Was Shakespeare Catholic?

[valient_Lucy]

I have a copy of the book she wrote, Shadowplay. It seems commonly accepted that Shakespeare was a Catholic by scholars, at least at this time in history. His father signed a pledge of confession for the Catholic faith, he was married to Anne Hathaway by a Catholic priest (who was several months pregnant at the time of her wedding.) His children did refuse communion in the Catholic Church, though one of his daughters married a Puritan. However, according to one documentary of him I saw on Shakespeare, Shakespeare was condemned by Puritans as a “Papist playwright” and rumors abounded that he “died a Papist.” I find this very convincing.

I read Shadowplay, and loved it. It’s not every day that a person reads a book with the intention of rewriting everything that scholars have thought about Shakespreare in 400 years. It was thrilling to read someone do that.

That being said…I am not completely convinced by her book. Many things in her book seem possible, and a few things even seem probable. However, her code seems to contradict itself in several places, particularly in her readings of “fair, dark, and tanned.” I found her analysis of these “color coded words” in the I agreed with the person who recommended the book to me. Her analysis of The Taming of the Shrew is difficult to deny, but her analysis of Hamlet is very problematic. Some of the plays fit the code far better than others.

That being said, I highly recommend the book to every person on the forum. It is very well researched, excellently argued, and strangely moving. Perhaps it is to much to ask of one book, to basically demonstrate that the entire way we have understood Shakespeare for nearly half a millenium needs to be rewritten. However, she definitely makes the case for Shakespeare being a Catholic, and that Shakespeare’s plays were perhaps not as neutral or removed from the political and religious questions of the day. Even if, like me, you are not completely convinced, you will never look at Shakespeare’s plays the same way.

 

[willthegreat]

When Shakespeare died, and for at least a century thereafter, the first paragraph in the Will was formalistic and told the world what faith the testator was dying in. There were very different formulas for Catholics and Protestants. I therefore can say without doubt that William Shakespeare died a Protestant.

 

[valient_Lucy]

When Shakespeare died, and for at least a century thereafter, the first paragraph in the Will was formalistic and told the world what faith the testator was dying in. There were very different formulas for Catholics and Protestants. I therefore can say without doubt that William Shakespeare died a Protestant.

The plot thickens!

What were the differences in the wills?

What did it say for Catholics and what did it say for Protestants?

 

[Contarini]

I read an article recently which suggested that William Shakespeare was Roman Catholic, although secretly due to the supression of Catholicism by Henry VIII and Elizabeth I, and that he hid Catholic symbolism and messages in his plays (the “Shakespeare Code” )

Has anyone else heard of this? Do you believe it?

I think that the “code” business is silly, but there are reasons to think that Shakespeare had recusant (i.e., committed, practicing Catholic) relatives and that he may have had Catholic sympathies. I think Catholics make too much of this–rather like the Protestants I know who pounce on any anticlerical, reform-minded medieval writer as some sort of proto-Protestant. There’s no evidence that Shakespeare was a practicing Catholic himself, as far as I know.

Edwin

 

[Contarini]

I have a copy of the book she wrote, Shadowplay. It seems commonly accepted that Shakespeare was a Catholic by scholars, at least at this time in history. His father signed a pledge of confession for the Catholic faith, he was married to Anne Hathaway by a Catholic priest (who was several months pregnant at the time of her wedding.)

A pregnant Catholic priest? Shades of Pope Joan!

More seriously, while I have heard that his father was a Catholic, I’m dubious about these other claims. Where are you getting them? I don’t trust documentaries, by and large.

Edwin

 

[Contarini]

I was always under the impression that Anglican “protestantism” at this time was essentially “catholic,” just opposed to the papacy.

You are wrong. Elizabethan Anglicans were not only Protestant, but were theologically closer to the Reformed than the Lutherans, and saw the Lutherans as too close to Catholicism on certain points.

My Advanced Senior English Lit class just finished a unit on the English Rennaisance, and the writers, even the Anglican ones, expressed many Catholic ideas. John Donne is the best example I can think of.

First of all, Donne was an ex-Catholic (who appears to have converted to Anglicanism for selfish reasons, although that may be uncharitable). But I’m not sure what ideas you have in mind–often people react this way because they have a mistaken understanding of early Protestantism and expect Protestant writers to sound like modern evangelicals.
Another point: Donne was a relatively high-church Anglican, and part of the high-church resurgence of the early 17th century–most Elizabethan Anglicans would have been much more Protestant.

