
The Heart and Stomach of a King
Elizabeth I and the Politics of Sex and Power
- 264 pages
- English
- ePUB (mobile friendly)
- Available on iOS & Android
About this book
In her famous speech to rouse the English troops staking out Tilbury at the mouth of the Thames during the Spanish Armada's campaign, Queen Elizabeth I is said to have proclaimed, "I may have the body of a weak and feeble woman, but I have the heart and stomach of a king." Whether or not the transcription is accurate, the persistent attribution of this provocative statement to England's most studied and celebrated queen illustrates some of the contradictions and cultural anxieties that dominated the collective consciousness of England during a reign that lasted from 1558 until 1603.In The Heart and Stomach of a King, Carole Levin explores the myriad ways the unmarried, childless Elizabeth represented herself and the ways members of her court, foreign ambassadors, and subjects represented and responded to her as a public figure. In particular, Levin interrogates the gender constructions, role expectations, and beliefs about sexuality that influenced her public persona and the way she was perceived as a female Protestant ruler. With a new introduction that situates the book within the emerging genre of cultural biography, the second edition of The Heart and Stomach of a King offers insight into the continued fascination with Elizabeth I and her reign.
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Information
Table of contents
- Cover
- Title Page
- Copyright
- Dedication
- Contents
- List of Illustrations
- Preface to the Second Edition
- 1. Introduction
- 2. Elizabeth as Sacred Monarch
- 3. The Official Courtships of the Queen
- 4. Wanton and Whore
- 5. The Return of the King
- 6. Elizabeth as King and Queen
- 7. Dreaming the Queen
- Notes
- Bibliography
- Index
- Acknowledgments