The images and text of this 1640 collection of sermons by a preacher named Isaac Ambrose reveal the influences of Christianity on the beliefs of the English in the early- to mid-1600's. Some of the questions explored in this work are, "What is a man?" and "What is a life?"--RR
Ambrose, Isaac, 1604-1664. Prima & ultima = the first & last thinges or Regeneration and meditation sermo[n]s in two treatises, preached by Isaac Ambrose, one of his Maties: preachers, appointed for the countye of Lancaster., London : Printed by Iohn Okes, for Samuel Broun, and are to be sould at his shope, at the white Lion and Ball, in Pauls Church yard, 1640
STC 549.5
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pp. 97-99
Teacher Ideas
Rebecca Rufo / East Side Middle School, New York, NY / Language Arts
I have students view the image and poem "Life's Lease" and compare it to Hamlet's "To be or not to be" speech. We discuss the influence of Christian beliefs on Hamlet's struggle with his identity and compare the biblical imagery from the primary source with that used in Hamlet.
Leigh Lemons / Marblehead High School, Marblehead, MA / English
When my students are reading Macbeth I have them do a close textual reading of Macbeth's soliloquy "Tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow" and compare it with the ways that life is described in "Life's Lease". What do the differences say about Macbeth's view of the world?
Anne Marie Kelly Harbaugh / East Side Catholic High School, Bellevue, WA / English
I use this with Othello and Hamlet. I ask students to choose any character that dies in a tragedy (Desdemona, Ophelia, Hamlet, etc.); then, students study the picture and decide what the "lease" would say for each character. Then students use textual information to determine each character's epitaph. For instance, for Othello: "I loved not wisely, but too well." (from 5.2.404)
