The second piece I have to offer here was written to a prompt which fairly teems with possibilities. The session in which it was written took place on the 5th of November, and hence the idea was to write an alternative history of what might have happened had the Gunpowder Plot succeeded. Now, around the time of the plot, Shakespeare was at the peak of his powers. He was also, from what we can tell, someone who was acutely aware of the opportunities available to someone who catered to royalty; he certainly went out of his way to please James I. So how might he deal with the upheaval of a sudden, violent succession, and the installation of a new Catholic order? Well, perhaps by delving into his back catalogue.
[A letter to Robert Catesby, Lord Protector and regent
to Queen Elizabeth II, thought to date from circa 1607.]
Sir,
I am a playwright of some small repute, and have been
fortunate enough in my career to meet with the favour of many prominent
patrons. At present, it is the wish of myself and my fellows in my company,
known hitherto as the Lord Chamberlain’s Men, to present a series of plays
which, it is our earnest hope, will delight, entertain and, if I may be so
bold, instruct Her Majesty the Queen.
The first of these which we intend to present is the
true account of one of Her Majesty’s royal predecessors, Richard II, and his
ignominious end. Our play will show how Richard, brutal tyrant that he was and
hated by his lords and people, was justly overthrown and killed, and how his
killers were rewarded and celebrated for their just and selfless actions. I
have recently rewritten portions of this play, and hope that it will meet with
the court’s approval.
Following on from this, we will present the successor,
if’t please you, to this play – namely, the history of Henry IV. This play, in
two parts, which I have also recently rewritten tells of how Richard’s
successor enjoyed a happy and bountiful reign, for God Almighty smiled on the
brutal despot’s dethroning. It is my hope that Her Majesty will find much of
instruction in this play in particular.
After this, with
my lord’s permission, we will present a more recent play of mine, namely the
tragedy of Hamlet, the prince of Denmark. In contrast to Henry, Hamlet’s
failure to enact justice leads to death and destruction, owing at root to his
privileging of his own thoughts and fears over the will of God Almighty.
Finally, I beg permission to put before the court and
Her Majesty a new play of mine, on which the ink has hardly dried. This is the
tragedy of Macbeth, a play dealing with some of Her Majesty’s Scottish
ancestors, and the overthrowing of a bloody tyrant. Indeed, I am sure Her
Majesty will be pleased to find that she herself makes an appearance of sorts
in this play, when cruel Macbeth sees in a vision the glorious issue of his
enemy Banquo, a line stretching out to eternity in which Macbeth glimpses a
beautiful young queen who wears two illustrious crowns.
If these meagre offerings should please Her Majesty, we
have many other plays, penned by myself and others, to offer. Indeed, if I may
be so bold, we would be honoured to name ourselves the Queen’s Men, and devote
our art and entertainment entirely to Her Majesty. I anxiously await your
reply,
Yours,
Will Shakspear.
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