1. The Elizabethan Great Chain of Being
Shakespeare’s World View

2. 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.

3. 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.

4. Elizabethan World Picture
(Pure Being)
(Intelligence) (Order)
(Reason)
(Motion, Sense)
(Growth)
(Mere Existence)
God
Angels Spheres
Man
Animals
Plants
Stones

5. 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

6. Elizabethan World Picture
Man
Family
Emperor King Nobles/Churchmen Professions/Soldiers Trades Beggars Fool
Father Mother Eldest Brother . Youngest Sister
Elizabethan World Picture

7. 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

8. Elizabethan World Picture
Plants
Stones
Fruits
Apples
Flowers
Rose
Trees
Oak
Vines
Herbs
Weeds
Liquids
Metals
Gold
Silver .
Lead
Stones
Elizabethan World Picture

9. Elizabethan World Picture
Body
Psychological
Head
Eye
________________
Arm
Trunk
Leg
Foot
Reason, Will Memory, Fancy Five Senses
Elizabethan World Picture

10. Element Humor
Fire (hot & dry) (choler)  “choleric” (easily angered) Air (hot & moist) (blood)  “sanguine” (cheerful, confident) Water (cold & moist) (phlegm)  “phlegmatic” (sluggish, apathetic) Earth (cold & dry) (black bile)  “melancholy” (sad, depressed)

11. Rules: Great Chain of Being
Everything has its place
God’s love holds it all together
When someone tries to get out of line, the whole order is thrown into confusion
Belief in the rightness of ORDER
Stating what a thing is implies its VALUE
Leads to comparison or analogy
A King could be called:
-God like -Gold
-Father of his land -Sun
-Head of his kingdom -Eagle
-Lion