Episode 29 - Shakespeare and the Law

"Let's kill all the lawyers" is one of the most famous lines from Shakespeare, but what did the bard really think about the legal system? And more importantly, how is it presented in his plays?

This episode is all about examining that angle of Shakespeare's work, looking at how different plays and characters interact with, talk about, and interpret the law. We also discuss the questions of morality inherent in any discussion of justice, as well as provide a bit of background and information on the multiple different court systems in existence in Shakespeare's time.

Ancient Bickerings:

This episode the question was a simple one: "In Shakespeare, is the law a source of good?" Despite the simplicity of the question, the answer was anything but, as Lindsay grappled with the full nuance of how the law is presented in Shakespeare's plays.

Notes:

Aidan called "New Place" the "New House" in his intro, because he's a dingus. He regrets the error. 

Shakespeare and the Legal Process: Four Essays by J.D.E helped inform Aidan's background on the topic and how it interacted with four plays in particular. It also produced the fabulous line about King Lear's trial scene that Aidan quotes.

Shakespeare and the English Equity Jurisdiction: The Merchant of Venice and the Two Texts of King Lear by B.J. Sokol and Mary Sokol. 

Crimes and Accountability in Shakespeare by Theodor Meron.

Shakespeare and the Law by Gavin Mackenzie, includes a passage that Lindsay quotes and helped provide some structure to our conversation.

Counsel Magazine: Shakespeare and the legal world by Quentin Skinner, includes the quotation from Shakespeare's own testimony, which is the only written record of Shakespeare's non-fictional words.