Ethan Walker
William Shakespeare's religious affiliation has been a subject of debate for scholars for over 150 years. The playwright lived in a time when the practice of Catholicism was illegal, and those who refused to attend the services of the state religion were known as recusants and were fined heavily. While the general assumption is that Shakespeare was a conforming member of the Church of England, there is ample evidence to suggest that he was a secret Catholic, including biographical, historical, and textual clues.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Shakespeare's family members were secret Catholics | Shakespeare's mother, Mary Arden, was a member of a conspicuous and determinedly Catholic family in Warwickshire. His father, John Shakespeare, was fined for his recusancy in 1592 and retired from politics rather than swear allegiance to the state religion. |
| Shakespeare's daughter Susanna had Catholic sympathies | Susanna was listed as one of the residents of Stratford who failed to take (Anglican) Holy Communion at Easter, which may suggest Catholic sympathies. |
| Shakespeare's works included sympathetic Catholic characters | Friar Laurence from Romeo and Juliet and Friar Francis in Much Ado About Nothing. |
| Shakespeare's works indicated an intimate knowledge of Catholic ritual and belief | N/A |
| Shakespeare condemned the Tudor regime | Hamlet is a play about social disintegration, incest, madness, infertility, and murder, which Catholics accused the Tudor regime of Henry VIII and Elizabeth. |
| Shakespeare linked social upheaval and chaos with Protestantism | Hamlet and his friend Horatio are "students at Wittenberg," which was the center of Protestantism. |
| Shakespeare's wedding | Shakespeare married Anne Hathaway in 1582, possibly in a Catholic ceremony. |
| Shakespeare's purchase of the Blackfriars Gatehouse | In 1613, Shakespeare purchased the Blackfriars Gatehouse, which had been a notorious hotbed of Catholic activity and was used as a "safe house" for Catholic priests. |
| Shakespeare's will | Shakespeare left almost everything in his will to his Catholic daughter Susanna. |
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What You'll Learn
Shakespeare's family members were secret Catholics
Shakespeare's religious views are the subject of an ongoing scholarly debate. The general assumption is that he was a conforming member of the Church of England. However, many scholars have speculated about his personal religious beliefs, with claims that Shakespeare's family may have had Catholic sympathies and that he himself was a secret Catholic.
Some scholars believe there is evidence that several members of Shakespeare's family were recusant Catholics. The strongest evidence is a tract professing secret Catholicism that was signed by John Shakespeare, the father of the poet. The tract was found in the 18th century in the rafters of a house that had once belonged to John Shakespeare. Edmond Malone, a reputable scholar, later refuted the document's authenticity, and it has since been lost. However, Anthony Holden writes that Malone's reported wording of the tract is linked to a testament written by Charles Borromeo and circulated in England by Edmund Campion, copies of which exist in Italian and English.
Shakespeare's mother, Mary Arden, was a member of a prominent and staunchly Catholic family in Warwickshire. The Ardens were among the most famous recusant families in England. In 1606, Shakespeare's daughter Susanna was listed as one of the residents of Stratford who failed to take the Anglican Holy Communion at Easter, suggesting Catholic sympathies. However, this could also indicate Puritan leanings, as some reports describe Susanna as having Puritan sympathies.
Shakespeare's father, John Shakespeare, was elected to several municipal offices, including serving as an alderman and bailiff, which required him to be a member in good standing of the Church of England. However, he was fined for recusancy in 1592 and retired from politics rather than swear allegiance to the state religion.
While Shakespeare's religious beliefs remain a mystery, the debate about his possible Catholicism continues to fascinate scholars and enthusiasts alike.
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Shakespeare's works show Catholic sympathies
The religious views of William Shakespeare have been debated for over 150 years. The general consensus is that he was a conforming member of the Church of England, but many scholars have speculated that he had Catholic sympathies, and that he was a secret Catholic.
Firstly, it is important to note that Shakespeare's family may have had Catholic sympathies. His mother, Mary Arden, was a member of a Catholic family in Warwickshire, and his father, John Shakespeare, was listed as one who did not attend church services. While this was said to be due to "feare of processe for Debtte", rather than recusancy, he was fined in 1592 for his refusal to swear allegiance to the state religion and retired from politics. Shakespeare's daughter Susanna was also listed as one of the residents of Stratford who failed to take Anglican Holy Communion at Easter in 1606, which may suggest Catholic sympathies.
