Beliefs3

Jason Seter April 12, 2010 English 8-3 Shakespeare Compendium In the time of Shakespeare, commonly held beliefs in witches, ghosts, and simple superstitions held sway over the actions and thinking of most citizens, including those who were most educated. Above probably all misguided convictions was that of astrology; the belief that heavenly bodies could control or influence life on earth. Astrological thinking was quite likely a product of the Renaissance, as there was an emergence of startling new ideas and a profound curiosity in all things mystical. According to the writings of Peter Chrisp in the Eyewitness book, “Shakespeare”, even Queen Elizabeth herself stooped to this level of thought, as she employed her own personal astrologer to make predictions concerning her fate based off the positioning of the stars in the night sky. His name was Dr. John Dee, and is commonly credited as the greatest astrologer of the age. He has also sown the seeds of many known stereotypes of supernatural prediction, such as those concerning crystal balls. Dee believed the use of a crystal ball, or “scrying”, was a failsafe technique in magical forecasting or gaining secret knowledge. Later on in his life, Dee dedicated his studies in the pursuit of such mystical knowledge. Indubitably, Shakespeare himself was influenced by magically oriented thinking, as his plays contain over one hundred references towards astrology. In fact, according to Liza Picard in her book, “Elizabeth’s London”, the influence of stars over earthly occurrences is completely central in the plots of several of his writings. Learned men also burdened themselves with strong beliefs of witches and witchcraft. There were two main types of witches during those days. According to Russel Roberts in his book, “Elizabethan England”, There were the white witches, who were actually generous in quality, and assisted one in locating lost objects or could help cure diseases and maladies. On the other hand, there were black witches, who were thought to commune with the devil. Also, rather than healing sickness, they worked to cause it. But even then most were beyond absolute villainy and impurity, and were thought to control winds. They were even known to sell good winds to those who are heading to sea. In addition, they were capable of changing forms, commonly into hares. For this, seeing a hare was considered bad luck. Indeed, black witches were considered such a harmful prevalence that there were two hundred and seventy witch trials during Elizabeth’s reign. In all truth, these trials tended to be deplorably partial and unfair, as the “witches” in question were usually just scapegoats for unexplainable incidents. Someone needed to take the fall, and old, unprotected hags were ripe for the blame. Slap the label on, “witch”, and the wrong could then be redressed. People were also stiff in their beliefs in fairies, which were thought to live in mounds of earth and dance in rings or ruts in the fields. This certainty coined the term, “fairy ring”. They were also considered bad luck if disturbed, so it was a universal practice to nail a horseshoe to one’s door to prevent the fairies from entering. It is for this practice that horseshoes are considered good luck Ghosts, also, were acknowledged as reality, and were prominent in everyday dealings. In summation, ghosts were thought to be spirits caught in the world of the living. In elaboration, these spirits were thought to be thus pettifogged so as to satisfy some fate, as was circumvented when the person itself remained alive. According to The apparition would endure this entanglement until the past objective was realized and brought to consummation. Until such an undertaking, a ghost was a customary nuisance, as would break fragile objects and raise insufferable clatter at late hours. In worst-case scenarios, relief could only granted by performing an exorcism. This ritual was hoped to evict an affected person or place of the ghost’s influences. After such an act the formerly burdened mortal could relish in the succor, perforce his knowledge of the ghost’s passing to the mists eternal. Such pitiable notions held dominion over the minds of Elizabeth and her subjects, and were unduly accredited as both all cause and all effect. The stars loomed, portentous, and shined of their sway. The crones, lurid, unseemly, held curse in hand, and formed of their whim. The fairies, rude, knavish, did dance in carousal, and played of their mischief. And the ghosts, silent, eldritch, communed in the night, and hid of their haunt. In their belief did minds fester, until advancement expunged such fell folly.