THE RELIGION OF SHAKESPEARE. CHAPTER I. SHAKESPEARE AND THE REFORMATION. DRAMATIC representation had with Shakespeare a threefold end. Artistically its aim was, he says, to reflect the image of creation, to "hold the mirror up to nature." Hence it was essentially objective. His creations were not arbitrarily drawn from his own phantasy, but from existing types. Morally his intention was to exhibit the great characteristics of virtue and vice, to show virtue "her own image, scorn her own feature," to portray what was essentially and necessarily good or evil in its nature, origin, development, and result. Historically, or politically, its purpose was to set forth the "very form or pressure of the age and body of the time." And this meant, not the pedantic reading in of lessons from parallel passages of history, nor a caricature of passing events, drawn by the pen of a partisan, A but the presentation of the great questions of the age, with what he conceived to be the best method of their solution. A Drama, then, according to Shakespeare, was a moral discourse, and an historical and philosophical essay, as well as a great poem. Hence, the question arises, what system of morals or philosophy is apparent in Shakespeare's plays? And since philosophy and religion alike profess to teach the knowledge of things by their higher causes, and the laws and principles of human conduct, we are brought at once to the question of his creed, the subject discussed in the following pages. We are indeed sometimes told that such a discussion is useless, that the poet's writings furnish no trustworthy data on this matter, that the scenes and actions of his drama are strictly mundane, that the characters work out their development from purely natural causes and motives. Yet, in spite of all this, the question is ever proposed and answered anew. And this is so, because the very nature of the poet's writings forbids the exclusion of such an inquiry. He puts before us types of good and evil; what is his attitude towards them? He treats of human nature; does he make man a free and responsible agent, or the mechanical slave of destiny? He constantly speaks of God; does he mean a personal and intelligent, omniscient, omnipotent, and all-perfect Creator, or a mere anima mundi, coincident with the phenomena of CATHOLICISM AND PROTESTANTISM 3 the universe, and bound by its laws? He is the poet of love is his theme sensual passion or the celestial fire? Lastly, every play is a comment on human life; where, with Shakespeare, is its final purpose found, in this world, or the next? These questions then arise, and according to some writers, English and German, Shakespeare in setting forth their solution proves himself the representative of the positive practical view of life inaugurated by the Reformation. In the past, Catholicism with its mysticism, dogmatism, and asceticism, taught man that he was a stranger in this world, and that his true home and patria were in heaven. According 2 to Protestantism, on the other hand, the spirit of England in the time of Elizabeth, "to be great, to do great things [here] seemed better than to enter the celestial city, and forget the city of destruction; better than to receive in ecstasy the vision of a divine mystery, or to be fed with miraculous food." 1 "A vigorous mundane vitality thus constitutes the basis of the Elizabethan drama," 2 and as Shakespeare was the product of this time, he was necessarily the exponent of its spirit.3 1 Dowden, "Mind and Art of Shakespeare," 18 (1892). 2 Ibid., p. 23. 3 The following passage, quoted from Professor Dowden with approval from Dr. Edward Vehse, is in substance his own view of Shakespeare's philosophy: "Shakespeare der ungelehrte, unstudirte Dichter ist der erste in welchem sich der moderne Geist, der von der Welt weiss, der die gesammte Wirklichkeit zu begreifen sucht, energisch zusammenfasst. Dieser moderne Geist ist der gerade Gegensatz des mittelalterlichen Geistes; er erfasst die Welt und Now we admit that the poet usually is, in a sense, the product of his age, and speaks with its voice, and where an age has been stamped by one dominant idea, the poet has often been its exponent and panegyrist. Thus Homer represents the Hellenic world of his day; he adopts its crude notions of heaven and earth, its human gods, its simple customs; while its unceasing combats and its heroes' valiant deeds, as sung by him, tend to glorify the Greek nation. Virgil discovers in the mythological descent of the Latin race a prophecy of its future triumph, culminating in the empire of Augustus and in the inauguration of a reign of peace. Dante, again, gives us in the Commedia the whole culture of his time. Its philosophy, astronomy, arts, politics, history, together with pagan myths and medieval legends, all serve to illustrate his theme and are brought into unity and order by the theology of the Church. He calls his work "The sacred poem that hath made Both heaven and earth copartners in the toil."1 The sixteenth century was, however, a transitional period, and embraced three very diverse systems of thought. First came Catholicism. This included the whole Christian tradition of the past fifteen centuries, the learning of East and West, the philo namentlich die innere Welt als ein Stück des Himmels, and das Leben als einen Theil der Ewigkeit."-Shakespeare als Protestant, Politiker, Pyscholog und Dichter, i. 62; "Mind and Art,” 13. 1 Par. xxv. I. |