Shakespeare and chess address the many clues that William Shakespeare was player of chess. In his play The Taming of the Shrew, Shakespeare's character Katharine asks:
| “ | I pray you sir, is it your will,
To make a stale of me amongst these mates?[1] |
” |
Queen Eleanor declares in King John, Act 2, scene 1:
| “ | That thou mayst be a queen and check the world.[2] | ” |
In one of Shakespeare's last 4 plays chronologically, The Tempest (1611), he has a scene (Act V, scene 1) of two people playing chess:
Prospero says, "In this last tempest. I perceive these lordsAt this encounter do so much admire
[Here PROSPERO discovers FERDINAND and MIRANDA playing at chess]
That they devour their reason and scarce think
Their eyes do offices of truth, their words
Are natural breath: but, howsoe'er you have
Been justled from your senses, know for certain
That I am Prospero and that very duke
Which was thrust forth of Milan, who most strangely
Upon this shore, where you were wreck'd, was landed,
To be the lord on't. No more yet of this;
For 'tis a chronicle of day by day,
Not a relation for a breakfast nor
Befitting this first meeting. Welcome, sir;
This cell's my court: here have I few attendants
And subjects none abroad: pray you, look in.
My dukedom since you have given me again,
I will requite you with as good a thing;
At least bring forth a wonder, to content ye
As much as me my dukedom."
References
- ↑ https://www.chesshistory.com/winter/extra/shakespeare.html
- ↑ https://shakespeare.folger.edu/shakespeares-works/king-john/act-2-scene-1/#:~:text=That%20thou%20mayst%20be%20a%20queen%20and%20check%20the%20world.&text=As%20rain%20to%20water%20or%20devil%20to%20his%20dam.&text=His%20father%20never%20was%20so,if%20thou%20wert%20his%20mother.