William Shakespeare
There
is some question as to who William Shakespeare really was. Some people are sure
he was the actual author of the many plays and sonnets that are attributed to
him. Some are just as certain that it was a ruse to hide the identity of someone
else. There are probably numerous candidates for the "real William Shakespeare"
though I doubt many of them know it or care about it any more.
At any rate, what little does seem to be apparent is quickly told. Aside from his vital statistics, which can be found easily, it seems pretty well settled that when he married Ann Hathaway (Hathwey) she was already 3 months pregnant with their first child. It also seems well established that he showed up in London sometime in the 1590s, apparently without his wife and three children. It has been rumored that he left his home area to escape a poaching charge.
Whatever his personal history may or may not have been, the plays and poems can be judge purely on their content and found to be wanting and unsuitable for Christian consumption.
The plays exhibit murders, adultery, magic/occult practices, suicide, witchcraft, anti- Semitism, ghosts and many other such like. You can read summaries of the plays at: The Literature Network. Shakespeare's plays were really nothing more than high class soap operas of that day, a good deal better written than modern ones, but the same basic content nonetheless.
| Links are included to help clarify terms. This does not imply that all information offered at these links is accurate nor that we agree with it. |
Furthermore, The Wordsworth Dictionary of the Occult - An exploration of the esoteric and mysterious from darkest antiquity to the present, by Andre Nataf, claims that Shakespeare's writings are alchemical and relate to other esoteric things. (This is one of "their" books, not one exposing the occult.) Quoted from page 220:
"The royal road to hermetism
"Alchemy is at the heart of Shakespeare's works
"Shakespeare stands on the threshold of the medieval and modern worlds. It is not surprising that...his work should be filled with mythology, magic and esoterism. Shakespeare was also undoubtedly affected by illuminism and Cabalism which were at that time enormously influential in intellectual circles.
"Esoteric exegesis
"A Midsummer Night's Dream is deeply marked with popular cosmology; Love's Labours Lost carries an Orphic love theme, with the lovers setting one another tests. The Merchant of Venice contains Pythagorean ideas...
"In The Tempest, we see a magician fighting against the forces of evil and putting young lovers through an initiation. However, alchemy has pride of place, especially in The Winter's Tail The play is saturated with alchemical philosophy and symbolism, as Paul Arnold points out. For example, the striking scene of Hermione's 'resurrection' must surely be based on the alchemical description of the kind and queen going down into the tomb and rising again..."
------------------------
The Lord described the evil people in Romans 1 as 29 Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, 30 Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 31 Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: This pretty well describes the characters and plots of Shakespeare's plays. But the passage goes on to warn us, 32 Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.
Philippians 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
