Jessica Name Meaning:
One who sees
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News broke… Someone tried to poison the Queen! This was in England during the 1500’s.
Queen Elizabeth I was the ruler and very influential. When news broke that her physician tried to kill her – there was public uproar. The heritage and cultural background of the physician was attacked. It was a time plagued with intolerance.
During this time, William Shakespeare was making his mark and most likely inspired by the mayhem. He was around 30 years old, working on an upcoming play, The Merchant of Venice. It was a product of its time – filled with generalizations and cultural scoffing.
But let’s look at the brilliance of Shakespeare.
When he needed a name for one of his characters, Shakespeare likely went to one he saw in the Bible. In early editions (1549-1551) the name Iscah was translated to Jesca in English. It is believed, Shakespeare modernized the name… turning Jesca into Jessica.
Its origin references one who sees – and is watchful.
In Shakespeare’s play,
Jessica sees…
Love as a saving grace… Not confined by cultural lines.
Looking beyond the partialities of the time,
…Jessica is the antagonist.
Representing change.
