The History of English Podcast Episode 172: Succession
Nov 20, 2023
Explore the succession conflict in France during the 1500s and its influence on Shakespeare's plays. Discover the linguistic changes in the pronunciation of words like 'succession' and the shift in consonant sounds. Delve into the comedic confusion and mistaken identity in 'The Comedy of Errors' and the mix-up of love letters in 'Succession'. Learn about the origins and context of 'Richard III' and its portrayal of succession.
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Root Of Success And Succession
- The Latin root ced/cess (to go or yield) underpins English words like succeed and succession.
- Success originally meant the act of following and later became restricted to fortunate outcomes.
Religion Fueled Succession Wars
- Late 1500s England and France faced disputed successions entangled with Protestant–Catholic conflict.
- Henry of Navarre's Protestant claim made the French succession a prolonged, international crisis.
Comedy Of Errors References France
- Shakespeare's Comedy of Errors likely references the French succession via a pun about France making war against her "heir/air."
- The play's meter and topical jokes date it to the early 1590s plague years.