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Many people see Shakespeare's history plays as written in support of the theory

William Shakespeare was a writer , not a politician . But he was destined by the very fact of his greatness to become a theorist of politics as well . The temptation to find a sign of theory for politics in his work is too strong to resist - it is almost unbelieveable that a great writer living in England in the XVI-XVII centuries could escape greatest political and philosophical debates

Shakespeare did not . He was deeply involved into the context of his time , where state and power were among main subjects of concern . During all

periods of his work , Shakespeare was formulating his own attitude towards the tendencies that shortly afterwards led to English revolution . The historical material he used was mainly about the period of long-lasting feudal conflicts in England

The problem as well as the approach were not unique . The so-called political skill ' was a matter of concern for many , especially those who denied its Divine origins . Naturally , political systems in Europe gave all resons for that . Christendom , a concept of the early Medieval period , has failed . European political space did not unify , more than that - it became evedent , that it was gradually disintegrated Reformation and subsequent political conflicts , enspired by religious hostility , led to a raise of quite a multipolar ' world in Europe , in which intrigue and statecraft played sometimes very important role - much more important than religious or ethnic motives . Especailly true that was about Italian states : difficult political environment and lack of unity made it vitaly important to improve political skills of the leadership . Something like that was later actual for France and England

Italian writer thus became the first to analyze the nature and peculiarities of political processes . Nicolo Machiavelli summed his conclusions in his Prince , which became an example of pragmatic view on power , so uncommon for Europeans of the time . Undoubtedly , ideas expressed by Machiavelli influenced many people including writers and Shakespeare in particular . But such influence was accompanied by personal implications as well as by historical background . What was actual and true about Italian cities could have been absolutely incorrect about English counties

Thus historical plays by Shakespeare , in particular Henry IV and Richard II , are the exapmles of an English interpretation of Italian theory which have something to share and in some ways opposes the latter Shakespeare is neither an adept , not a critic of Machiavelli - he is an analyst of his own , concerned about the problems facing his society . Two strong motives may be observed in Shakespeare 's plays : 1 ) a support for the Divine Right of kings , which means that there is a need for some kind of justification of hereditary power , upon which stability may be created 2 ) a call for pragmatic ' rule in the sense that power obtained from God should be exercised in the way that make people (in broad sense ) more happy

Such a view , or synthesis , was not new or unique . New was the form of expression , the way in which Shakespeare described his point . Dialogues...

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