The Elizabethan World Picture Shakespeare The Elizabethan World Picture

Contents Introduction The Elizabethan Age Chain of being Mirror Macrocosm Ptolemy’s system The Elizabethan Age Copernican system Chain of being System of Mirror correspondence The human being Humours Temper King

Introduction Renaissance took place in Italy between 1400-1600 century. In England around 16th century Elizabeth I reigned 1588-1603 →Elizabethan Era Tillyard: „Elizabethan World Picture“

Renaissance New birth = beginning of „modern age“. Discovery of the new world. Inventions and scientific progress. Seperation of church. Man as centre of interest. Public school system for the privileged.

The Elizabethan Age God had created the univers and everything in it. He had established Order and unity. He had bound all lifeless and living things together in a system. each object and being had his rightful place According to his rank and usefulness.

Chain of being

Chain of being Is divided into 4 kingdoms Mineral Kingdom („est“) Vegetable Kingdom („est“ and „vivit“) Animal Kingdom („est“, „vivit“ and „feel“) Human Kingdom („est“, “vivit“, “feel“ and „intelligent“)

Chain of being The human steps: Learned Human („est“, “vivit“, “feel“ and „intelligent“) Sensible („est“, „vivit“ and „feel“) Gluttory („est“ and „vivit“) Lazyness („est“)

The world consits of mirrors Neighbouring objects reflect each other The higher object reflects the being of a lower in an higher, cleaner way. The lower object reflects the being of a higher in a lower way.

Macrososm (Universe)

The Ptolemaic System, geocentric System Claudius Ptolemy proposed a model of the universe earth at the centre (geocentric) earth as stationary other planets and the sun move in complex orbits around it

The Ptolemaic System, geocentric System centre: earth around the earth: seven zones of planets: moon, mercury, venus, sun, mars, jupiter and saturn “outer zone” is outside the universe € “Coelum Empyraeum” God, the Angels and the souls of the blessed lived there Ptolemy‘s idea of the universe

The Copernican System, heliocentric system Nicolaus Copernicus (1473-1543) heliocentric model of the solar system the sun is stationary at the centre the Earth moves around it Nicolaus Copernicus

The Copernican System, heliocentric system Major characteristics: the earth rotates daily on its axis and revolves yearly around the sun the planets also circle the sun the earth was just another planet Copernicus idea of the universe

The Copernican System, heliocentric system the concept of a moving earth was too difficult for most 16th- century readers € Consequently, the sun-centred system was hard to introduce

System of correspondence Macrocosm Microcosm sun (giving planets light and power, in the middle of the universe) stars (placed highest in the sphere) earthquakes and storms (in nature) man’s heart man’s head man’s passion

The human being (Man) Man’s position in the universe: central position in the universe the highest position in the living nature the latest and the most perfect created creature

The human being (Man) Sir Walter Raleigh: “[And whereas God created three sorts of living natures, to wit, angelical, rational, and brutal; giving to angels an intellectual, and to beasts a sensual nature, he vouchsafed unto man both the intellectual of Angels, the sensitive of beasts, and the proper rational belonging unto man…]”

The human being (Man) man has the function of a mirror the whole creation is reflected man is a summary, a model, and an overview of the universe is called microcosm or the "little world"

The human being (Man) Humours the body of the human being consists of the four elements His four humours correspond to the four elements contain the four basic qualities of these elements: element humour quality in nature earth melancholy cold and dry Water phlegm cold and moist Air sanguis hot and moist fire choler hot and dry

The human being (Man) The Tempers the balance of the humours decided about the constitution of man ideal balance was disturbed by the original sin the balance is confused by atmosphere, the age of man, the geographic position and especially by the food

The human being (Man) The domination of one of the humours led to four tempers: The Choleric Man, the Sanguine Man, the Phlegmatic Man and the Melancholic Man

The Choleric Man: “hath Nature of fire” is hot and dry, is lean and slender, ireful, hasty, brainless and foolish, he has wine of the lion; loves black clothes

The Sanguine Man: “hath nature of air” is hot and moist, is large, plenteous, attempered, laughing, he has wine of an ape; loves high coloured clothes

The Phlegmatic Man: “hath nature of Water” is cold and moist, heavy, slow, sleepy he has wine of the sheep; loves green clothes

The Melancholic Man “hath nature of Earth” is cold and dry, backbiter, malicious, and slow, he has wine of an hog; loves black clothes

The King representative of god on earth can never be disturbed Moon: material goods Mercury: eloquence Venus: mildness Sun: religion Mars: bravery Jupiter: intelligence Saturn: Majesty