“The fair play of the world”: Games and Machiavellian Politics in Shakespeare’s King John
This paper aims at analysing the different metaphors and references drawn from games in Shakespeare’s King John. Far from being neutral, I argue that these images are underpinned by a deeply Machiavellian view of the world and politics. This is particularly perceptible in the extended bowling metaph...
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| Pubblicato in: | URI:https://journals.openedition.org/angles, |
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| Natura: | Article ou chapitre numérique |
| Lingua: | Anglais |
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Angles
2020
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| Accesso online: | Accès Université d'Orléans et IFPM Accès Université d'Orléans et IFPM |
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openedition-oai:revues.org:angles_2753 |
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openedition |
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openedition-oai:revues.org:angles_2753 https://doi.org/10.4000/angles.2753 urn:doi:10.4000/angles.2753 en https://journals.openedition.org/angles/2753 2020-11-11T01:00:00Z info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess article info:eu-repo/semantics/article urn:handle:20.500.13089/9n16 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ “The fair play of the world”: Games and Machiavellian Politics in Shakespeare’s King John Angles Société des Anglicistes de l'Enseignement Supérieur info:eu-repo/semantics/reference/issn/2274-2042 URI:https://journals.openedition.org/angles Fang, Louise Shakespeare William théâtre historique jeux théâtre élisabéthain jeu de boules Roi Jean (le) Machiavel Shakespeare William games history plays early modern theatre bowling King John Machiavelli This paper aims at analysing the different metaphors and references drawn from games in Shakespeare’s King John. Far from being neutral, I argue that these images are underpinned by a deeply Machiavellian view of the world and politics. This is particularly perceptible in the extended bowling metaphor used by one of the play’s protagonists, Philip Falconbridge, nicknamed the Bastard, in a soliloquy which leads him to adopt a pragmatic and opportunistic course of action which he will apply throughout the play. This also leads him, and the other characters as well, to resort to acts that are characterised as “foul play” in order to secure victory. Ultimately, ludic references throughout the play give rise to a reflection on the respective roles of chance, or providence, and human agency in shaping history. Although some games, like dice, were often used to suggest a providentialist view of history, the ones we find in King John are “mixed games” in which luck and human agency constantly interact. In that perspective as well, the play seems to echo a Machiavellian outlook on history as expressed in the last chapters of The Prince. Cet article vise à analyser les différentes métaphores et références tirées des jeux dans King John de Shakespeare. Loin d'être neutres, ces images ludiques sont sous-tendues par une vision profondément machiavélienne du monde et de la politique. Cela est particulièrement perceptible dans la métaphore filée du jeu de boules telle qu’elle est employée par l'un des protagonistes de la pièce, Philip Falconbridge, surnommé le Bâtard, au cours d’un soliloque qu’il conclut en adoptant une ligne de conduite pragmatique et opportuniste qui le guidera tout au long de la pièce. Cela l'amène également, ainsi que les autres personnages de la pièce, à recourir à des actes qualifiés de « foul play » afin de s’assurer la victoire. En fin de compte, les références ludiques tout au long de la pièce donnent lieu à une réflexion sur les rôles respectifs du hasard, ou de la providence, et de l’action humaine dans le déroulement de l'histoire. Bien que certains jeux, comme les dés, aient souvent été utilisés pour suggérer une vision providentialiste de l’histoire, ceux que nous trouvons dans King John sont des « jeux mixtes » dans lesquels la chance et l'action humaine interagissent constamment. Dans cette perspective également, le jeu semble faire écho à une vision machiavélienne de l’histoire que l’on trouve dans les derniers chapitres du Prince. |
| collection |
OpenEdition Journal |
| language |
Anglais |
| format |
Article ou chapitre numérique |
| building |
0/Bibliothèque numérique/ 1/Bibliothèque numérique/OpenEdition Journals/ |
| topic |
Shakespeare William théâtre historique jeux théâtre élisabéthain jeu de boules Roi Jean (le) Machiavel Shakespeare William games history plays early modern theatre bowling King John Machiavelli |
| spellingShingle |
Shakespeare William théâtre historique jeux théâtre élisabéthain jeu de boules Roi Jean (le) Machiavel Shakespeare William games history plays early modern theatre bowling King John Machiavelli Fang, Louise “The fair play of the world”: Games and Machiavellian Politics in Shakespeare’s King John |
| description |
This paper aims at analysing the different metaphors and references drawn from games in Shakespeare’s King John. Far from being neutral, I argue that these images are underpinned by a deeply Machiavellian view of the world and politics. This is particularly perceptible in the extended bowling metaphor used by one of the play’s protagonists, Philip Falconbridge, nicknamed the Bastard, in a soliloquy which leads him to adopt a pragmatic and opportunistic course of action which he will apply throughout the play. This also leads him, and the other characters as well, to resort to acts that are characterised as “foul play” in order to secure victory. Ultimately, ludic references throughout the play give rise to a reflection on the respective roles of chance, or providence, and human agency in shaping history. Although some games, like dice, were often used to suggest a providentialist view of history, the ones we find in King John are “mixed games” in which luck and human agency constantly interact. In that perspective as well, the play seems to echo a Machiavellian outlook on history as expressed in the last chapters of The Prince. |
| author |
Fang, Louise |
| author_facet |
Fang, Louise |
| author_sort |
Fang, Louise |
| title |
“The fair play of the world”: Games and Machiavellian Politics in Shakespeare’s King John |
| title_short |
“The fair play of the world”: Games and Machiavellian Politics in Shakespeare’s King John |
| title_full |
“The fair play of the world”: Games and Machiavellian Politics in Shakespeare’s King John |
| title_fullStr |
“The fair play of the world”: Games and Machiavellian Politics in Shakespeare’s King John |
| title_full_unstemmed |
“The fair play of the world”: Games and Machiavellian Politics in Shakespeare’s King John |
| title_sort |
“the fair play of the world”: games and machiavellian politics in shakespeare’s king john |
| publisher |
Angles |
| publishDate |
2020 |
| container_title |
URI:https://journals.openedition.org/angles |
| url |
https://ezproxy.univ-orleans.fr/login?url=https://doi.org/10.4000/angles.2753 https://ezproxy.univ-orleans.fr/login?url=https://journals.openedition.org/angles/2753 |
| _version_ |
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