Isn’t Queen Elizabeth even credited with the quatrain:

Christ was the Word that spake it
He took the bread and brake it
And what that Word did make it
I do believe and take it

Yes, but that would be accepted by Lutherans and by the more high-church Reformed of the sixteenth century (which is the best way of describing Anglicans of that era). Furthermore, the queen’s personal views were arguably more Catholic than those of most of her subjects.

Edwin

 

[Contarini]

Is true that Shakespeare children were named after the deuterocanonicals books?

Anglicans have never rejected the deuterocanonicals, though we do not put them on the same level as the undisputed books. The 39 Articles say that the dc’s cannot be used to prove doctrine but should be read in the Church for edification. There wouldn’t be anything odd about an Anglican giving his children these names, although perhaps a Catholic would be even more likely to do so.

Edwin

 

[mdzialo]

Shakespeare was a Catholic but he wasn’t Shakespeare. He was Edward DeVere.

shakespeare-oxford.com/?page_id=34

Read: Charlton Ogburn (The Mysterious William Shakespeare)

 

[brotherhrolf]

PBS started a new series on Shakespeare last night with the archaeologist Michael Wood. Shakespeare was Catholic and Shakespeare was Shakespeare.

 

[valient_Lucy]

A pregnant Catholic priest? Shades of Pope Joan!

Edwin

Oops. I meant Anne Hathaway.

 

[valient_Lucy]

A pregnant Catholic priest? Shades of Pope Joan!

More seriously, while I have heard that his father was a Catholic, I’m dubious about these other claims. Where are you getting them? I don’t trust documentaries, by and large.

Edwin

Yeah, it was from a documentary from PBS.

But don’t misunderstand me. I’m not arguing that Shakespeare was a devout, practicing Catholic.

 

[valient_Lucy]

Shakespeare was a Catholic but he wasn’t Shakespeare. He was Edward DeVere.

shakespeare-oxford.com/?page_id=34

Read: Charlton Ogburn (The Mysterious William Shakespeare)

Oh that’s a different thread. Perhaps on the Back Fence would be a good place to argue the authorship of Shakespeare.

 

[Christine_Blake]

I think that the “code” business is silly, but there are reasons to think that Shakespeare had recusant (i.e., committed, practicing Catholic) relatives and that he may have had Catholic sympathies. I think Catholics make too much of this–rather like the Protestants I know who pounce on any anticlerical, reform-minded medieval writer as some sort of proto-Protestant. There’s no evidence that Shakespeare was a practicing Catholic himself, as far as I know.

Edwin

When this first all came out - about 10 years ago, I heard that there was record of him hiding in a monestary during his “missing years” while Elizabeth and Mary battled for the throne - this would also explain his education, which was far beyond his station- I agree that the code is silly, but he naturally spoke from a Catholic point of view in his writing, whether he remained a Catholic after Elizabeth took the throne and reformed the English Church or not…

 

[Contarini]

When this first all came out - about 10 years ago, I heard that there was record of him hiding in a monestary during his “missing years” while Elizabeth and Mary battled for the throne - this would also explain his education, which was far beyond his station- I agree that the code is silly, but he naturally spoke from a Catholic point of view in his writing, whether he remained a Catholic after Elizabeth took the throne and reformed the English Church or not…

Which Mary are you talking about? Mary Queen of Scots? Mary Tudor died before Shakespeare was born. I have not heard this 'hiding in a monastery" theory. And I’m not sure his education was that unusual. There were a number of opportunities in the late Middle Ages/Renaissance for intelligent, ambitious young men from humble backgrounds to get a decent education. These opportunities closed down in later centuries (yet another refutation of the “Whig” view of history!).

Also, what monastery would he hide in? There weren’t any monasteries in England by the time he was born. Are you saying that he went to Rheims or something? I think that’s an extremely unlikely suggestion.

Edwin

 

[Christine_Blake]

Which Mary are you talking about? Mary Queen of Scots? Mary Tudor died before Shakespeare was born. I have not heard this 'hiding in a monastery" theory. And I’m not sure his education was that unusual. There were a number of opportunities in the late Middle Ages/Renaissance for intelligent, ambitious young men from humble backgrounds to get a decent education. These opportunities closed down in later centuries (yet another refutation of the “Whig” view of history!).