Secondly, there is evidence that Shakespeare himself may have been a Catholic. He lived at a time when the practice of Catholicism was illegal, and those who refused to attend the services of the state religion were known as recusants. Shakespeare's works show Catholic sympathies, with sympathetic allusions to English Jesuit Edmund Campion in Twelfth Night, and the sympathetic view of religious life expressed in the phrase "thrice blessed" in The Phoenix and the Turtle. In Hamlet, Shakespeare complicates the Protestant sympathies of Hamlet's education at Wittenberg University by having the Ghost of Hamlet's father claim to speak from Purgatory, a Catholic concept. Some scholars argue that Shakespeare was simply playing upon an English Catholic tradition, using the symbolic nature of Catholic ceremony to embellish his theatre. However, others see this as evidence of his Catholic faith, arguing that the sympathetic treatment of Catholicism in his plays would not have gone unnoticed at the time.
Finally, it is worth considering the historical context in which Shakespeare was writing. He lived during a period of religious upheaval known as the Reformation, when Catholics and Protestants were violently at odds with each other. By the time Shakespeare was born in 1564, Protestantism reigned in England, and Catholicism was illegal. Priests were tortured and put to death, as were those who tried to hide them. Given this context, it is understandable that Shakespeare would not have been openly Catholic, even if he did hold those sympathies.
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Shakespeare's purchase of Blackfriars Gatehouse
The religious views of William Shakespeare have been the subject of scholarly debate for more than 150 years. The consensus is that Shakespeare was a conforming member of the Church of England, but many scholars have speculated about his personal beliefs, with some claiming that he was a secret Catholic. Shakespeare's mother, Mary Arden, was a member of a prominent and determinedly Catholic family in Warwickshire, and his daughter Susanna was listed as one of the residents of Stratford who failed to take Anglican Holy Communion at Easter, suggesting Catholic sympathies. Shakespeare's father, John Shakespeare, was listed as someone who did not attend church services, but this was said to be due to fear of being fined for debt rather than religious nonconformity. John Shakespeare was fined for recusancy in 1592, and he retired from politics rather than swear allegiance to the state religion.
Shakespeare himself may have spent time at Hoghton Tower, a recusant household in Lancashire, where he could have met the Jesuit martyr Edmund Campion before his arrest and execution. Shakespeare's works contain Catholic-inspired imagery, and he lived during a time of Catholic persecution, when the practice of Catholicism was illegal and priests and those who hid them were put to death.
Now, let's turn our attention to Shakespeare's purchase of the Blackfriars Gatehouse:
Shakespeare's acquisition of the Blackfriars Gatehouse in 1613 is well-documented. The purchase included free entry to the property and access to various rooms, cellars, attics, and other amenities. While Shakespeare may have kept a small section of the property for easy access to his company's nearby Blackfriars playhouse, it is more likely that the Gatehouse was a financial investment. Shakespeare was probably retired at this point, and the Gatehouse was his only investment purchase in London, as he owned several other investment properties in Stratford-upon-Avon.
The Blackfriars property is mentioned in numerous documents, including Shakespeare's will of 1616, which refers to "All that Messuage or tenemente with thappurtenances wherein one John Robinson dwelleth, scituat, lyeing and being in the Blackfriers in London nere the Wardrobe." John Robinson was the most recent tenant of the Gatehouse. Shakespeare also joined a lawsuit in 1615, apparently initiated by Blackfriars property owners to secure relevant deeds.
Of the surviving documents, four indentures—three from 1613 and one from 1618—bear the names, signatures, and seals of Shakespeare and his associates. The indenture of bargain and sale, dated March 10, was signed by Shakespeare and bears the seal of the scribe's servant, Henry Lawrence. While some claim that the £60 payment for the property was made after Shakespeare's death by his son-in-law, John Hall, surviving documents suggest that Shakespeare met the deadline of September 29, 1613.
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Shakespeare's daughter Susanna's Catholic leanings
The religious views of William Shakespeare have been the subject of scholarly debate for more than 150 years. While the general assumption is that he was a conforming member of the Church of England, some scholars have speculated that he was a secret Catholic, and that his family had Catholic sympathies.
