by James Shapiro
The Year of Lear is about the Year that Shakespeare wrote King Lear, Macbeth, and Anthony and Cleopatra. It covers the time that influenced these plays. Some of this has become very relevant to modern times.
In 1606 Britain was dealing with it's own fake news problem. Equivocation. Demonic possession.
There were situations where you could commit a crime and then fake demonic possession as the excuse. Your punishment would be exorcism as you couldn't be held responsible for the devils actions.
The Year of Lear explores equivocation-- lying to people but being truthful to God. For example, suppose you committed a crime in the morning. While the police investigated you, you could say "I did not commit that crime" and then under your breath say "this afternoon." There was an elaborate line of reasoning that this was acceptable in the eyes of God. This all sounds very bullshitty today. But things are different at a time when a Catholic monk could be arrested for practicing his Catholic rituals.
Then there was Guys Fawkes and the conspiracy to blow up Parliament. Its interesting how Guy Fawkes from one perspective was an independent man trying to overthrow a corrupt government. From another perspective he was a Catholic conspirator trying to return the Papacy to Britain.
The Year of Lear is about the Year that Shakespeare wrote King Lear, Macbeth, and Anthony and Cleopatra. It covers the time that influenced these plays. Some of this has become very relevant to modern times.
In 1606 Britain was dealing with it's own fake news problem. Equivocation. Demonic possession.
There were situations where you could commit a crime and then fake demonic possession as the excuse. Your punishment would be exorcism as you couldn't be held responsible for the devils actions.
The Year of Lear explores equivocation-- lying to people but being truthful to God. For example, suppose you committed a crime in the morning. While the police investigated you, you could say "I did not commit that crime" and then under your breath say "this afternoon." There was an elaborate line of reasoning that this was acceptable in the eyes of God. This all sounds very bullshitty today. But things are different at a time when a Catholic monk could be arrested for practicing his Catholic rituals.
Then there was Guys Fawkes and the conspiracy to blow up Parliament. Its interesting how Guy Fawkes from one perspective was an independent man trying to overthrow a corrupt government. From another perspective he was a Catholic conspirator trying to return the Papacy to Britain.
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