Also, what monastery would he hide in? There weren’t any monasteries in England by the time he was born. Are you saying that he went to Rheims or something? I think that’s an extremely unlikely suggestion.

Edwin

I was thinking Queen of Scots with the plot that led to her death, - or the suspected plot…The last time I looked at this issue was many years ago and I was referring to an old article that was in the Denver Post…I had just read it and a few things out at the time, but you are right, looking at it historically, the monastery theory does not hold. Really the only evidence of his being Catholic are with his mother’s family and father…it’s unlikely William himself was that devote in any religion…thank you for clearing my cobwebs of memory on the issue…

 

[willthegreat]

The plot thickens!

What were the differences in the wills?

What did it say for Catholics and what did it say for Protestants?

I’m sorry it’s taken me so long to get back to the forum.
Shakespeare’s last will, signed 25 March 1616, began “I commend my soul into the hands of God my Creator, hoping and assuredly believing through the only merits of Jesus Christ my Saviour to be made partaker of life everlasting.”

A Catholic would have mentioned the Virgin Mary, the saints and possibly the Holy Apostolic Catholic Church.

 

[Filius99993]

I’m sorry it’s taken me so long to get back to the forum.
Shakespeare’s last will, signed 25 March 1616, began “I commend my soul into the hands of God my Creator, hoping and assuredly believing through the only merits of Jesus Christ my Saviour to be made partaker of life everlasting.”

A Catholic would have mentioned the Virgin Mary, the saints and possibly the Holy Apostolic Catholic Church.

…not necessarily. You’re making the assumption (as many Protestants do) that we worship the saints, which we don’t. We pray through their intercessions, but we worship Christ. That fits in quite well with his will.

 

[willthegreat]

…not necessarily. You’re making the assumption (as many Protestants do) that we worship the saints, which we don’t…

Where in the world did I say that? I know full well what Catholic theology is in regard to the Virgin Mary and the saints. What assumptions? All I related were facts. His faith declaration was one that was common for Protestants. A Catholic almost invalably would have mentioned the Virgin Mary and the saints. And he wrote ‘through the only merits of Jesus Christ’ which only a Protestant would have written at that time. A Catholic would call upon the treasury of merit.

 

[Filius99993]

…not necessarily. You’re making the assumption (as many Protestants do) that we worship the saints, which we don’t…

Where in the world did I say that? I know full well what Catholic theology is in regard to the Virgin Mary and the saints. What assumptions? All I related were facts. His faith declaration was one that was common for Protestants. A Catholic almost invalably would have mentioned the Virgin Mary and the saints. And he wrote ‘through the only merits of Jesus Christ’ which only a Protestant would have written at that time. A Catholic would call upon the treasury of merit.

So, you are an expert on the wills of Catholics? Would you put a statement in your will that defined your (banned and hated) religion, even if it lead to the persecution of your family? Hmm, I wonder why he didn’t but something like that in his will…

No, we believe that we are “saved” by Christ, but it depends on our doings on this Earth that decide our final judgment. So that doesn’t contradict anything that is Catholic. He didn’t say ‘only through the merits of believing in Jesus Christ’ did he? Guess what? Catholics are Christians too!

 

[Contarini]

…not necessarily. You’re making the assumption (as many Protestants do) that we worship the saints, which we don’t…

Where in the world did I say that? I know full well what Catholic theology is in regard to the Virgin Mary and the saints. What assumptions? All I related were facts. His faith declaration was one that was common for Protestants. A Catholic almost invalably would have mentioned the Virgin Mary and the saints. And he wrote ‘through the only merits of Jesus Christ’ which only a Protestant would have written at that time. A Catholic would call upon the treasury of merit.

There has been quite a bit of study of wills and their language, and indeed there is certain language that Catholics would tend to use and Protestants wouldn’t. “only merits of Jesus Christ” does sound Protestant, but I seem to remember Eamon Duffy arguing (in Stripping the Altars) that Catholics used this language too. (I may be remembering the source wrong–was it Cameron’s European Reformation? maybe) There is certainly nothing about that language that is incompatible with Catholic teaching. A Catholic free to use any language he chose (to indulge in, without impropriety) would probably include mentions of the BVM and the other saints. But a person of Catholic sympathies living under a Protestant government would have no problems using this language, it seems to me. Shakespeare clearly was not a recusant–that’s not the question. He may well have used the language conventional in Elizabethan England without thinking twice about it. That doesn’t settle the question of his possible Catholic sympathies.

Edwin