Landscapes in Shakespeares The Tempest and Jonsons Bartholomew Fair and To Penshurst - Literature review Example

Introduction Shakespeare’s The Tempest and Jonson’s Bartholomew Fair and ‘To Penhurst’ are texts that give a glimpse of the prevalent issues ofthe seventeenth century English society. There is a basic similarity in the three of them as each of the themes is deeply contextualised. In all of the three texts the location plays an integral part of the theme in providing a socio-historical context to the texts. The Tempest provides a picture of the journey of an Englishman from the conventional boundaries of the known world to the land of the unknown and winning over the place and its people and making it his homeland. The space of the action is significant as it hints at the imperialist policy of the British. Where as Jonson’s Bartholomew Fair portrays the religious contention between the Puritans, Anglicans and the Catholics (Pinciss). To this extent not only does Jonson makes the Fair a point of criss-cross of the several aspects of the ideological conflict but also associates the landscape and the location to historical evidences. Jonson’s ‘To Penhurst’ is a tribute to the home-ground of Sir Philip Sidney. The poetic tribute refers to the whole genre of the Cavalier Country House poetry that marks an important episode of seventeenth century poetic practices (Pohl). The Tempest There is a paradigmatic shift in The Tempest in terms of the socio-cultural identity of the characters (Sokol, p. 78). The play begins with the common sixteenth century themes of power contention, hatred and jealousy. The theme of wrong doing, revenge and retribution runs throughout the play but it is the locale of the unfolding of the drama that gives a glimpse of the socio-historical reality of the Elizabethan age. It is interesting to see that in the course of the play how Prospero changes from an inherently good-natured learned intellectual to a calculative strategist and master of a culturally diverse land. The territorial landscape of the island has the features of the Caribbean islands. But it is the story of Prospero’s ousting of Sycorax, freeing of the invisible spirits, enslaving Caliban son of Sycorax that speak of another version of reality than that meant by the poet. It seems as though that Prospero had only changed the mode of control by eliminating the local power and establishing his own on the natives who significantly remain invisible throughout the play. The invisibility that is the absolute negation of their socio-cultural existence, their life and their human identity attributed to the aboriginal people of the land depicts the imperialist perspective (Sokol, p. 84). The theme of imperialism becomes conspicuous as a result of the geographical aspects of the island inhabited by Prospero. The change in Prospero’s basic nature and his adopting the somewhat colonialist attitude and ways could be considered as necessary for his own survival and retaining of his cultural identity. But it is observed that Prospero in the course of becoming the undisputed power of the land tries to expand his control by dominating the sea route. It is the land, the location that has brought in the change in Prospero or perhaps exploited in him man’s basic drive to conquer all. This explains Prospero’s deliberate attempts of avenging himself by punishing his wrong-doers. The location provides ample scope for Prospero’s revenge game as he is the supreme lord of the land. Had it been any other place he might have to confront resistance but in the remote island by successfully establishing himself as intellectually and physically superior to the native people he has procured complete surrender from them. Though Prospero is in no way projected as tyrannical and oppressive to the people but does exploit their resource from time to time. The story of Ariel seeking his freedom speaks for it. But once again Prospero’s intention of exploiting Ariel’s resources has his personal reasons and is not for the purpose of meeting imperialist ends. It is important to consider that though the theme is embedded in the context of the imperialist ideology but it has a universal appeal in its treatment of the emotions of love, hatred, revenge and forgiveness. Unlike a true imperialist Prospero did not choose to come to the island. He was a victim of his brother’s malicious intentions. The alien place teamed with Prospero’s re-discovery of himself as capable of inflicting harm with his umpteen magical powers (Harder, p. 9) also provide the play with the most appropriate setting for unfolding the drama of sin and redemption. For the other characters the island transforms as the land of retribution and justice with Prospero appearing as an almost divine agent who makes them realise their sin and by forgiving redeems them. With poetic justice being met and Prospero’s objective reached he leaves the island but not before setting Ariel free. It becomes evident that though the poet might have referred to the socio-historical facts as the background to the play his primary intention was to depict the tale in keeping with the sixteenth century taste of romance and violence. Bartholomew Fair Bartholomew Fair by Ben Jonson aptly represents the religious tensions that had ripped the nation apart. Unlike Shakespeare Jonson’s aim was to make his play point out to the follies and the vices that people commit in the name of religion. He shows his utter disgust for any kind of fanaticism especially that of religion. By choosing the Bartholomew Fair ground as the main locale of the action Jonson intends to unmask the unpleasant truth behind the fanatics and hypocrisy of the upholders of religion. The context of the Bartholomew Fair on the 24th of August is specifically used by Jonson to remind of the incident of burning Catholics with the purpose of purifying of the old form religion and also of the St Bartholomew massacre in France (Davidson, p. 354). But the Fair is not the only space that contributes thematically. Jonson has brought in the references of other significant locations in relation to the characters that make the theme of religious conflict most apparent. He makes each of the characters represent a particular place that has historical significance in the context of religion. For example the hypocrite Puritan Rabbi Zeal comes from Banbury ‘A noted haunt of Puritans’ (Herford & Simpson). The Harrow on the Hill to where Bartholomew Cokes and his tutor Wasp belong was known for being a shelter of Catholic ‘recusants’ (Pinciss). The Bellamy family used to house missionary priests in their manor house that was situated in