Posted on 12/22/2009 5:56:33 PM PST by Steelfish
Was Shakespeare A Secret Catholic? The Evidence Is Mounting
By Oliver Marre December 22nd, 2009
The Venerable English College in Rome has found documents which may suggest that Shakespeare was a secret Catholic who spent some years in the city. Its only conjecture but the news will certainly excite the large number of people who believe that the Bard was a Papist.
Clare Asquith has written a compelling and brilliantly researched book which argues the same point from textual and historical analysis of the plays. Shadowplay is a great read for anyone interested in Shakespeare, in the religious wars of his time or, for that matter, in codes and the hidden meanings within texts.
Its not fair on the book to suggest it is a Da Vinci Code for thinking people but its every bit as exciting. Todays announcemnt from Rome that the Colleges recorded visit from one Shfordus Cestriensis in 1587 implies Sh(akespeare from Strat)ford (in the diocese) of Chester is not exactly what would be regarded as a conclusive argument; and I wasnt wholly convinced by Asquiths study, either.
(Excerpt) Read more at blogs.telegraph.co.uk ...
He would have lots of material to work with. Lots to laugh at.
Of the 154 sonnets, the first 126 are addressed to a man. But don't take my word for it. Buy a good annotated version. This will help you to understand the obsolete words and the modern words that had a different meaning in Shakespeare's day, as well as sort out the grammar. (I recommend the edition by the Folger Shakespeare Library. This edition includes some of his other poems as well.)
And another piece of advice: don't rush the reading. You need at least a year to read those sonnets, and two years is better. You need to spend some time with the rhythm and the rhyming and the language. But the time spent is well worth it. Not only will you begin to appreciate Shakespeare's poetic diction, but your experience with the poems will make you a better reader of the plays.
My point is that the argument that Shakespeare was Roman Catholic is specious.
Well, then. No skin off my nose.
Whether Catholic or not he has gone to meet his maker and what team he batted for is moot.
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