Destruction And Disorder: A Platonic Interpretation Of State Order In Shakespeare's Henry ?

Platonism exerts an influence on Britain in the Renaissance,which should not be ignored,and provides a forceful and intellectual support for the cosmological order that seeks harmony,order and connection.As a mirror of life,Shakespeare's works indicate the rich meaning of Platonism,and his history plays are such an example with an emphasis on the order,.Therefore,based on Platonism,this thesis explores the state order in Henry?.According to Plato's philosophy,the state consists of craftspeople,auxiliaries and a ruler,which corresponds to the three parts of soul: appetite,spirit and reason.Each part of soul performs its function and accordingly achieves the virtue of temperance,courage and wisdom,then only on that condition can it be called a just soul,which also applies to the state.As a result,this thesis is mainly made up of three parts.The first part expounds the deprivation of temperance in craftspeople.Plato thinks temperance matters the first of state virtues.For craftspeople,temperance on the one hand,means following the order of guardians,at the same time it implies the appetite and high spirit is under the control of rational part.However,the craftspeople in Henry? do not indicate that virtue.The kingdom that Cade has built,is undoubtedly a undisciplined and hedonistic democracy,then transits into the despotism in which is enslaved by appetites and filled with brutality and dictatorship.While other workers are mostly profit-lovers who are craving for wealth and fame.They free themselves from reason and belong to egoists in the way of damaging others' benefits.The second part focuses on perversion of courage in auxiliaries.Plato considers courage is the special virtue for guardians who consist of a ruler and auxiliaries.Courage is about the knowledge of fear and the spirited part of soul listens to the guidance of reason.In Henry?,the virtue of courage in courtiers is not real but the distortion of courage.For the sake of primogeniture and kindred honour,York driven by anger,secretly plans to revenge and colludes with others for their personal interests,furthermore,he schemes to the revolt of Cade and provokes a civil war resulting in disturbance among the state.Obviously,the high spirit of York's soul has already turns to appetites which leads to his unreasonable action.The courtiers are lovers of honour,who disregard the state interests so as to keep their personal glory.As auxiliaries in the state,the duty of auxiliaries should protect against the foreign enemy,however,they perform their function without cooperation in parliament,instead seek their individual reputation and profit.The third part discusses the absence of wisdom in the ruler.Plato agrees that the ruler of a state ought to attain the virtue of wisdom.The ideal dominator of a just city-state is the philosopher king,who should obtain both political power and intelligent knowledge,and should be a lover of wisdom with four virtues: temperance,courage,wisdom and justice.Nevertheless,as a ruler,Henry VI does lack the virtue of wisdom.Firstly,it is embodied through his deficiency of knowledge,namely the virtue.Instead of manifesting that four virtues,Henry VI is indulged in carnal desire and absent from masculinity.Secondly,it is represented through the ineptitude in political power.The sovereign authority is defied by courtiers and commoners,and the shortage of governmental mind lies in military strategy and foreign warfare.Besides,his devotion to religion speaks louder than his defence of kingship,in a word,he is out of accord with the sovereign.In conclusion,the state order in Henry VI is reflected from three perspectives: craftspeople,auxiliaries and the ruler.The reason of chaos depends on internal disorder of men,which roots in the soul.On the condition of realizing the consequences that distinct souls bring about,it is possible to distinguish the feature of a good soul.The state order in Henry VI goes toward chaos step by step,however,it does not mean Shakespeare is pursing disorder,in contrast,based on the understanding of human soul and state order,Shakespeare is able to find out the nature of chaos.