Shakespeare’s Political Philosophy And Tragic Love

As a great poet and the most excellent playwright, Shakespeare has enjoyed enduring international fame, and his works, especially plays, continually attract literary critics around the world over the hundreds of years with its rich and vibrant expression, rounded and interesting content, and profound thoughts. Hereinto, Shakespeare’s meditation on human nature and keen political insight attract extensive attentions of his political philosophy.With The Merchant of Venice, Othello and Antony and Cleopatra as the focus of analysis, this paper explores Shakespeare’s political philosophy in religion, racial identity and political power, and figures out the relationship between his political philosophy and his characters’love tragedies. In The Merchant of Venice, Shakespeare shows his deep insight into the irreconcilable conflict between Christians and Jews. Jessica and Loronzo’s love appears to have a happy ending but is actually a recessive tragedy, which embodies Shakespeare’s attitude about religious tolerance. In Othello, the hero lives under the environment of racial prejudice. Behind the superficial jealousy lies the wound of torn hybrid racial identity. The core of the tragedy of interracial love is Shakespeare’s reflection on growing racial prejudice. In Antony and Cleopatra, the hero and heroine swings between love and political power. The indulgence into love eventually results in the lost of political power, which not only snatches away their lives but also leads to the destruction of the ancient Egypt. The tragedy is not only touching but reflects Shakespeare’s views about political struggle and sovereign. Through the above analysis, it comes to the conclusions:Shakespeare has certain sympathy for Jews but he holds a pessimistic view of religious tolerance; to some extent, he breaks away from the mindset of religious prejudice but still disapproves of interracial marriage; in his view, in politics capacity is more important than virtue and a qualified sovereign must be able to resist the temptation of love and remain sober-minded.