Abstract
In this essay, I read William Shakespeare's Richard II with John Calvin's Institutes in order to explore the ambiguous relationship between divine and temporal power in the early modern period. Although Calvin's distinction between the person of the ruler and his office appears to ensure obedience, this logic enables his followers (and occasionally Calvin himself) to critique authority. Such dialectical tension similarly characterizes Richard II: while Northumberland gestures toward the Calvinist distinction to resist Richard, York invokes it when declaring allegiance to Bolingbroke. I argue that such allegiance, predicated as it is on God's inscrutability, paradoxically unsettles monarchy's claim to divine justification.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
