‘Timon of Athens’

Summary

As is well known, there are certain major themes which Shakespeare handles again and again throughout his plays, ideas which form the framework of his thinking as it continually develops. One such concept is, of course, that of order: the elaborate consideration of social order in the history plays leads to an investigation of emotional and moral order, in Measure for Measure for instance, in Lear, and finally, with a different emphasis, in the last romances. I find another recurrent theme in the consideration of human pride, and the difficulty of distinguishing proper pride, which is essential to human dignity and which keeps a firm hold on certain fundamental values, from presumptuous, fiercely egotistical pride, which is a denial of human contact. This duality is particularly apparent in Shylock; lago strikes a different balance. Othello is destroyed by positive pride, and so in his death positive values are more important than the wastage of life; Macbeth, in his negative pride, destroys himself and rejects humanity. Cordelia properly asserts human dignity, and so can serve as the instrument to winnow what is destructive from what is constructive in Lear’s pride. Timon of Athens, Coriolanus, Measure for Measure and All’s Well That Ends Well investigate more specifically the distinction, often a fine one, between negative and positive pride: in doing so they move towards the resolution of the human dilemma which Shakespeare offers as an alternative to tragedy in the final romances. Of these plays, Timon of Athens analyses pride most objectively, and offers least resolution of the issues raised.