Different Views of Political Authority in Shakespeare's Works (Essay Sample)

This task discussed how William Shakespeare dramatized the different views of political authority, and divine right versus Machiavellian philosophies/ideas in his works. The paper illustrated how Shakespeare’s plays, histories, and tragedies (such as Richard II, Richard III, Taming of the Shrew, Macbeth, and A Midsummer Night’s Dream) illuminate the different views of political authority. While some of his works such as Richard II favor the idea that a ruler derives the right to rule from divine (Biblical) authority, others such as Macbeth and Measure for Measure seem to argue that a ruler attains and maintains his or her political authority through Machiavellian methods such as plotting and political maneuvering. The paper gave specific examples of how these different views are portrayed in Shakespeare’s works.