Shakespeare and Scripture

Just thinking out loud and wondering ...

It is well known that Shakespeare used many citations and allusions to Scripture. Leland Ryken once wrote, "A conservative tally of the total number of [Shakespearean] biblical references is 1200, a figure that I think could be doubled."

I am unable to find a reliable and comprehensive listing anywhere - several books discuss the topic academically and some that give partial lists such as this.

I wish there were Is there a way Logos could scan the Shakespearean corpus and find/list them all? Fuzzy Search isn't set up to do that sort of thing. The Concordance tool wouldn't be much help, either. Furthermore, I don't think a plagiarism checker program would reliably yield the desired results.

But maybe I am wrong. If so, how would one do it? If not, maybe a crowd-sourced project would be the solution?

Thoughts?

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MJ. Smith

I'd start at Jeffrey, David L. A Dictionary of Biblical Tradition in English Literature. Grand Rapids, MI: W.B. Eerdmans, 1992 especially the bibliography. OR try Biblical References in Shakespeare's Plays. By Naseeb Shaheen. Newark: University of Delaware Press; London: Associated University Presses, 1999.

Robert M. Warren

JRS:

The good news is it looks like there's a Kindle book that does what you want.

The bad news is they're very proud of it: 125 bucks.

https://smile.amazon.com/Biblical-References-Shakespeares-Naseeb-Shaheen-ebook/dp/B00DPSRQ2O/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1478570169&sr=1-1&keywords=Biblical+References+in+Shakespeare%27s+Plays.+By+Naseeb+Shaheen

You could get the free sample and experiment. I got the sample and converted it (see my signature).

Then if you have the burning desire and the c-note burning a hole in your pocket, you could convert the full book to .docx and compile as a PB. You could then pull a passage list from the PB and make a visual filter from it. You could also get more elaborate with the .docx and try milestone'ing the Bible citations. I'm not sure how you might index in some way the titles of the works, but that would be nice.

But, if you're like me, you'll look at all of this and say "nah"

(‾◡◝)

Thanks, MJ and Robert.

I have seen the prolific Dr. Shaheen referenced in several bibliographies but hadn't looked at the sample from the Kindle Edition (and you are correct, $125 is an oucher!). He certainly seems to be the best voice on the subject. If Wikipedia is correct, then, "Shaheen authored four books on the biblical allusions in Shakespeare's plays: tragedies (1987); histories (1989); comedies (1993); a selection of plays (Biblical References in Shakespeare's Plays, 1999)." IOW, the Kindle book you both referenced represents only "a selection of plays" at a hefty 880 pages, no less. The mere thought of purchasing all four books just melted my Visa card.

Since it appears that there is no reliable way to search Shakespeare's works electronically for even the most obvious and direct biblical citations, perhaps the thing to do is to simply make the collection of citations an hobby and pick them up when and where I find them. For example, Chas. Bullock published in 1879, Shakespeare's Debt to the Bible , in which he lists direct quotations from pages 36 through 52.

delete12066188

JRS

you could do a search and look what you find OR you also could get the Shekespear Collection for free in Logos Perseus (I gues) and find out by yourself.

Jan Krohn

The good news is it looks like there's a Kindle book that does what you want.

The bad news is they're very proud of it: 125 bucks.

From Amazon UK it only costs around $115 including overseas shipping.

Rosie Perera

I know this is an old thread, but I found some more:

The Bard and the Bible: A Shakespeare Devotional (available in Faithlife Ebook format)

And several others not available in Logos or Faithlife Ebook format, which I've requested. See this thread:

https://community.logos.com/forums/t/181772.aspx

(‾◡◝)

I know this is an old thread, but I found some more:

The Bard and the Bible: A Shakespeare Devotional (available in Faithlife Ebook format)

And several others not available in Logos or Faithlife Ebook format, which I've requested. See this thread:

https://community.logos.com/forums/t/181772.aspx

Thanx, Rosie, et al.

I must confess that I was totally surprised to find that I was the original poster of this thread - I honestly didn't remember writing it, at all! The memory gets shakier every year - my wife sends me to the store with a list of three items to get and by the time I get there I have forgotten all four of them. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

p.s. Just purchased The Bard and the Bible and Holy Shakespeare!

PetahChristian

In case anyone missed it, the (momentarily free for now) Logos homeschool starter library bundles 42 works by Shakespeare.

Rosie Perera

my wife sends me to the store with a list of three items to get and by the time I get there I have forgotten all four of them.

[:D]

Donald Antenen (Logos)

In case anyone missed it, the (momentarily free for now) Logos homeschool starter library bundles 42 works by Shakespeare.

This edition of Shakespeare is always free: https://www.logos.com/product/55503/folger-digital-texts-shakespeare-collection

I've been reading the comedies this year. What a delight.

Jan Krohn

It also works the other way around. There's a hidden reference to Shakespeare in Scripture.