context Flashcards
in ____ John Shakespeare becomes Stratford’s town mayor (‘High Bailiff’). applied for coat of arms but didnt proceed with application
The playwright went to pains to win the awarding of the title…
1568
‘gentleman’ and its attendant coat of arms in 1596
Punning reference? Food Act III Scene 6: ‘he’s a mad yeoman that sees his son a gentleman before him’
One of Shakespeare’s brothers was called
Edmund
How, in his own life, did Shakespeare take steps to ensure that his own child was not born illegitimate?
When he married Anne Hathaway (Nov 1582); 3 or 4 months pregnant.
A special license necessary for there were ‘closed’ seasons of marriage; if they didn’t acquire the license when they did, they would have had to have waited till April 1583 by which time Anne would be due to give birth
Conducted by John Frith in Temple Grafton, 4 miles away
Examples of Catholic persecution in Shakespeare’s life?
Father, mother, several teachers at King’s New School in Stratford were Catholic (eg. Simon Hunt went to the Collegium Anglicum, Douai 1575, resided w. Thomas Cottam, a brother of his teacher)
Cottam and Robert Debdale (neighbor of Shakespeare’s mother’s family) executed on return to England.
Shakespeare’s father and daughter Susanna fined for not attending Protestant services (recusancy) = Shakespeare Catholic
shakespeare may have signed pilgrims book in Rome 1589
Probably ‘tolerant anglican’
What statement does Yale include in its 2014 status?
If students are to understand religion during Shakespeare’s life, they must understand that the playwright was probably brought up in a Roman Catholic household in a time of official suspicion and persecution of recusancy
What is the title of the Folio?
The Tragedy of King Lear
first king lear first quarto quarto 1608– who has last speech?
Albany
Only A.L.Rowse (Orbis Illustrated) is consistent in his preference for Q and allows final speech to Albany
who has the last speech in the Folio?
Edgar
What is the Quarto’s version of the ending of Act III Scene 7, which most editors retain, not found in the Folio?
Remaining 2 servants commending on the cruelty of Regan and Cornwall after they have blinded Gloucester.
This discussion, in Q not in F, reinforces the audience’s hope in a restorative humanity after the sadism of R and C
Rowse, by consistently preferring Q, is a consistent and authoritative critical voice
What source was published in 1605?
The True Chronicle History of King Leir
When was an unsuccessful Leir performed? Where?
April 1594 at the Rose by a combined Queen’s/Sussex Men
Authorship anonymous
What pamphlet does Shakespeare make great use of?
Samuel Harsnett’s ‘A Declaration of Egregious Popish Impostures’ (1603)
(esp. Edgar as Poor Tom)
Why was Harsnett’s 1603 pamphlet published?
orders of Privy Council: ongoing propaganda war against Catholicism
Sceptic over demonic possession/witchcraft–
1) discredit Jesuit priests accused of conducting bogus exorcisms on impressionable females
2) draw attention to people (Edgar) who feign symptoms of demonic possession and madness for sympathy and money
Gunpower=anti-Catholic sentiment; gov wanted to exploit further so pamphlet dredged up allegations from 20 years earlier
Why might Shakespeare have known Harsnett?
Who is mentioned in pamphlet among the ‘Egregious Popish Imposters’?
Harsnett was Chaplain to the Bishop of London: had to read plays as censor
Shakespeare’s school-fellow Robert Debdale and Thomas Cottam (bro of John, taught in Stratford Free school 1579-82): Debdale hung drawn and quartered at Tyburn, 1586
What does harsnetts pamphlet include?
How many direct links to Harsnett are found by Kenneth Muir in the play?
(Inspired by cotton and debdale)
Gruesome and sexually sordid details of exorcisms
Much of Edgar’s Poor Tom babble of Frateretto, Flibbertigibbet, Hoppedance, Smulkin, Modu, Mohu, the Prince of Darkness and the Foul Fiend
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