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mathematics, computational astronomy, and optics. Their surviving publications indicate that they constructed an elementary form of a reflecting telescope and used it for astronomical observations. Thomas Harriot was an outstanding mathematician of whom little is known because he was reluctant to publish his work. It is known, however, that he made telescopic observations of the Moon prior to those of Galileo.
Shakespeare, a participant in this new wave of intellectual curiosity, would have known of the major philosophical debates of this time and would have been influenced by some of those who addressed them. Among the foremost of these issues were the differences between heliocentric and geocentric model Universes and between the application of empiricism vs. pedantic repetition of Aristotelian ideas.
Shakespeare's plays were directed to two groups: patrons in the yard and patrons in the gallery. The patrons in the yard were, for the most part, poorly educated or illiterate, and allegories and metaphors related to contemporary philosophical questions would be lost on them. Patrons in the gallery, however, included the educated aristocracy, many of whom had traveled widely and had probably been involved in serious discussions of contemporary issues and new philosophies. It is not improbable that Shakespeare would address the prevalent awareness of these ideas and weave them into new metaphors and allegories in order to enrich his scripts. The patrons in the yard would be entertained by the drama, comedy, history and pathos, whereas those in the gallery would also have food for thought and discussion. There was something for everyone in Shakespeare's plays.
Peter Usher is an emeritus professor and researcher in astronomy and an avid long-time reader and investigator of Shakespeare's plays. He combines rigorous scholarly research and methods of scientific investigation to present a refreshing approach to interpreting Shakespeare's work. He asks provocative questions and offers perceptive observations of metaphorical and allegorical references in the plays.
Why is it, for example, that the would-be assassins of Hamlet are named after two of Tycho Brahe's ancestors, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern? Why does Hamlet state, “I am but mad north-north-west?