Shakespeare and the Monarchy: or Why Shakespeare is My Idol

Good lords and ladies of the supreme and most Noble Order of Honors Literature, I bid thee all a good day and would'st direct thy attention to this small and lowly blogger and her opinions on the matter of monarchy and power as presented by the Great William Shakespeare.

Ahem. Moving on from the Elizabethan English there, sorry.

So, Dr. Abernathy gave us all Sonnet 94 to read over and discuss in class Thursday and after I got over the wonderous joy of having Shakespeare in my hands, I really looked at the Sonnet and wondered what the Bard was trying to tell us.

The last line "Lilies that fester smell far worse than weeds"(14) refers to an old proverb "Corruption of the best becomes the worst." Is a king a good king still if he is unfair/unjust and gives into the temptations of power?

According to the sonnet, no he is not.

Tie this into the "divine right" theory: "The summer's flow'r is to the summer sweet,/ Though to itself it only live and die" If God appoints someone to rule, the ruler is by his Christian nature supposed to rule fairly. He is good and just, even if he [or she] goes unnoticed ny history and infamy. However, if the ruler becomes corrupted and "flow'r with base infection meet" then corruption comes and ruins the "divine right". Corruption of a Godly gift is a sure way to lose faithfulness and ability to rule.

I'm probably crazy and might not have all of my facts straight but it's a thought. Shakespeare's ideal ruler is not easily charmed or corrupted and uses what God has given him to the highest advantage; the epitome of "divine right". Maybe we should listen to The Bard more often, yes?

Until our next meeting, noble sirs and ladies. I bid thee all a fond farewell.


commented on Lucas's blog "Revolution, Rebellion, or Rambling"