Shakespeare and the Fire of LoveThe Christian-Platonic philosophy of love expounded by such thinkers as Pythagoras, Plato, and Plotinus is proven to be a permeating philosophy in Shakespearean plays and sonnets in this critical examination. The commentaries of scholar-priest Marsilio Ficino and other key Renaissance writings are linked to specific speeches or sonnets penned by Shakespeare. Christian-Platonic philosophy is presented as the force that allowed Shakespeare to write about such universal themes as the harmony and disharmony between nations and princes and the interior conflicts of the mind and soul. Classical references and images identify the true Promethean fire: romantic attraction. |
Contents
Ficino and the Platonic Worlds | 1 |
Cupids Dart | 10 |
The Goddess of Nature | 35 |
Copyright | |
11 other sections not shown
Other editions - View all
Common terms and phrases
angelic mind angelic world Antipholus Antony appearance Ariel Bacon Bassanio beauty of soul become Ben Jonson Berowne body Brutus Caesar Caliban calls cave Ceres CHAPTER Cleopatra constancy constant heart Cupid Cymbeline dance dark daughter death Diana disguise divine beauty divine light doth dream earthly Venus eyes fancy father Francis Bacon gods Hamlet harmony heaven and earth heavenly beauty heavenly Venus heavenly world Hecate Hermia Hermione higher worlds Hippolyta Hymenaei imagination Imogen Inigo Jones inspiration Jonson king Lady Lear Leontes Love's Labour's Lost lover lower Macbeth Malvolio marriage Marsilio Ficino masque material world Miranda moon murder night Oberon Orlando outward path of love Pericles Petruchio physical world Platonic worlds play Plotinus Portia Posthumus Prospero realised reason recognises represents Romeo Rosalind servant shadows Shakespeare sleep spark spirit symbol Tempest thee Theseus thou Titania triple goddess twin union universal virtues vision wedding wife Winter's Tale