Religious views of William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare's known religious affiliation was that of a conforming member of the established Church of England. When he was young, his father John Shakespeare held municipal offices including alderman and bailiff. These roles required being a church member in good standing. John participated in whitewashing over Catholic images in the Chapel of the Holy Cross during the 1560s or 1570s. He also took down the rood screen as part of these reforms.
Shakespeare's baptism and those of his siblings were entered into the parish church register. The births of his three children and burials of family members followed suit. His brother Edmund died in London and was buried in St Saviour's in Southwark with a forenoone knell of the great bell. This sound likely paid for by the poet himself. As leaser of parish tithes in Stratford, William served as lay rector of the church. He and his wife were buried in the church chancel where a monument included a half-figure bust set into the north wall.
In 1596/7, Shakespeare appeared on tax lists for St Helen's parish in Bishopsgate, London. He failed twice to pay taxes there. Records show he did not appear among residents of Clink parish who collected tokens for Easter Communion which was compulsory. Historian Walter Godfrey explained this absence by noting Shakespeare moved to Clink parish at year end. Taxes were then collected by landowner bishop of Winchester rather than parish officials. The bishop remitted outstanding sums to former parish as matter of convenience.
Five years before Shakespeare's birth in 1559, Elizabethan Religious Settlement severed Church of England from Roman Catholic Church. Extreme pressure placed on English Catholics to accept practices of new church. Recusancy laws made illegal any service not found in Book of Common Prayer including Roman Catholic Mass. Substantial quiet resistance emerged against newly imposed reforms during Shakespeare's lifetime.
Scholars argue several members of Shakespeare family were recusant Catholics. Strongest evidence came from tract professing secret Catholicism signed by John Shakespeare father of poet. This document found in 18th century in rafters of house once owned by John Shakespeare. Reputable scholar Edmond Malone saw and described it initially but later declared tract a forgery. Document since lost though Anthony Holden writes Malone's reported wording linked to testament written by Charles Borromeo circulated in England by Edmund Campion.
New research attributes tract to William's sister Joan who lived 1569-1646 making genuine copy possible. John Shakespeare listed among those not attending church services according to commissioners. Reason given was fear of process for debt rather than recusancy itself. Shakespeare mother Mary Arden belonged to conspicuous determinedly Catholic family in Warwickshire. In 1606 daughter Susanna listed as resident failing take Anglican Holy Communion at Easter suggesting Catholic sympathies though Puritan sympathies also possible.
John Aubrey reported in 1693 that Shakespeare had been country schoolmaster tale augmented 20th century with theory employer might Alexander Hoghton Lancashire prominent Catholic landowner left money will certain William Shakeshafte referencing theatrical costumes paraphernalia. Lancashire family of Shakespeare schoolmaster Cottam associated with Hoghton family. Shakespeare grandfather Richard used name Shakeshafte previously.
Four six schoolmasters grammar school youth King New School Stratford were Catholic sympathisers Simon Hunt possibly one teachers later became Jesuit priest Thomas Jenkins succeeded Hunt student Edmund Campion St John's College Oxford. Jenkins successor 1579 John Cottam brother Jesuit priest Thomas Cottam. Examinations marginal notes Hoghton family copy Edward Hall Chronicles indicate probability Shakespeare annotator same man do prove it.
Scholars speculate Shakespeare spent lost years 1585-1592 working under Catholic patronage. Peter Ackroyd adds examinations suggest connection but no proof exists. The period remains mysterious yet theories persist linking him to Catholic networks through employment and education connections. These connections form basis for many scholarly arguments about hidden religious affiliations during crucial early career phase.
Increasing number scholars look evidence work placement young Hamlet student Wittenberg while old Hamlet ghost purgatory suggestive Catholic worldview University Wittenberg intellectual centre Protestant Reformation whole play filled cryptic allusions Protestant Reformation. Sympathetic view religious life expressed phrase thrice blessed scholastic theology Phoenix Turtle sympathetic allusions English Jesuit Edmund Campion Twelfth Night many other instances detected.
Beatrice Groves suggests playing upon English Catholic tradition rather actually being Catholic using symbolic nature ceremony embellish theatre. Literary scholar David Daniell arrives similar conclusion opposite direction good Protestant used biblical allusions quotations audience well versed Bible English quickly take meaning. Caution that religious inclinations reliably deduced use sources knowing Ovid Plutarch well didn't make Pagan.
