in the Great Chain is immutable, being forged by God, especially at the topStatus in the Great Chain is immutable, being forged by God, especially at the top Royal AbsolutismRoyal Absolutism

The Human Link The lowliest serf would be at the bottom of the hierarchy, closest to the Animal link and thus furthest from God. The monarch (Queen Elizabeth) sat atop the human link, closest to the Angelic and thus closest to God.

Okay, great - so what ? It is in this human chain which we find many of the elements of interest to Shakespeare’s playsIt is in this human chain which we find many of the elements of interest to Shakespeare’s plays Especially as the plays apply to royaltyEspecially as the plays apply to royalty Often, displacement within the chain (a king giving up his God-given power) leads to sufferingOften, displacement within the chain (a king giving up his God-given power) leads to suffering King LearKing Lear In turn, tampering with the Great Chain (through betrayal, murder, etc.) can lead to chaosIn turn, tampering with the Great Chain (through betrayal, murder, etc.) can lead to chaos HamletHamlet It is in this human chain which we find many of the elements of interest to Shakespeare’s playsIt is in this human chain which we find many of the elements of interest to Shakespeare’s plays Especially as the plays apply to royaltyEspecially as the plays apply to royalty Often, displacement within the chain (a king giving up his God-given power) leads to sufferingOften, displacement within the chain (a king giving up his God-given power) leads to suffering King LearKing Lear In turn, tampering with the Great Chain (through betrayal, murder, etc.) can lead to chaosIn turn, tampering with the Great Chain (through betrayal, murder, etc.) can lead to chaos HamletHamlet

O, when degree* is shaked, rank Which is the ladder to all high designs, Then enterprise is sick! How could communities, Degrees in schools and brotherhoods in cities, Peaceful commerce from dividable shores, The primogenitive and due of birth, Prerogative of age, crowns, sceptres, laurels, But by degree, stand in authentic place? Take but degree away, untune that string, And, hark, what discord follows!O, when degree* is shaked, rank Which is the ladder to all high designs, Then enterprise is sick! How could communities, Degrees in schools and brotherhoods in cities, Peaceful commerce from dividable shores, The primogenitive and due of birth, Prerogative of age, crowns, sceptres, laurels, But by degree, stand in authentic place? Take but degree away, untune that string, And, hark, what discord follows! From Act I, Scene 3 of Troilus and Cressida

Don ’ t Mess With The Chain… This chaos fits in with the Elizabethan ideas of status mobility (or the lack thereof)This chaos fits in with the Elizabethan ideas of status mobility (or the lack thereof) In other words, serfs remain serfs and do not become nobles, etc.In other words, serfs remain serfs and do not become nobles, etc. God has established the Chain, and since God is perfection, so is the social orderGod has established the Chain, and since God is perfection, so is the social order Chaos is punishment for tampering with the Chain, and is not limited to the monarchyChaos is punishment for tampering with the Chain, and is not limited to the monarchy The King and Kingdom are one; as the monarchy suffers, so do the people and vice versa (a theme of Oedipus the King and Hamlet)The King and Kingdom are one; as the monarchy suffers, so do the people and vice versa (a theme of Oedipus the King and Hamlet) This chaos fits in with the Elizabethan ideas of status mobility (or the lack thereof)This chaos fits in with the Elizabethan ideas of status mobility (or the lack thereof) In other words, serfs remain serfs and do not become nobles, etc.In other words, serfs remain serfs and do not become nobles, etc. God has established the Chain, and since God is perfection, so is the social orderGod has established the Chain, and since God is perfection, so is the social order Chaos is punishment for tampering with the Chain, and is not limited to the monarchyChaos is punishment for tampering with the Chain, and is not limited to the monarchy The King and Kingdom are one; as the monarchy suffers, so do the people and vice versa (a theme of Oedipus the King and Hamlet)The King and Kingdom are one; as the monarchy suffers, so do the people and vice versa (a theme of Oedipus the King and Hamlet)

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