ENGL 027. Queen Elizabeth: Power, Gender, and Art

The memory of Elizabeth I still looms large on both sides of the Atlantic. We continue to generate and circulate depictions of the Queen who remained unmarried, ruled England during a decisive and turbulent time of national development, and died heirless. In this course, we revisit sixteenth-century England to examine the interlace between Elizabeth’s private life and the political mythology built around her during her long rule. Although we will attempt to be as historically accurate as possible, the basic premise of this course is that political realities, artistic representations, and intimate concerns are so intertwined around Elizabeth as to be inseparable. We will study a wide range of texts and materials, including Elizabeth’s own writings, drama, poetry, paintings, and clothing. Key topics include early modern (and modern) theories of political sovereignty, religious conflict at home and abroad, Petrarchism, early exploits in the New World, and gender.
Med/Ren
Humanities.
1 credit.
Catalog chapter: English Literature
Department website: https://www.swarthmore.edu/english-literature

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