THE ELIZABETHAN WORLD PICTURE

THE ELIZABETHAN AGE WAS THE AGE OF THE RENAISSANCE, BUT THE ELIZABETHANS WERE MUCH CLOSER TO A MEDIEVAL WAY OF THINKING THAN TO OUR MODERN WORLD PICTURE.

BRIEF HISTORY OF KING HENRY VIII - EDWARD, JANE, MARY, ELIZABETH (AND THE BIRTH OF THE ABSOLUTE MONARCH & DIVINE APPOINTMENT)

THE REFORMATION

IN ENGLAND: A REDUCTION OF THE POWER OF THE CHURCH
LARGE PROPERTIES OF LAND CONFISCATED
CHURCH SERVICES SIMPLER AND IN ENGLISH
MAN HAD A FREE WILL AND COULD THEREFORE BE RESPONSIBLE FOR HIS OWN ACTIONS
AT THE SAME TIME THERE WAS A BELIEF IN FATE, WHICH SHAPED THE LIFE OF MAN

ASTRONOMY: ORDER IN THE UNIVERSE

THE ORDER OF THE UNIVERSE WAS FIXED. 9 SPHERES, WITH GOD AT THE TOP
THE EARTH WAS THE CENTRE OF THE UNIVERSE, SURROUNDED BY SPHERES, WITH THE MOON CLOSEST TO THE EARTH. WHAT WAS BELOW THE MOON IS NOT STABLE
MACROCOSMOS/MICROCOSMOS

MANY OF SHAKESPEARE'S PLAYS ARE ABOUT WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THE ORDER IS DISTURBED THROUGH MEN'S ACTIONS. MND ABOUT WHAT HAPPENS WHEN MORE-THAN-MEN PLAY AROUND - ALWAYS DANGEROUS (MEASURE FOR MEASURE).

HIERARCHY ON EARTH

THE SOVEREIGN
( PRINCE, KING OR EMPEROR)
THE NOBLEMEN
THE CLERGY
LANDOWNERS
MERCHANTS
ARTISANS
LABOURERS
SERFS
ANIMALS
PLANTS
ROCKS

THE CHAIN OF BEING
EVERY CREATION HAD ITS PARTICULAR POSITION IN A HIERARCHY CONTAINING EVERYTHING IN THE WORLD

GOD
ANGELS (SPIRIT ALONE)

Highest Triad
Seraphim
Cherubim
Thrones

The Second Triad
The Domininons
The Virtues
The Powers

The Third Triad
The Principalities
The Archangels
The Angels