The Elizabethan Great Chain of Being Shakespeare’s World View

The Great Chain of Being

Shakespeare’s language is different from ours because his thinking was different from ours, especially about nature and the order of the universe.

The Great Chain of Being

� An order of hierarchy in which every single created thing in the universe has its place. God’s love flows through, sustains, and holds together this whole system.

� Compounded Biblical lore, Greek philosophy, and much far fetched natural history.

� One of the most important and long-lasting ideas in man’s history.

Elizabethan World Picture

(Pure Being)

(Intelligence) (Order)

(Reason)

(Motion, Sense)

(Growth)

(Mere Existence)

God

Angels Spheres

Man

Animals

Plants

Stones

Elizabethan World Picture

Angels

Spheres Seraphim Cherubim Thrones

Dominations Virtues Powers

Principalities Archangels

Angels

Primum Mobile Stars

Saturn Jupiter Mars Sun

Venus Mercury Moon

Elizabethan World Picture

Man Family Emperor

King Nobles/Churchmen Professions/Soldiers

Trades Beggars

Fool

Father Mother

Eldest Brother . . .

Youngest Sister

Elizabethan World Picture

Animals

Animals(cont) 4-Leg

Lion

Fox

Wolf

.

.

.

mole

2-Leg Falcon

Fish Dolphin/Whale

Insects Bees

Ants

.

.

.

worms

Inert Animals Oysters, etc.

Elizabethan World Picture

Plants Stones Fruits Apples

Flowers Rose

Trees Oak

Vines Herbs Weeds

Liquids Metals

Gold

Silver

.

.

.

Lead

Stones

Elizabethan World Picture

Body Psychological Head

Eye

________________ Arm Trunk

________________ Leg Foot

Reason, Will

Memory, Fancy

Five Senses

Element Humor Fire (hot & dry) (choler) à “choleric” (easily angered)

Air (hot & moist) (blood) à “sanguine” (cheerful, confident)

Water (cold & moist) (phlegm) à “phlegmatic” (sluggish, apathetic)

Earth (cold & dry) (black bile) à “melancholy” (sad, depressed)

Rules: Great Chain of Being 1.  Everything has its place 2.  God’s love holds it all together 3.  When someone tries to get out of line, the

whole order is thrown into confusion 4.  Belief in the rightness of ORDER 5.  Stating what a thing is implies its VALUE 6.  Leads to comparison or analogy

A King could be called:

-God like -Gold

-Father of his land -Sun

-Head of his kingdom -Eagle

-Lion