Elizabeth I is hardly a neglected figure, but Starkey?s analysis of
her life before her accession to the throne at the age of 25
manages to treat the subject in a new and exciting way. As he
points out, in order to understand the woman it is essential to
know about the child, and Elizabeth?s youth could hardly have been
more troubled ? her mother executed when she was two, a succession
of stepmothers, an unstable father, possible sexual abuse by her
stepfather and a narrow escape from being executed herself under
the orders of her sister Mary. However, Starkey avoids the
temptation to over-dramatize Elizabeth?s traumas. Rather than
getting bogged down with psychological analysis, he sets her youth
in the context of the court as a whole. He emphasizes the
continuity of much of her life and is particularly good at writing
about her household staff, who were the most important people in
her day-to-day life but tend to get neglected in traditional
accounts. He is also very astute when looking at her relationships
with members of her family as seen through their letters, and
demonstrating how what might seem to be standard letters and gifts
actually illuminate these relationships. For instance, Elizabeth
sends her stepmother Catherine Parr a translation of a book about
the Protestant faith, allegedly to demonstrate her fluency in
Latin, but also emphasizing their shared interest in religious
reform. The most interesting and novel aspect of this book is
Starkey?s analysis of court ceremonial. Every public action, even
the most minor, had significance at the Tudor court and Starkey
shows what each one meant and what it said about those involved.
This gives an insight into the 16th-century mindset which is
essential for an understanding of the world in which Elizabeth
operated. Starkey knows all his facts backwards, so can choose his
evidence carefully and never overloads the reader. The story he has
to tell is gripping in itself, and his fascinating depiction of
Elizabeth?s world prevents any staleness caused by overfamiliarity.
He clearly admires Elizabeth and by the end of the book the reader
has lost any tendency to see her as a victim. In fact, our main
emotion is a desire to find out what happened next ? and to read
Starkey?s take on it. (Kirkus UK)
An abused child, yet confident of her destiny to reign, a woman in a man's world, passionately sexual yet, she said, a virgin, famed as England's most successful ruler yet actually doing very little, Elizabeth I is a bundle of contradictions. Starting with Elizabeth's own speeches and writings, Starkey lays novel emphasis on two things: her faith made her see religion as a purely personal relationship between the individual conscience and God, yet her sophisticated education led her to a smoke-and-mirrors view of politics, in which clever image-making and speech-writing could solve or postpone real problems. The result was a surprisingly contemporary approach to some very modern questions, like civil strife in Scotland and Ireland and the risk of England's absorption into a European super-state.
This new approach to the enigma of the Queen's character is presented within a lively and readable retelling of her reign; her love for Robert Dudley, the tragi-comedy of her favourites and suitors, her epic struggles with Mary Queen of Scots and Philip II of Spain, and the final, humiliating debacle of her relationship with Robert Devereux, Earl of Essex.
General
Is the information for this product incomplete, wrong or inappropriate?
Let us know about it.
Does this product have an incorrect or missing image?
Send us a new image.
Is this product missing categories?
Add more categories.
Review This Product
No reviews yet - be the first to create one!
Welcome to Loot.co.za!
Sign in / Register |Wishlists & Gift Vouchers |Help | Advanced search
