Twelfth Night and the Economics of Christian Charity

Abstract

ABSTRACT Beginning in 1587, all theatrical companies were required to make weekly donations to local poor in exchange for permission to perform in London’s suburbs. While robust networks of charity were probably more vital than ever to the social welfare of London and its citizens, the Reformation had disrupted previous forms of benevolence, giving way for new opportunities and new religious justifications for these practices. Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night (c. 1601) reflects and underscores both the economic and religious prerogatives of charity for its audiences. Staged as part of the year’s Christmastide revels, the play takes part in seasonal religious practices and gift-giving and emphasizes the need for individuals to live in comity with one another. Its message auspiciously coincided with its namesake. The feast of Epiphany, or Twelfth Day, commemorates the revelation of Christ to the gentiles , and sermons throughout this season typically exposited the value of charity.