O O OOOOI O

The Great Chain of BeingThe Great Chain of BeingThe Great Chain of BeingThe Great Chain of Being

I I I I I I

Shakespeare and Elizabethan Shakespeare and Elizabethan PhilosophyPhilosophy

The BasicsThe BasicsThe BasicsThe Basics

• An Elizabethan philosophy popular in An Elizabethan philosophy popular in ShakespeareShakespeare’’s times 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 Everything on earth and in heaven is linked and

orderlyorderly• All people and things have their place in a grand All people and things have their place in a grand

schemescheme• Gave sense, order and meaning to lifeGave sense, order and meaning to life

The Great ChainThe Great ChainGod

(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 The most heavenly beings placed at the top of the placed at the top of the chain (seated at the Foot of chain (seated at the Foot of God)God)

The most heavenly beings The most heavenly beings placed at the top of the placed at the top of the chain (seated at the Foot of chain (seated at the Foot of God)God)

The basest creatures are at The basest creatures are at the bottom, furthest away the bottom, furthest away from Godfrom God

The basest creatures are at The basest creatures are at the bottom, furthest away the bottom, furthest away from Godfrom God

Links in the ChainLinks in the Chain

Angels(Intuition)

Angels(Intuition) {{

Each separate link (or sub-class) in the Great Each separate link (or sub-class) in the Great Chain bears its own inner hierarchyChain bears its own inner hierarchy

• SeraphimSeraphim

• CherubimCherubim

• ThronesThrones

• DominionsDominions

• PowersPowers

• VirtuesVirtues

• PrincipalitiesPrincipalities

• ArchangelsArchangels

• AngelsAngels

Roses are the greatest in the Plant hierarchy; Roses are the greatest in the Plant hierarchy; gold, silver, diamond in the Mineral, etc.gold, silver, diamond in the Mineral, etc.

The Human LinkThe Human Link

• Most important was the hierarchy in the Most important was the hierarchy in the Human chainHuman chain• A chain of A chain of social statussocial status and and powerpower

• Status in the Great Chain is immutable, being Status in the Great Chain is immutable, being forged by God, especially at the topforged by God, especially at the top• Royal AbsolutismRoyal Absolutism

The Human LinkThe Human LinkThe monarch (Queen Elizabeth) sat The monarch (Queen Elizabeth) sat

atop the human link, closest to the atop the human link, closest to the Angelic and thus closest to God.Angelic and thus closest to God.

The monarch (Queen Elizabeth) sat The monarch (Queen Elizabeth) sat atop the human link, closest to the atop the human link, closest to the Angelic and thus closest to God.Angelic and thus closest to God.

• The lowliest serf would be at the The lowliest serf would be at the bottom of the hierarchy, closest to bottom of the hierarchy, closest to the Animal link and thus furthest the Animal link and thus furthest from God.from God.

Okay, great - so what?Okay, great - so what?• It is in this human chain which we find many of It is in this human chain which we find many of

the elements of interest to Shakespearethe elements of interest to Shakespeare’’s playss plays• Especially as the plays apply to royaltyEspecially as the plays apply to royalty

• Often, displacement within the chain (a king Often, displacement within the chain (a king giving up his God-given power) leads to giving up his God-given power) leads to sufferingsuffering• King LearKing Lear

• In turn, tampering with the Great Chain In turn, tampering with the Great Chain (through betrayal, murder, etc.) can lead to (through betrayal, murder, etc.) can lead to chaoschaos• HamletHamlet

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

From Act I, Scene 3 of Troilus and Cressida

Don’t Mess With The Chain…Don’t Mess With The Chain…• This chaos fits in with the Elizabethan ideas of This chaos fits in with the Elizabethan ideas of

status mobility (or the lack thereof)status mobility (or the lack thereof)• In other words, serfs remain serfs and do not become In other words, serfs remain serfs and do not become

nobles, etc.nobles, etc.

• God has established the Chain, and since God is God has established the Chain, and since God is perfection, so is the social orderperfection, so is the social order

• Chaos is punishment for tampering with the Chaos is punishment for tampering with the Chain, and is not limited to the monarchyChain, and is not limited to the monarchy• The King and Kingdom are one; as the monarchy The King and Kingdom are one; as the monarchy

suffers, so do the people and vice versa (a theme of suffers, so do the people and vice versa (a theme of Oedipus the KingOedipus the King and and HamletHamlet))