The Quest for Shakespeare

A brief look at the documentary and biographical evidence for Shakespeare's Catholicism, Including evidence of his Catholic upbringing.

Examining Shylock as chooses whether to show mercy to his debtor or not and whether he should forgive and love his enemy.

Examining sanity and sanctity of King Lear with a discussion that parallels the predicament of England's Catholics at the time.

Examining sanity and sanctity of King Lear with a discussion that parallels the predicament of England's Catholics at the time.

Host Joseph Pearce discusses Hamlet's relationship with Ophelia, and examines the parallels between espionage in the play and the real life spy network by which England's Catholics were besieged.

True identity of the ghost, along with his Catholicism reveals he is a soul in purgatory, destined for heaven; Discussing Ophelia's relationship with Hamlet; asking whether she is innocent or if she shares blame for her fate.

Discussing Bassanio's speech and it's Catholic implications; Chesterton's distinction between Shakespeare's objectivity and Milton's subjectivism; literary implications of the Trinity.

Examining issues of choices and consequences from choices made, including negative consequences from Prince of Aragon's worldliness and choices.

Themes of freedom and choice are seen as moral backbones among Shakespeare's dramas, including tensions between genuine free will and Calvinistic notions of predestination.

The Merchant of Venice offers an introduction to Shakespeare's Catholicism.

A brief look at the documentary and biographical evidence for Shakespeare's Catholicism, Including evidence of his Catholic upbringing.

Host Joseph Pearce examines Shakespeare's Catholic motives in Hamlet. Topics include debunking negative criticisms of the play; Hamlet and his likeness to the Earl of Essex; the Ghost of Hamlet's father as a soul in purgatory.

The Merchant of Venice offers an introduction to Shakespeare's Catholicism.

Themes of freedom and choice are seen as moral backbones among Shakespeare's dramas, including tensions between genuine free will and Calvinistic notions of predestination.

Examining issues of choices and consequences of choices made, including negative consequences of Prince of Aragon's worldliness and choices.

Discussing Bassanio's speech and its Catholic implications; Chesterton's distinction between Shakespeare's objectivity and Milton's subjectivism; literary implications of the Trinity.

Examining Shylock as chooses whether to show mercy to his debtor or not and whether he should forgive and love his enemy.

Host Joseph Pearce examines Shakespeare's Catholic motives in Hamlet. Topics include debunking negative criticisms of the play; Hamlet and his likeness to the Earl of Essex; the Ghost of Hamlet's father as a soul in purgatory.

True identity of the ghost, along with his Catholicism reveals he is a soul in purgatory, destined for heaven; Discussing Ophelia's relationship with Hamlet; asking whether she is innocent or if she shares blame for her fate.