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. |
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Page 90
... Venus did with Mars ' ( 1.5.19 ) , Mardian the eunuch turns our thoughts again towards the gods , while Enobarbus gives his immortal description of Cleopatra in her barge , a Venus beyond the imagination of any artist : For her own ...
... Venus did with Mars ' ( 1.5.19 ) , Mardian the eunuch turns our thoughts again towards the gods , while Enobarbus gives his immortal description of Cleopatra in her barge , a Venus beyond the imagination of any artist : For her own ...
Page 108
... Venus represented by Titania . The resolution of the uneasy relation- ship between Theseus and Hippolyta is reflected in the quarrel between Titania and Oberon , or Venus and Mars , over the little Indian boy . He was the child of the ...
... Venus represented by Titania . The resolution of the uneasy relation- ship between Theseus and Hippolyta is reflected in the quarrel between Titania and Oberon , or Venus and Mars , over the little Indian boy . He was the child of the ...
Page 153
... Venus , who leans towards the delights of the flesh . If , after falling in love with outward beauty , the lover succumbs to the earthly Venus before he can take the next step of pur- suing a virtuous life , he will not reach the world ...
... Venus , who leans towards the delights of the flesh . If , after falling in love with outward beauty , the lover succumbs to the earthly Venus before he can take the next step of pur- suing a virtuous life , he will not reach the world ...
Contents
Ficino and the Platonic Worlds | 1 |
Cupids Dart | 10 |
The Goddess of Nature | 35 |
Copyright | |
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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