Was Shakespeare Catholic?

Question

I just found out (by searching Yahoo Answers) about a book called "Shadowplay : the hidden beliefs and coded politics of William Shakespeare" by Clare Asquith. I'm going to get it from the library tonight.

Since 1993 I've been trying to persuade people that there is a Catholic sub-text in Hamlet and Henry VIII. Please see my essays on Hamlet at
http://academia.wikia.com/wiki/Motifs_in_Hamlet
and
http://academia.wikia.com/wiki/More_Motifs_in_Hamlet

and my highly speculative biography of Shakespeare and his possible connections to the Catholic underground:
http://academia.wikia.com/wiki/Where_Truth_Is_Hid

Please also answer the other question I posted, about Saint Gertrude.

Answer 1

Of both Milton and Shakespeare it was stated after their deaths, upon Protestant authority, that they had professed Catholicism. But nobody is 100% certain.

Answer 2

If you are interested in Catholic Shakespeare, you have to look at the work of the greatest authority on the subject nowadays, Richard Wilson of the University of Lancaster (people even talk of a "Lancastrian school" there, because there are other people in the department who work on the same subject):

http://www.lancs.ac.uk/depts/english/staff/wilson.htm


Try his Secret Shakespeare, for instance:

http://www.amazon.com/Secret-Shakespeare-Studies-Religion-Resistance/dp/0719070252/ref=sr_1_3/002-1574727-1045600?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1181166961&sr=8-3


But he has other works on the same subject. His theory is based on the Shakeshaft story. Personally, I am not really into that sort of thing, but you will certainly find his works are of interest.

Edit: Of course, Shakespeare's father was a Catholic, like all English people of his generation! That he stayed a Catholic is not very surprising. The new religion was established in 1558, but there had already been several changes in England. The succession was never certain until the last moment. And the succeeding king was the son of Mary Stuart! So many people in England at the time were uncertain about the future of their country (and they were right!). So, Shakespeare had a Catholic background, like any other Englishman of his time, and there is no real evidence of his having remained a Catholic.

Answer 3

"Shakespear's mother, Mary Arden, came from a prominent Catholic family, a fact that leads some to conclude that Shakespeare was secretly a Catholic, or at the very least had a papist sympathies. While providing no evidence for the assertion, Richard Davies, one of Shakespear's first biographers, wrote, "He died a papist." In 1757, a handwritten booklet containing a Catholic awowal of faith was found in the rafters of John Shakespear's Henley house. The document of authenticity has been the subject of debate, but recently it was discovered that identical documents had been circulated throughout England via the Catholic underground during that period. Nevertheless, the Elizabethan persecution made Catholicism a dangerous religion to practice, and Shakespear was a prudent man. Given his desires to rise in the world, he probably chose the expedient course and adopted the Anglican faith."

Answer 4

Pastor Billy says: have the book and have seen the television production by Wilson. His father was also Catholic I understand some family documents have been found in the attic literally.

I believe Shakespeare stayed Catholic and it wasn't that secret once you understand the coding of his plays to the Royal court. It light of this you being to understand he writes about his time contrary to traditionalists who deny it and he seeks to return to England it's Catholic soul through his literary efforts.

Answer 5

He would have been born a Catholic. He would then have found that his church claimed to be both catholic and reformed and got himself a job on the team translating the Bible. Later he would have found that his queen and occasional patron was excommunicated by the Pope. His church was St Andrews in Stratford upon Avon where he is buried - and they indulge in popish practices that the Church of Rome has long since abandoned.

Answer 6

If u r asking if Shakespear is catholic, then as far as my knowledge is concerned, the answer is : yes, he was catholic

Answer 7

He was probably Church of England. That was the state religion in England at the time, I believe.

Answer 8

I think he was a pagan, wich gave his writings a peculiar sobriety, but thats just my opinion. He didn't give a damn neither about christians, jews, not muslims.

Answer 9

to see what shakespeare believed in, one must analyze all his works. it could be seen that he believed in superstition and astronomy

Answer 10

push large print..............


http://www.lasttrumpetministries.org/tracts/da_vinci_tract.html
http://www.lasttrumpetministries.org/2007/june2007.html
peace and love