The Elizabethan Great Chain of Being
Shakespeare’s World View
The Great Chain of Being
Shakespeare’s language is different
from ours because his thinking was
different from ours, especially about
nature and the order of the universe.
The Great Chain of Being
An order of hierarchy in which every
single created thing in the universe has its
place. God’s love flows through, sustains,
and holds together this whole system.
 Compounded Biblical lore, Greek
philosophy, and much far fetched natural
history.
 One of the most important and longlasting ideas in man’s history.

Elizabethan World Picture
God
(Intelligence)
Angels
(Pure Being)
Spheres
Man
Animals
Plants
Stones
(Order)
(Reason)
(Motion, Sense)
(Growth)
(Mere Existence)
Angels
Spheres
Seraphim
Cherubim
Thrones
Dominations
Virtues
Powers
Principalities
Archangels
Angels
Primum Mobile
Stars
Saturn
Jupiter
Mars
Sun
Venus
Mercury
Moon
Elizabethan World Picture
Man
Family
Emperor
King
Nobles/Churchmen
Professions/Soldiers
Trades
Beggars
Fool
Father
Mother
Eldest Brother
.
.
.
Youngest Sister
Elizabethan World Picture
Animals
Animals(cont)
4-Leg
Fish
Lion
Dolphin/Whale
Fox
Insects
Wolf
.
.
.
mole
Bees
Ants
.
.
.
2-Leg
worms
Falcon
Inert Animals
Oysters, etc.
Elizabethan World Picture
Plants
Stones
Fruits
Liquids
Metals
Apples
Flowers
Gold
Rose
Silver
Trees
.
Oak
Vines
Herbs
Weeds
.
.
Lead
Stones
Elizabethan World Picture
Body
Psychological
Head
Reason, Will
Eye
________________
Arm
Trunk
________________
Leg
Foot
Memory, Fancy
Five Senses
Elizabethan World Picture
Element
Humor
Fire (hot & dry)
(choler)
 “choleric” (easily angered)
Air (hot & moist)
(blood)
 “sanguine” (cheerful, confident)
Water (cold & moist)
(phlegm)
 “phlegmatic” (sluggish, apathetic)
Earth (cold & dry)
(black bile)
 “melancholy” (sad, depressed)
Rules: Great Chain of Being
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Everything has its place
God’s love holds it all together
When someone tries to get out of line, the
whole order is thrown into confusion
Belief in the rightness of ORDER
Stating what a thing is implies its VALUE
Leads to comparison or analogy
A King could be called:
-God like
-Gold
-Father of his land
-Sun
-Head of his kingdom
-Eagle
-Lion