ROYALTY OF NATURE
Beryl Pogson

Royalty of Nature is a commentary on the inner meaning of Shakespeare's presentation of History in the nine plays that are the subject of these essays.

From the Introduction:

"... Consider now the Kings in their individual lives. A king is after all but a man and can only play his part to the limit of his being. But he plays it in public, as it were. And therefore he may be said to be enacting a man confronting all the trials and temptations that beset him at a certain stage of development. He is thus an example for good or evil, showing his people what to imitate, what to avoid.

The Crown of gold is the symbol of the highest level known to humanity. It represents Heaven, or the Divine Ruler in the Soul of Man. Richard III coveted it and loved it, but Henry V of all the kings showed the greatest reverence towards the crown and when he wore it at Agincourt he had some inkling probably of its powers of protection. He was not trusting in himself as a man, but only as a King.

When Richard II gave away his Crown he had forgotten the implications of such an act. A King is given a difficult part to play and cannot attempt to play it without all the help of which the Regalia are symbols. The sceptre is the magic wand, giving him power over the element of Air, of the Mind, the Holy Oil protects him, the Orb surmounted by the Cross reminds him that he has to sacrifice himself to his land. Ordinary people in contemplating the grandeur of royalty are given some idea of the highest that may be attained by Man. ..."

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