David Beauregard points plays echo both Protestant Catholic translations Bible forty verbal correspondences 1582 Rheims New Testament conflict Elizabethan Homilies ten theological topics including purgatory prayers dead indulgences pilgrimages merit auricular confession satisfaction. Peter Milward Clare Asquith write Catholic sympathies detectable works. Asquith believes terms high referring Catholic characters low when referring Protestants light fair refer Catholic dark refer Protestant reference clerical garbs.
In 1843 presentation Shakesperean religious extracts published Sir Frederick Beilby Watson Frederic Dan Huntington Religious Moral Sentences Culled Works Compared Sacred Passages Drawn Holy Writ early work contrast Catholic-directed studies sought Protestant biblical allusions writer. Watson words carried out proving writings lived died true protestant collecting presumptive evidence tenets religion professed not Roman Catholic persuasion.
A century later Shakespeare editor historian A.L. Rowse wrote biography firmly asserted writer secret Catholic but Protestant orthodox confirming member Church baptised brought up married children reared arms buried. Became godfather William Walker Church England remembered godson will twenty shillings. Rowse identifies anti-Catholic sentiment Sonnet 124 taking fools time last lines refer many Jesuits executed treason years 1594-95.
John Klause Hofstra University accepts intended fools time represent executed Jesuits contends poet glorification martyrdom sympathises them Southwell influence identifiable Titus Andronicus. Later assessment places interpretation against most recent trends. Stephen Greenblatt acknowledges convention equivocator arriving gate hell Porter speech Macbeth reference Jesuit Father Henry Garnet executed 1606. Argument includes allusion sake topicality trusting audience heard Garnet pamphlet equivocation hidden sympathy man cause portrait sympathetic one.
Beilby Watson 1843 John Donnan Countermine 1906 argued religious beliefs studied taking account will states commit soul hands God Creator short time death made will introduction says speaks self having soul body opinion David Kastan close get expression own belief well taken conclusive evidence.
A.L. Rowse insisted statement shows conformist position Protestant religion died lived conforming member Church England will made clear facts puts beyond dispute uses Protestant formula. Kastan discusses phrase throulie merittes Jesus Christe reference doctrine solus Christus argues expression might become merely conventional 1616 little theological import hardly considered ultimate evidence define affiliation since preamble formulaic epoch.
William John Birch 1848 suggested atheist based interpretation sentiments expressed works theory accepted scholars contemporary H.H. Furness dismissed rare tissue perverted ingenuity. Evidence used support thesis suggested John Payne Collier notorious forger historical documents examined records St Saviour's Southwark found Shakespeare alone fellow Globe actors shown churchgoer. Herbert Thurston writing 1912 Catholic Encyclopedia questioned not only Catholicism pondered whether infected atheism rampant cultured society Elizabethan age.
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Common questions
What was William Shakespeare's known religious affiliation?
William Shakespeare's known religious affiliation was that of a conforming member of the established Church of England. He and his wife were buried in the church chancel where a monument included a half-figure bust set into the north wall.
When did Elizabethan Religious Settlement sever Church of England from Roman Catholic Church?
Elizabethan Religious Settlement severed Church of England from Roman Catholic Church five years before Shakespeare's birth in 1559. This event placed extreme pressure on English Catholics to accept practices of new church and made illegal any service not found in Book of Common Prayer including Roman Catholic Mass.
Who signed the tract professing secret Catholicism found in John Shakespeare house rafters?
Strongest evidence came from a tract professing secret Catholicism signed by John Shakespeare father of poet. New research attributes this tract to William's sister Joan who lived 1569-1646 making genuine copy possible.
Where was William Shakespeare buried after death?
William Shakespeare and his wife were buried in the church chancel where a monument included a half-figure bust set into the north wall. His brother Edmund died in London and was buried in St Saviour's in Southwark with a forenoone knell of the great bell.
Why do scholars speculate about William Shakespeare spending lost years 1585-1592 working under Catholic patronage?
Scholars speculate that William Shakespeare spent lost years 1585-1592 working under Catholic patronage due to connections through employment and education. These connections form basis for many scholarly arguments about hidden religious affiliations during crucial early career phase.