“At War ’Twixt Will and Will Not”: On Shakespeare’s Idea of Religious Experience in <i>Measure for Measure</i>
“Religions in Shakespeare’s Writings,„ the title of this special issue, can prompt consideration not only of singular exceptions to the normative religious landscape but also of the ideas that support the banner under which a plurality of examples together may be descri...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2018-12-01
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| Series: | Religions |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/9/12/419 |
| _version_ | 1818836888308416512 |
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| author | Matthew J. Smith |
| author_facet | Matthew J. Smith |
| author_sort | Matthew J. Smith |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | “Religions in Shakespeare’s Writings,„ the title of this special issue, can prompt consideration not only of singular exceptions to the normative religious landscape but also of the ideas that support the banner under which a plurality of examples together may be described as “religious.„ In recent years, readers of Shakespeare have devoted attention to exploring Shakespeare’s engagement with specific theological and sectarian movements in early modern Europe. Such work has changed how we view the relation between theater and its religious landscapes, but it may be that in focusing on the topical we overlook Shakespeare’s place among such sociologists and philosophers of religion as Montaigne, Hobbes, James, Weber, and Berger. To this end, I argue that in <i>Measure for Measure</i> Shakespeare uses law to synthesize certain aspects of religious experience from divergent corners. And drawing on descriptions of religion from anthropology and phenomenology, I suggest that Shakespeare unites his characters through patterns of action within this deadly exigency that demonstrate a shared experience of religion as a desire for salvation beyond the law. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-19T03:13:46Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-b8e5a68276df46d5868c2a5036ccd5bc |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2077-1444 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-19T03:13:46Z |
| publishDate | 2018-12-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Religions |
| spelling | doaj.art-b8e5a68276df46d5868c2a5036ccd5bc2022-12-21T20:37:56ZengMDPI AGReligions2077-14442018-12-0191241910.3390/rel9120419rel9120419“At War ’Twixt Will and Will Not”: On Shakespeare’s Idea of Religious Experience in <i>Measure for Measure</i>Matthew J. Smith0English Department, Azusa Pacific University, 901 E. Alosta Ave., Azusa, CA 92832, USA“Religions in Shakespeare’s Writings,„ the title of this special issue, can prompt consideration not only of singular exceptions to the normative religious landscape but also of the ideas that support the banner under which a plurality of examples together may be described as “religious.„ In recent years, readers of Shakespeare have devoted attention to exploring Shakespeare’s engagement with specific theological and sectarian movements in early modern Europe. Such work has changed how we view the relation between theater and its religious landscapes, but it may be that in focusing on the topical we overlook Shakespeare’s place among such sociologists and philosophers of religion as Montaigne, Hobbes, James, Weber, and Berger. To this end, I argue that in <i>Measure for Measure</i> Shakespeare uses law to synthesize certain aspects of religious experience from divergent corners. And drawing on descriptions of religion from anthropology and phenomenology, I suggest that Shakespeare unites his characters through patterns of action within this deadly exigency that demonstrate a shared experience of religion as a desire for salvation beyond the law.https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/9/12/419Shakespeare<i>Measure for Measure</i>religionlawguiltphenomenologyanthropologymoralityCalvinismCatholicismagnosticismatheismPuritanism |
| spellingShingle | Matthew J. Smith “At War ’Twixt Will and Will Not”: On Shakespeare’s Idea of Religious Experience in <i>Measure for Measure</i> Religions Shakespeare <i>Measure for Measure</i> religion law guilt phenomenology anthropology morality Calvinism Catholicism agnosticism atheism Puritanism |
| title | “At War ’Twixt Will and Will Not”: On Shakespeare’s Idea of Religious Experience in <i>Measure for Measure</i> |
| title_full | “At War ’Twixt Will and Will Not”: On Shakespeare’s Idea of Religious Experience in <i>Measure for Measure</i> |
| title_fullStr | “At War ’Twixt Will and Will Not”: On Shakespeare’s Idea of Religious Experience in <i>Measure for Measure</i> |
| title_full_unstemmed | “At War ’Twixt Will and Will Not”: On Shakespeare’s Idea of Religious Experience in <i>Measure for Measure</i> |
| title_short | “At War ’Twixt Will and Will Not”: On Shakespeare’s Idea of Religious Experience in <i>Measure for Measure</i> |
| title_sort | at war twixt will and will not on shakespeare s idea of religious experience in i measure for measure i |
| topic | Shakespeare <i>Measure for Measure</i> religion law guilt phenomenology anthropology morality Calvinism Catholicism agnosticism atheism Puritanism |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/9/12/419 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT matthewjsmith atwartwixtwillandwillnotonshakespearesideaofreligiousexperienceinimeasureformeasurei |