Christian Themes in Literature: Medieval texts vs Renaissance Texts
In Twelfth Night, upon a gentleman’s arrival at the gate, Sir Toby declares, “Let him be the devil an he will, I care not. Give me faith, say I.” (Shakespeare 1.5.125-126) In other words, leave him alone; release him of any expectations. Leave him free to be what he wants. What manner of person he is, what station in life he has, his rank or class do not matter; they are of little consequence. He could be the devil, Satan himself if he wanted to be, and it would not matter. Ironically, the person at the gate is neither a gentleman nor the devil but a lady in disguise. Sir Toby pauses for effect, “I care not.” He is unconcerned and indifferent to the consequences. Though others may care, he does not. “Give me faith, say I” he declares. “Faith” is an allusion to Martin Luther’s Sola Fide thesis or salvation by faith alone (not by works.) As Sir Toby understands it, even if a person is absolutely evil, as long as he has faith, he can still be saved. In this Protestant view, all one needs for eternal salvation is to believe and trust in God. This is the nobleman’s excuse for his own behaviour.
Sir Toby announces the gentleman’s arrival punctuated by a belch and already drunk early in the day. This state of inebriety is constant throughout the whole play and he is unrepentant. Why should he repent? If salvation is gained by faith alone, then what good does it do to repent? If we are guaranteed eternal salvation by belief in God alone, then religion can be tucked into a nice corner and not thought of much at all as it has no real relevance in this life, only in the next. Sir Toby’s lack of concern over his own actions extends to his frequent companion and fellow drinker, Sir Andrew as well as to his cousin’s servant Malvolio. He constantly makes fun of the first and uses him for his money, “some two thousand strong” (3.2.54) while also participating in a nasty prank on the latter.
Although belief is very necessary for salvation, the Bible seems to be of the opinion that works are also crucial. St James writes, “show me your faith without the works, and I will show you my faith by my works” (James 2:18) One could argue that by rejecting certain dogmas, Protestantism is partly responsible for the dilution of faith and its removal from a place of prominence in British literature. Certainly, King Henry VIII’s split from Rome opened the doors to personal interpretation and making up one’s own rules.
In the 8th century Bede “the Venerable” writes of a monastery wherein the Abbess Hild had established “a strict observance of justice, piety, chastity and other virtues” (52) in accord with St. James’ exhortation to show faith by deeds because “the demons also believe, and shudder” (James 2:21) Earlier in the same text, Bede writes of the Britons who, with an “increase in luxury” begin to indulge in “every sort of crime” (45) which results in their decimation and the Saxons’ taking over Britain. Wulfstan repeats this in his Sermo Lupi ad Anglos in 1014. (4) He implies that there are “worse deeds among the English than we have ever heard of among the Britons” and warns them to avoid making the same mistake, because actions are not without consequence. A society weakened from within by the evil actions of their citizens will not withstand a threat from without.
Arguably, there are numerous post-Reformation, Protestant texts which place faith fore and centre, Milton’s Paradise Lost, for one. Puritans in general put great focus on avoiding sin. Milton brings up the fact that rebelling against God often ends in unexpected and unpleasant consequences. Satan, surprised at having lost against God exclaims “Is this […] the seat / That we must change for Heav’n?” (1.242-243 1021) Clearly, post-Reformation Protestants do think that actions matter. Perhaps Shakespeare himself is using the character of Sir Toby to subtly point this out. Protestant theology cannot be held entirely responsible for the diminution of faith in texts as there are other factors including corruption in the Catholic Church and a cultural shift from a comitatus society to a feudal society and eventually the growth of a bourgeois class as well as the introduction of humanist ideas.
The answer to questions of both personal interpretation on one hand and corruption on the other might be found with Abbess Hild’s monastery, in Bede’s Ecclesiastical History of the English People. “After the example of the primitive church, no one there was rich, and no one was poor, for all things were common to all, and none had any private property.” (Bede 52.) Abbess Hild takes the example of the Church in its earliest form, bases herself closely on its ideas, concepts and way of life. It would be a return to the source, the “primitive church”, the original community of Christian believers. “No one there was rich.” In other words, no one has more money than they could use, no one has a lavish lifestyle or an overabundance of belongings. No one is of higher stature than another; all are equal. “And no one was poor.” Essentially, no one is deprived of means of sustenance or shelter nor are they deprived of fraternity or acceptance. It also means that no one would be considered insignificant or inferior. “For all things were common to all.” This can be understood in two ways. First, everyday tools for life, food, shelter and knowledge would be shared. The community is a reciprocal society, based on comitatus, like in Beowulf. There is mutual dependence. Second, there would be a common goal, an accepted understanding, a shared faith, and prevalent values and morals. This implies much dialogue, debate and study, as well as some recognition of authority. Bede confirms that she “obliged them” to devote much time “to the study of the Holy Scriptures” and to “works of justice.” (52) Everyone participates in communal life, and “none [has] any private property.” This might not necessarily mean that no one is allowed to own anything at all, but if anyone owns something, it would be voluntarily put to the common good and use of the community.
Is it a coincidence that the further we get away from a comitatus society, the more corrupt it seems to get, to the point where even the Church itself is corrupt and people in it often seem to be there for ulterior motives? Perhaps this is why the Christian faith is so central in earlier texts, and even seen as something heroic, as a nobleman who “closely [binds] his spirit’s coffer” and “seeks mercy, consolation from the Father in heaven, where for us all stability stands.” (The Wanderer 13.114-115 66-68) or a king that is “peerless, blameless in everything.” (Beowulf 1885-1886) while in many later texts, the Church is often the focus of critique. The more society develops from tribes to kings of small kingdoms to kings of larger kingdoms and ultimately to kings who have power over a large country (absolutism) the more power and greed become real temptations. If the Church is not separated from the state, the same becomes true for the Church, people see in it a way to gain influence, power and riches, and genuine faith is pushed aside. There are no more heroes. “It is no wonder that misfortune should befall us, […] because men [do not] care what they [do] in word or deed.” (Wulfstan 4)
All of these texts are pertinent even today.
Christians may well ask themselves what place they give to their faith in their
lives. As Wulfstan seems to ask, where are the heroes? Contrary to Sir Toby’s
opinion, what we do matters. Before we head out to change the whole world, we might
take a hint from Abbess Hild and start by recreating elements of the original
community of believers in our own homes and neighbourhoods. After all, five men
from her monastery later become bishops, all of them “men of singular merit and
sanctity.” (Bede 52)
Works Cited:
Beowulf
William Shakespeare, Twelfth Night
St. James, Letter
Bede "the Venerable", Ecclesiastical History of the English People
Wulfstan, Sermo Lupi ad Anglos
Milton, Paradise Lost
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