Reviews
The Heart and Stomach of a King: Elizabeth I and the Politics of Sex and Power by Carole Levin
helenephoebe's review against another edition
4.0
Review - This book is really interesting, as it doesn't discuss so much what happened in Elizabeth's reign, but how her gender and sexuality affected her power. It was quite well-written with plenty of examples from the everyday population as well as the nobility and royality about how Elizabeth was seen and what effect her gender had on power. The title comes from Elizabeth I's famous speech at Tilbury before expected invasion of the Spanish Armada - "I may have the body of a weak and feeble woman, but I have the heart and stomach of a king, and a King of England, too", one of the most well-known speeches in history. It clearly demonstrates how Elizabeth managed to use her gender to her advantage.
General Subject/s? - History / Tudors / Elizabeth I / Gender / Power
Recommend? – Yes
Rating - 18/20
General Subject/s? - History / Tudors / Elizabeth I / Gender / Power
Recommend? – Yes
Rating - 18/20
lckreiss's review against another edition
informative
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
Great exploration of gendered politics during Elizabethan Era England.
sophronisba's review against another edition
informative
reflective
medium-paced
4.25
This was fine. Might be good for someone who just wants a short intro to Elizabeth I's reign with a focus on gender. I didn't learn much I didn't already know from the Weir bio.
tammyshelley's review against another edition
4.0
It was entertaining and thoughtful and because she relied on letters and such for her primary sources, I felt like I was experiencing a true sense of the time period and of her reign.
markk's review
3.0
In an age when the English government lacked a professional bureaucracy or a standing army, the authority of a monarch rested on their legitimacy. As a woman occupying a position traditionally held by men, Elizabeth I faced a special set of challenges in this regard. Trapped between the contrasting expectations of sexuality and politics, she sought to represent herself in a way that allowed her to maintain her legitimacy – and thus her power – in a tumultuous age. In this book, Carol Levin analyzes Elizabeth’s efforts to project this image, as well as how she was perceived by her contemporaries as both a woman and in her role as a monarch.
In a series of overlapping essays, Levin focuses on her court’s manipulation of images of royalty and the public’s reaction to them. The essays are roughly chronological, as the early ones examine the problems of her succession and the early response to her rule, while the later ones consider the challenges she faced as her reign came to an end. Throughout the chapters, Levin charts the ways in which Elizabeth balanced the contrasting expectations she faced, in the end successfully assuming the masculine roles her position required while still exhibiting the femininity her people expected of her.
Levin’s book is an interesting, if fragmented examination of Elizabeth’s images and how they were received. Her study of these often overlooked elements of Elizabeth’s reign helps the reader understand how Elizabeth succeeded as a woman in one of the most masculine of jobs. While few of the arguments she makes are original, she presents her case effectively with a convincing analysis backed by considerable research. For anyone seeking to learn how Elizabeth balanced the demands of her position with those of her gender, this is a good book to read.
In a series of overlapping essays, Levin focuses on her court’s manipulation of images of royalty and the public’s reaction to them. The essays are roughly chronological, as the early ones examine the problems of her succession and the early response to her rule, while the later ones consider the challenges she faced as her reign came to an end. Throughout the chapters, Levin charts the ways in which Elizabeth balanced the contrasting expectations she faced, in the end successfully assuming the masculine roles her position required while still exhibiting the femininity her people expected of her.
Levin’s book is an interesting, if fragmented examination of Elizabeth’s images and how they were received. Her study of these often overlooked elements of Elizabeth’s reign helps the reader understand how Elizabeth succeeded as a woman in one of the most masculine of jobs. While few of the arguments she makes are original, she presents her case effectively with a convincing analysis backed by considerable research. For anyone seeking to learn how Elizabeth balanced the demands of her position with those of her gender, this is a good book to read.
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