the Harrow (Dures, p. 28). Jonson by bringing the rather socio-historical facts is creating an apt background for making the Bartholomew Fair a meeting point of all the religions. At the same time Jonson also symbolises in the various incidents and experiences of the characters the way each form of religious belief is generally regarded. As an example Jonson shows how Cokes and Wasp discover themselves robbed in every way. That was the common fate of all those who adhered to the religious discipline of Catholicism. On the other hand the violence shown by Rabbi towards the iconic cakes as he went for a destructive rampage witnesses the Puritanical frenzy and intolerance towards other beliefs. The Bartholomew Fair has been chosen by Jonson as an appropriate place that could on one hand provide scope to exploit the psyche of the different characters on the other hand, unveil their true selves irrespective of their religious beliefs. The Fair offers the ‘pleasures and dangers of life’ (Pinciss) that would put to test each of the characters religious integrity. It would be apparent whether they have really internalised the religious ideologies or using it as a shield for other lowly deeds. Within the Fair site the place of Ursula’s roast pig booth mostly becomes the centre of action with the different activities implying all the sins like wrath, greed, gluttony and lust. Jonson tries to emphasise that every religion preaches to restrain oneself from being possessed by the sins but in reality most of the so-called fanatics who do not have any scruples of murdering those of other beliefs for the sake of religion wallow in them. The Fair becomes an experience for the different characters belonging to the different religious schools the Puritanical, the Anglican and the Catholic. Each of their perceptions about themselves changes as each of them is brought in confrontation with other religious representations that is only possible within a Fair like the Bartholomew Fair. All the three characters Overdo, Busy and Wasp representing the different religious values come out as fallible and therefore equal in terms of their religious supremacy. But it is important that each of the characters realise their errors and accept their faults as Rabbi did saying “I am changed, and will become a beholder with you!” (V.v. 101; 104-5). To Penhurst Jonson’s lyrical poem ‘To Penhurst’ is a tribute to Sir Philip Sidney. Jonson symbolises the estate of Penhurst which is the family seat of Sir Philip Sidney as the utopia, a perfect poetic recluse. Jonson specifically elaborates on the landscape and the natural beauty of the land as representing an ideal past. To this end he draws attention to a more sophisticated way of life that is both simple yet elegant. In his attempt to portray a life that is governed by a sense of being just and at the same time ordered and disciplined Jonson uses the imagery of the natural world in all its splendour and beauty. Moreover he uses the images in a gradual hierarchical sequence beginning with the vegetative world and then ascending to the reference of the king in describing the way of life with each one of them in their respective places and in harmony with the world around (Norton, p. 799). “Now, Penhurst, they that will proportion thee With other edifices, when they see Those proud, ambitious heaps, and nothing else, May say their lords have built, but thy lord dwell. (To Penhurst, lines 99-102) The concluding lines of the poem convey a sense of greatness about the place in terms of its rich history and the master of the house who lived in it. Jonson does not emphasise upon the material wealth or the property but on the immaterial, the soul of the house that in a way stands for the greatness of its master. It is observed that Jonson’s ‘To Penhurst’ is a critique of the socio-historical reality of the sixteenth century (Pohl). Much against the reality of the seventeenth century society that was crumbling under the conflict at every socio-political quarter especially religious the poem referring to an idyllic past is nothing short of a utopia. But Jonson’s attempt of providing an alternative and near ideal situation is commendable and in the true nature of Jonson. Conclusion In conclusion it might be said that all the three works of art attempt to attain a common objective. All of them portray a universal theme and that is the desire to reach the ideal world. The most significant aspect is that the poets’ dream of the ideal world is placed against a socio-historical background that is far removed from such a possibility. The dispensation of poetic justice in The Tempest with Prospero recovering his lost identity and royal entity, the fructification of the marriage between Ferdinand and Miranda and the punishment of the wrong-doers do not go with the social turmoil of the era. Moreover the poet leaves unfinished the tale of the islanders and their fate. Jonson too in his play Bartholomew Fair shows that each of the characters undergoes an attitude change as they accept their follies. But in reality how far such a kind of a Fair would be successful in bringing about a change in the moral and religious perception is doubtful. The poem ‘To Penhurst’ too portrays a bygone era that has no socio-historical relevance to the age but to Jonson. However each of the locations be it the remote island, the Fair ground or Penhurst, contributes to the theme of alienation in The Tempest, corruption and religious conflict in Bartholomew Fair and the idyllic way of life in ‘To Penhurst’ and attributes meaningful contexts to the themes. Works Cited Davidson, C. “Judgment, Iconoclasm, and Anti-Theatricalism in Jonsons Bartholomew Fair," PLL 25, 1 (Winter 1989): 349-63, 352 Dures, A. English Catholicism, 1558-1642 (Essex: Longman, 1983), p. 28 Ben Jonson, ed. C. H. Herford and Percy Simpson, 11 vols. (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1925), 10:171 Harder, D. The Tempest in the Trivium. 2003. Retrieved 16th April 2009 from http://sycoraxcorax.com/db4/00393/sycoraxcorax.com/_download/sycoraxshorter.pdf.pdf Jonson, B. ‘To Penhurst’. The Norton Anthology of English Literature. Volume 1 edited by M.H Abrams. New York, NY, Norton & Company. P. 797-799 Pinciss, G.M. ‘The Bartholomew Fair and Jonsonian Tolerance’. Studies in English Literature, 1500-1900. 35. no. 2, Spring 1995, 345-59 Pohl, N. Feigned Commonwealths: The Country-House Poem and the Fashioning of the Ideal Community. Utopian Studies. 12.2 (2001): 301-03 Sokol, B.J. ‘The Tempest and the New World Cultural Encounter’. A Brave New World of Knowledge. Published by Fairleigh Dickinson Univ Press, 2003 Read More