Shaking things up with Shakespeare

After reading Mike’s blog focusing on Shakespeare, I could not help but go through and re-read some of my favourite plays to see if indeed the metaphysical view of God and LOVE had triumphed and won. But, of course,what I found confirmed my belief that Hobbes and Satan have prevailed. Shakespeare’s treatment of his characters in each of his plays conforms completely to Hobbes portrayal regarding the nature of man in their three principle causes of quarrel. In the nature of man, Hobbes says the three causes of quarrel are:

1. Competition: (for gain)
2. Diffidence: (for safety)
3. Glory: (for reputation)

Hobbes’s says that if any two men desire the same thing which they cannot both enjoy that they will become enemies, and further to achieve this end they will either destroy or subdue one another. Where is this better exemplified than on Shakespeare’s stage, for example, in the characters of Lysander and Demetrius in A Midsummer Night’s Dream? We see that Demetrius and Lysander both desire Helena at this particular point in the play, and “compete” for her love by attempting to physically quarrel to win her affection. Although they do not actualize their threats, it is merely because Puck confuses them and they get lost before they can fight. We see Hobbes’ portrayal of man further exemplified in the quarrel between Oberon and Titania. Oberon originally wants the Indian Prince to be his Knight, but when Titania refuses his demands, his motives change. He no longer wants the boy just for the gain, but more, because he wants to prove that he is able to get him from Titania. Thus, it becomes for him a task to attain glory and to keep his reputation as the King of the Fairyland. Oberon guiles his own Queen because they both cannot enjoy the thing that they both desire. Thus, he “subdues her” to attain the boy, and in doing this completely conforms to Hobbes’ portrayal of man. What goes against love more, than tricking one's own true love into enamourous relations with another all to attain some fleeting desire. What would a metaphysical think of this?

Thus, we see that although Shakespeare may seem to be opposed to Hobbes’ and his views, even this great writer is unable to escape the basic premises that Hobbes put forward in Leviathan about the nature of man. Again, Satan and Hobbes have a clear victory of Love and the Metahpysical view in A Midsummer Night's Dream.