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John Dee (1527-1608)

Rapt in Secret Studies: The Magic of John Dee and Prospero
​
By Kirk Elser


White-bearded wizards, flowing robe and staff in hand, have found their way into our fantasy lives with such literary and popular culture characters as Gandalf, Obi- Wan Kenobi, and Albus Dumbledore. But as endearing as they may be, these magicians are purely manifestations of the outstanding imaginations of their respective creators. There is, however, one celebrated literary conjuror for whom scholarship has long held out a traditional allowance as being based upon a real-life magical analogue. Shakespeare’s Prospero, the protagonist of the Bard’s last play The Tempest, may have been modeled upon 16th century mathematician, political advisor, astrologer, and occultist John Dee.

In the summer 1959 edition of the PRS Journal, Manly P. Hall tells us, “It has been claimed, probably with some justification, that the majestic figure of Prospero in ‘The Tempest’ was modeled, at least in part, from the personality of John Dee.”

This sentiment has been echoed by a host of scholars and writers, including Jason Louv, Lynn Picknett, Clive Prince, Philip Carr-Gomm, and Richard Heygate. The online Encyclopedia Britannica makes this bold assertion: “It is almost certain that William Shakespeare (1564–1616) modeled the character of Prospero in The Tempest (1611) on the career of John Dee, the Elizabethan magus.”
...


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  • HOME
  • ABOUT PRS
    • Manly P. Hall >
      • Manly Hall, A Personal Perspective
      • MPH Reading Group
    • PRS Board & Staff
    • Contributing Artists >
      • Arianne Ayu Alizio
      • Guadalupe Arellanes, PhD
      • Syd Buffman
      • Cecelia Condit
      • LD Deutsch
      • Paige Emery
      • Nailah Hunter
      • Marcella Kroll
      • Matt Marble
      • Brian Merriam
      • Lezley Saar
      • Radha Vishnubhotla
      • Senon Williams
    • Press
  • EVENTS
    • YesterdayLA
    • Visit
    • Accessibility
  • CLASSES
  • PRS ONLINE
    • Classes
    • On Demand
    • Videos >
      • Series
      • Subjects
    • Audio >
      • Seekers' Salon
  • EXHIBITIONS
    • Hansell Gallery
    • THE OUTER PLANETS
  • Library
  • Shop
    • Recent Publications
    • PRS Merch
    • Knapp-Hall Tarot
    • Books by Manly P. Hall >
      • The Secret Teachings
      • The Signature Editions
      • New Editions for Contemporary Seekers
      • Vintage Lecture Notes
      • MPH Essays
      • MPH Book SALE
      • Manly P. Hall Book Bundles
    • MPH Audio >
      • MPH Collection at BetterListen.com
    • MPH E-Books
    • Reprint Series curated by MPH
    • Online Gift Cards (not valid in store)
    • Symbolic Prints and Posters
    • Shipping Update
    • WHOLESALE
  • Rentals
  • BECOME A MEMBER!
  • Support
    • DONATE TODAY!
    • FUNDRAISER FOR PRS!