Shakespeare and the Bible Shakespeare and the Bible Author Tausha Hewlett Supervising Editor Kate McPherson Editor Kate McPherson Copy Editor Leah Hamby Senior Encoder Leah Hamby Encoding and Metadata LEMDO Team Copyright Holder (Content) Kate McPherson Copyright Holder (XML and interface) University of Victoria Early Modern England EncyclopediaEMEE

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Early Modern England Encyclopedia

By Tausha Hewlett, inspired by Michael Best’s Shakespeare’s Life and Times, Internet Shakespeare Editions

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The Bible in Elizabethan England

Early modern English culture was shaped around the Bible, with Christianity strongly emphasized in the daily lives of the people. The Church of England, a Protesant version of Christianity, started in 1533, after Henry VIII separated England from the Church of Rome. Officially, attendance at Church of England services was mandatory, and those who didn’t attend church regularly risked fines. These restrictions created a degree of religious uniformity in which people came to know the Bible in a Protestant context.

Shakespeare and other authors of the period attended Church of England services, learning the passages from the official English translation of the Bible, called the Bishops’ Bible, and hearing sermons and homilies that everyone else was also being taught. Previous to the founding of the Church of England, church rituals and readings occured in Latin rather than English. Being steeped in the same biblical language and stories enabled authors to add meaning to their works through biblical allusions that their audience would very likely understand.

What Bible Did Shakespeare Use?

The Geneva Bible, first printed in 1560, was widely used during Shakespeare’s time because of its small, portable size. From the wording used in Shakespeare’s biblical allusions, scholars have determined that Shakespeare relied mainly on language from the Geneva Bible for much of his writing. Despite the Geneva Bible’s popularity for personal use, the Bishop’s Bible, first printed in 1568, was the bible people heard in church every week. The King James Bible, formally called the Authorised Version was published near the end of Shakespeare’s life and writing career, in 1611. The King James Bible would not have been available for Shakespeare to use when writing his the vast majority of his plays.

References to the Bible

Playwrights of the period knew their audiences would share a common context of biblical stories, people, and places. They frequently reference the Bible, sometimes obviously, sometimes more subtly. The following are some of the many references made to the Bible in Shakespeare’s works: In As You Like It, Orlando asks, Shall I keep your hogs and eat husks with them? What prodigal portion have I spent that I should come to such penury? (1.1.28–29) referencing the parable of the prodigal son (Luke 15:16). Loves Labors Lost (4.3.125) and (4.3.360–362) alludes to Romans 13:9–10; You found his mote; the king your mote did see; But I a beam do find in each of thee. In The Merchant of Venice, Shylock references Daniel (4.1.219–220) as well as Abram and Jacob (1.3.52–55). The Winter’s Tale, the line Therefore my heart danceth for joy(1.2.110–111) is an allusion to Psalm 28. In Henry IV, Part 1, Falstaff says, ragged as Lazarus in the painted cloth (4.2.25), referring to Lazarus who was crucified alongside Christ, and in Henry IV, Part 2 says, I’m poor as Job (1.2.129). The Merry Wives of Windsor combines Psalm 137 with a love song (3.1.23–25). Richard II alludes to Golgotha, the place of Christ’s crucifixion (4.1.149) and also features John of Gaunt’s comparison of England to the Garden of Eden (2.1.42–44). The Comedy of Errors has a line about Noah’s flood (3.2.91–92). The title of the play Measure for Measure is a reference to Matthew 7:2 or Mark 4:24.

Why Did Shakespeare Allude to the Bible So Often?

Despite the many examples of biblical allusions in his works, Shakespeare referenced the Bible less frequently than many writers of his time. Shakespeare was not an overtly religious playwright compared to some of his peers. But biblical language was central to early modern English culture, so allusions to biblical stories and words were a kind of shorthand to add meaning and depth to his words and characters, while also appealing to the religious perspectives of the time.

Did Shakespeare Translate the King James Bible?

Some speculation exists that Shakespeare was part of the group of scholars commissioned to create the 1611 translation of the Bible we know as the King James Bible. However, there is no direct evidence that he was part of the project. Amongst the many records and lists of people who participated in the translation, Shakespeare was not one of them. In addition to that, his language limitations in Greek and Hebrew would have excluded him from translation efforts.

Interestingly, when the Bible translation was completed, Shakespeare was 46, and in Psalm 46, 46 words down, is the word shake and from the bottom of the verse, 46 words up, is the word, spear. This may be an entertaining coincidence, but it remains fodder for theorists rather than scholars.

Continuing Cultural Relevance

With the predominance of Christianity in the western world, the Bible remains an important part of literature and culture. Even after hundreds of years and monumental changes in everyday life, Shakespeare’s biblical allusions continue to connect people to his writing and give depth to the messages and purposes of his plays.

Key Print Sources Hamlin, Hannibal. The Bible in Shakespeare. Oxford University Press, 2013. Hassel, Chris R. Shakespeare’s Religious Language: A Dictionary. Continuum, 2007. Kastan, David Scott. A Will to Believe: Shakespeare and Religion. Oxford University Press, 2014. Shaheen, Naseeb. Biblical References in Shakespeare’s Plays. University of Delaware Press, 2011.
Key Online Sources Beauregard, David N. Shakespeare and the Bible. Religion and the Arts vol. 5, no. 3, Sep. 2001, pp. 317–330. Best, Michael. Shakespeare and the Bible. Shakespeare’s Life and Times. Internet Shakespeare Editions. University of Victoria, 4 Jan. 2011. https://internetshakespeare.uvic.ca/Library/SLT/ideas/religion/bible+1.html. Kastan, David Scott, and Neva Grant. Shakespeare and Religion: There Are More Things in Heaven and Earth, Than Are Dreamt of In Your Philosophy. Shakespeare Unlimited. Folger Shakespeare Library, 1 June 2016. https://www.folger.edu/podcasts/shakespeare-unlimited/religion/.