The Shakespeare Conference: SHK 14.1235  Friday, 20 June 2003

From:           Martin Steward <
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Date:           Thursday, 19 Jun 2003 17:34:47 +0100
Subject: King James's Original Obsessive Idea, Not Hamlet's
Comment:        SHK 14.1222 King James's Original Obsessive Idea, Not Hamlet's

It seems pretty clear from Macbeth and The Tempest that Shakespeare had
read James's Daemonologie.

It's not quite fair to describe this particular King as a "wannabe
author".  His Apologie for the Oath of Allegiance is masterful, and full
worthy of its place alongside contributions to the same debate by such
luminaries as Lancelot Andrewes (one of the King's most trusted
friends).

As to whether any of this filtered down to "the groundlings" - whoever
they were - let's remember that we are talking about the Globe here, not
some cheap blood-and-thunder factory. It takes a good deal of
theological sophistication to sit through the entire text of Hamlet
without fidgeting.

m

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