 |
 |
Not an explanation or argument, but just a few random thoughts. Shakespeare's audience (as Gillian remarks) didn't have to go to the theater for their Christianity; they got that in church. But surely it goes too far to say that Christian elements are "rigorously excluded." Just off hand I can think of the friar in Romeo and Juliet, the dour dogmatic priest who reluctantly presides over Ophelia's burial, also in Hamlet Claudius praying futilely for repentance, the fake monk in Measure for Measure (a title taken incidentally from the New Testament)... Many of the plays are set in pre-Christian eras. Shakespeare was never bothered by anachronisms of various kinds, but even he knew enough not to have a Christian priest show up in ancient Athens. Christianity may not be prevalent in the plays exactly because it was so deeply ingrained into society. It can be assumed as part of the cultural environment, and so doesn't need any special treatment. The Renaissance artistic world in general seems more pagan than Christian. _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com