Key Dates, Characters & Events The following is a historical timeline of dates, characters and significant events taking place in London and elsewhere that had an impact on the theatrical milieu and its relationship to other important events, religious, political and social. The timeline is an attempt to compare the life circumstances of Edward deContinue reading “The Anonymous & Pseudonymous “Shake-speare””
Author Archives: Leonidas Kazantheos
The “Four Worlds” in Qaballah
The Greek Tectractys is a symbolic arrangement of 10 points, on 4 levels incorporated into astrological symbolism from Pythagorean and Gnostic schools which includes alphabetical and numerical attributes from Hebrew, Greek and Latin sources. Each level denotes an elemental attribute, from fire, air, water, and earth. However, the total of the numbers assigned to theContinue reading “The “Four Worlds” in Qaballah”
The “Neo-Platonic Magic” of Shakespeare
In her book “The Occult Philosophy of the Elizabethan Age” (Routledge & Kegan Paul, 1979) the occultist and author, Frances Yates suggests that the works of Shakespeare are derived from the prevailing ideas and concepts of Christian Caballists seeking an evolved and deeper meaning to Biblical teaching. This evolved philosophy was intended to convert MuslimsContinue reading “The “Neo-Platonic Magic” of Shakespeare”
The Shakespeare Authorship Controversy
“He who desires to understand Shakespeare truly must understand the relations in which Shakespeare stood to the Renaissance and the Reformation, to the age of Elizabeth and the age of James; he must be familiar with the history of the struggle for supremacy between the old classical forms and the new spirit of romance, betweenContinue reading “The Shakespeare Authorship Controversy“
The Month of November
November the 5th is traditionally the most popular celebration of the thwarting of the Gunpowder Plot in 1605, supposedly planned and partly executed by the Catholic insurgent Guido Fawkes. Other tenuous influences involve the presentation of Shakespeare’s play Macbeth, a dramatic horror story derived from George Buchanan’s “Rerum Scoticarum Historia” (1582) and Matthew Gwynne’s LatinContinue reading “The Month of November“
“Pseudonymous”, A Biography of William Shakspere, Part Two
So since actors, playwrights and artists were notoriously fond of sexual escapades and indiscretions, what do we know about William Shakspere’s own extramarital love life? According to the Stratfordians while travelling with the King’s Men in Oxford a man named William had an affair with a married woman, namely Jane or Jeanette Davenant (?-1622) whoContinue reading ““Pseudonymous”, A Biography of William Shakspere, Part Two”
“The Way of the Warrior”
Personal Enlightenment: “Enlightenment is real, and each one of us, whoever we are, can in the right circumstances and with the right training realise the nature of mind and so know in us what is deathless and eternally real. This is the promise of all mystical traditions in the world, and it is being fulfilledContinue reading ““The Way of the Warrior”“
“All Is True” a Biography of William Shakspere, Part One
In his book “Shakespeare And His World”, (published in 1970 by Thames & Hudson) the renowned Shakespearean scholar, F.E. Halliday attempts to denounce the statement or view of other academics of the time that very little was then known about the playwright William Shakespeare. On the fly-leaf he writes: “The object of this book,” asContinue reading ““All Is True” a Biography of William Shakspere, Part One”
The Month of October
And Crispin Crispian shall ne’er go by,From this day to the ending of the world,But we in it shall be remember’d;We few, we happy few, we band of brothers;For he to-day that sheds his blood with meShall be my brother; be he ne’er so vile,This day shall gentle his condition:And gentlemen in England now a-bedShallContinue reading “The Month of October“
The “Shadowy Figure” of Shakespeare
Alongside the engraving of a portrait by the Dutch artist Martin Droueshut supposed by orthodox scholars and academics to be a true likeness of William Shakespeare is Ben Jonson’s poetic remarks which metaphorically cast some doubt on its authenticity: To the Reader,This figure, that thou here see’st putIt was for Gentle Shakespeare cutWherein the graverContinue reading “The “Shadowy Figure” of Shakespeare“
Qudos Academy 