Shakespeare Censorship Analysis

The " Golden Age" of the Elizabethan era has prolifically added impressive early modern English literature , but more significantly has displayed the authors ' powerful traditions of writing and their sensible contributions to create powerful political, social and religious discourses during that time. In fact, the monarchies have been highly attentive to the power of words and its tremendous effects on the ideology of the audience. Hence, they have created a system of censorship that can always grant protection for their voices and enforce their authority and political positions. In the light of the rise of print, censorship has emerged as an imperative need that responds to what surrounds and it has also become a wider institution …show more content…
Richard requests old John of Gaunt to help him resolve the quarrel but unfortunately fails; Shakespeare probably hints to that lack of wisdom and the in the insufficiency of Elizabethan realm. Shakespeare depicts the central anxiety of a public conflict that extremely threatens a country with a weak government. Richard II opens with a scene that clearly illustrates the point: Two landed gentry are locked in bitter argument over who is most loyal to the crown, and the only expected consequence would seem to be a physical battle to death. Only a decision based on formal ferocity decides the issue. Sadly enough, the best the king can do is allowing them to fight. In Scene 1 act 1, Richard tries to judge the clash between two peers of his jurisdiction ;then banishes both men unjustly , Mowbray" for life " and Bolingbroke for “twice five summers" (1.3.145).These scenes are implicit critique of the king 's poor sense of judgment and decision making. In addition, in act 1 scene 1, the king asserts the freedom of speech for each of the opponents as Richard states, "ourselves will hear the accuser and the accused freely speak"(1.1.L.5) Freedom of speech seems possible. Shakespeare II indicates to a hidden shift from a world which consents to unlimited royal power to a one that accepts the voice of the other subjects; this shift however, is impossible to happen in Elizabeth 's real world. "Elizabeth own conception of the role of the Parliament had never …show more content…
Elizabeth 's succession has been a burning topic at the time and this theme becomes a prevalent and a sensitive issue for the monarch. In "The Parliament Scene" in Shakespeare 's King Richard II, Jean-Christophe Mayer states that "None of the editions printed during the reign of Elizabeth I (1558- 1603) contained the scene at the heart of Act 4, scene 1 (lines 155-318) in which King Richard is deposed by his own Parliament" (28) .Shakespeare highlights this political tension as well by using political