Early Modern Thought in Shakespeare's Comedies

Early Modern Thought In Shakespeare’s Comedies

Shakespeare’s comedies, spanning the turn of the 16th century, were greatly influenced by the newly rising ideals that would mark the transition from medieval times into the early modern period. Though his works blur the line between these two eras’ respective zeitgeists, the movement toward reborn classical beliefs is clear upon comparing the central motifs to other early modern figures who embody their period. This text will outline how the central motifs— the humanist themes, the satirical structure, and exploration of gender — are representative of the incipient cultural European rebirth, as opposed to the preceding medieval beliefs.

The first mark of the early modern era was the development of humanist thought, distancing itself from the theocentric structure of medieval social hierarchies, which rigidly adhered to the belief of the divine right and wretchedness of man. This can be exemplified in Pope Innocent III’s book On the Misery of the Human Condition: “[Man] was conceived from the itch of the flesh, in the heat of passion and the stench of lust, and worse yet, with the stain of sin. He was born to toil, dread, and trouble; and more wretched still, was born only to die” (Bergbusch 1). The common man, in this perspective, was viewed as a wretched and inherently forlorn being, doomed by the limitations of his nature and fate. In contrast, Shakespeare’s comedies comprise an expansive exploration of man in a variety of social roles, from servant to noble, with no set restrictions on the individuals’ agency. The creation of certain unexpected archetypes, such as the wise fool, arises from this free exploration of man as the center of the narrative. For instance, in As You Like It, Touchstone, the protagonist’s jester companion, challenges the established hierarchy and social conventions by utilizing shrewd intellect to the end of exhibiting the foolishness of those that are expected to be wiser than him, as few characters can match his sharp wit. Such a conversation can be noted between him, Celia, and Rosalind in Act 1 scene 2, wherein he criticizes a knight’s lack of honor through an elaborate dialogue, ultimately proclaiming the following: “By my knavery (if I had it), then I were. But if you swear by that that is not, you are not forsworn. No more was this knight swearing by his honor, for he never had any, or if he had, he had sworn it away before ever he saw those pancakes or that mustard” (Shakespeare 1.2.79). The clever subversion of the social order is intrinsically anti-medieval, as it dismisses the forlorn nature of man that the worldview presupposes.

The second notable element of Shakespeare’s comedies which reflect early modern life, is the implicitly satirical tone he utilizes in approaching the courtly conventions present in the expositions and resolutions of his plays, as opposed to his positive inclination toward the natural chaos occurring in the thick of his plays, outside of the confines of social norms. Such a propensity to chaos and the re-definition of man’s limits is characteristic of post-medieval times, as represented in Pico Della Mirandola’s Oration on the Dignity of Man: “But upon man, at the moment of his creation, God bestowed seeds pregnant with all possibilities, the germs of every form of life” (Bergbusch 1). An example of the absurd portrayal of courtly life can be examined in Twelfth Night’s own victimized servant Malvolio, as the other characters, through charades and clever bouts of deception, lead him to make a fool of himself by acting in a manner perceived as mad or ridiculous. Maria summarizes his folly when she tells Sir Toby the following: “Yond gull Malvolio is turned heathen, a very renegado; for there is no Christian that means to be saved by believing rightly can ever believe such impossible passages of grossness. He’s in yellow stockings” (Shakespeare 3.2.67-71). She is comparing his misplaced faith in Olivia’s favors to a Christian’s faith in Christ, and implying that the passage he believes is so grossly absurd that he would not see the pearly gates were he to follow such scripture in his religious beliefs. His actions, so uncharacteristic of the harsh and joy-denying servant we had previously observed, serve to emphasize the subversion of courtly expectations and discard the importance of such convention in favor of the endless possibility for man’s existence.

Finally, the third central theme in Shakespeare’s comedies which aligns with the early modern period, following in the belief of limitless possibilities for man to explore, is the nuanced study of gender and sexuality. In both As You Like It and Twelfth Night, the protagonists are women posing as men, successfully deceiving the other characters and blurring the distinct roles and dynamics attributed to interpersonal relations by medieval social convention. In both of these comedies, it is Rosalind and Viola who are shown to be witty, direct, and emotionally restrained, able to navigate these contrived conflicts masterfully. This is most obvious when one contrasts Viola’s reaction to Andrew Aguecheek’s challenge with Sebastian’s: where Viola tries to resolve the conflict by inquiring of its initial reason, Sebastian immediately resorts to physicality and attacks the unknown assailant with his dagger, exclaiming: “Why, there’s for thee, and there, and there.—Are all the people mad?” (Shakespeare 4.1.26-27). Compare this to Viola’s own response to Andrew’s hostility: “You mistake, sir. I am sure no man hath any quarrel to me. My remembrance is very free and clear from any image of offense done to any man” (Shakespeare 3.4.235-237). Additionally, the relations between individuals of the same gender are often skewed, either by disguise or to some other end. For instance, in As You Like It, Phoebe the shepherdess falls in love with Rosalind at first sight, as she believes him to be a man, eventually professing her love to the disguised woman: “Sweet youth, I pray you chide a year together. I had rather hear you chide than this man woo” (Shakespeare 3.5.69-70). A similar incident occurs in Twelfth Night, when Olivia, a noble woman whom Count Orsino sends Viola (disguised as a man) to court in his stead, falls in love with the one she believes to be a servant, Cesario, but is really Viola, a woman clad in men’s clothes, confessing her love despite Cesario’s apparent disinterest (Shakespeare 3.1.109-128). This literary manipulation of gender and sexuality through confusion and transgression of norm aligns with the openness with which early modern audiences viewed the exploration of man and his social roles, rather than the rigidity of medieval rule.

In conclusion, Shakespeare’s comedies As You Like It and Twelfth Night mark the movement of English theater from medieval ideals to early modern perspectives, through masterful subversions of the fundamentals of the former. Shakespeare's exploration of humanism, satirical approach to courtly convention, and study of gender and sexuality amalgamate in a portfolio of comedies that is very distinct from its preceding medieval counterparts.
Works Cited


Bergbusch, Matt. “Pope Innocent vs. Pico”.

Shakespeare, William. “As You Like It”. Mowat, Barbara and Werstine, Paul. eds. Folger
Shakespeare Library.


Shakespeare, William. “Twelfth Night or What You Will”. Mowat, Barbara and Werstine, Paul. eds.
Folger Shakespeare Library.