Shakespeare's daughter Susanna was baptised in the Church of Holy Trinity, Stratford-upon-Avon, on 26 May 1583. In 1606, Susanna was listed as one of the residents of Stratford who failed to take (Anglican) Holy Communion at Easter, which may suggest Catholic sympathies. However, it may also be a sign of Puritan sympathies, as the name "Susanna" had associations that appealed to the Puritans. In fact, it has been noted that the name first appeared in Stratford parish registers in 1574, and so was still rather novel when given to Shakespeare's daughter.
Susanna was the eldest child of Shakespeare and his wife, Anne Hathaway. She married John Hall, a respected physician, in 1607, and they had one daughter, Elizabeth, in 1608. When Shakespeare died in 1616, he left the bulk of his estate to Susanna and her male heirs. Susanna passed away on 11 July 1649, aged 66, and is buried in Holy Trinity Church, next to her parents' graves.
In conclusion, while it is not possible to know Susanna's exact religious leanings, her failure to take Holy Communion at Easter in 1606 suggests that she may have had Catholic sympathies, or perhaps Puritan ones.
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Shakespeare's Catholic wedding
The religious views of William Shakespeare have been the subject of scholarly debate for more than 150 years. The consensus is that Shakespeare was a conforming member of the established Church of England, but many scholars have speculated that he was a secret Catholic.
Shakespeare married Anne Hathaway in November 1582. At the time, Shakespeare was 18 and Hathaway was 26. Hathaway was also pregnant with the couple's first child, Susanna, who was born six months after the marriage. To avoid any scandal, Shakespeare rushed the marriage ceremony by applying to the Bishop's Court in Worcester, which allowed the wedding to take place outside Stratford-upon-Avon.
The wedding was officiated by Father John Frith at his church in the nearby village of Temple Grafton. Four years later, the government accused Frith of being a Catholic priest in disguise. This has led some to speculate that Shakespeare and Hathaway went to Temple Grafton to be married in a Catholic ceremony. Shakespeare's choice of Temple Grafton as the location for his wedding, as well as the fact that he married in a hurry, may suggest that he wanted his wedding to be performed as a Catholic sacrament.
Shakespeare's family members were also secret Catholics, or "recusants". His mother, Mary Arden, was a member of a well-known and influential recusant family in Warwickshire. His father, John Shakespeare, was also fined for refusing to attend Church of England services. Shakespeare's daughter Susanna was also listed as one of the residents of Stratford who failed to take Anglican Holy Communion at Easter, which may suggest Catholic sympathies.
In addition to the evidence surrounding his wedding, Shakespeare's writing also provides clues about his religious beliefs. He included sympathetic Catholic characters in his plays, such as Friar Laurence from Romeo and Juliet and Friar Francis in Much Ado About Nothing. His writing also indicates an intimate knowledge of Catholic ritual and belief.
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Frequently asked questions
It is unclear whether Shakespeare was a Catholic, but there is evidence to suggest that he may have been a Catholic in secret.
There is ample biographical, historical, and textual evidence to suggest that Shakespeare was a Catholic. Firstly, Shakespeare's family members were secret Catholics, or "recusants." His mother, Mary Arden, was from a well-known recusant family, and his father, John Shakespeare, was fined for refusing to attend Church of England services. Secondly, a Catholic pamphlet was found hidden in the rafters of Shakespeare's birthplace. Thirdly, Shakespeare's plays included sympathetic Catholic characters, such as Friar Laurence from Romeo and Juliet, and Friar Francis in Much Ado About Nothing. His writing also indicates an intimate knowledge of Catholic ritual and belief. Finally, Shakespeare's purchase of the Blackfriars Gatehouse in 1613, a notorious hotbed of Catholic activity, suggests that he may have intended to use it as a "safe house" for Catholic priests and secret Masses.
The term "recusant" refers to those who refused to conform to the state religion during a time when the practice of Catholicism was illegal in England. Recusants were heavily fined, and priests were tortured and put to death.
No, the religious views of Shakespeare have been the subject of scholarly debate for more than 150 years. While the general assumption is that he was a conforming member of the established Church of England, many scholars have speculated that he was a secret Catholic based on analysis of the historical record and his published work.
Some scholars have suggested that Shakespeare was a Protestant, while others, like William John Birch in 1848, have proposed that he may have been an atheist based on his interpretation of sentiments expressed in his works. However, this theory was not widely accepted by other scholars.
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