The Heart and Stomach of a King: Elizabeth I and the Politics of Sex and Power

by Carole Levin

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.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, School, Biography, Tudor Period, Read For School, Historical

264 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 1994

About the author

Carole Levin is Willa Cather Professor of History at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. She is the author of Dreaming the English Renaissance: Politics and Desire in Court and Culture and The Heart and Stomach of a King: Elizabeth I and the Politics of Sex and Power.

Reviews

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

A product of the '90s, this study of Elizabeth and gender politics remains essential reading for those interested in literature, culture, politics, and history during the Elizabethan era.

[nia · Rating 4 out of 5]

the last chapter of this--analysis of dreams about Elizabeth--was the weakest, sadly. also continually mystified by Levin's fear of admitting that maybe Elizabeth I had some sapphic urges...she only ever liked one (1) man and it was a man she knew she couldn't have adfaldfjskl like to me it's giving compulsory heterosexuality but okay... i suppose i find that avoidance particularly odd because people are usually so happy to psychoanalyze elizabeth up down and sideways tbh but apparently not when it comes to being gay... anyway i do like Levin's open attentiveness to gossip and rumor as a basis for historical analysis and the idea of a sort of cultural biography is absolutely wonderful and can give new life to old stories! what people thought about what might happen/did happen matters just as much as what actually did happen and i think Levin giving credence to that is both rare--though becoming less so--for historians of England specifically and very valuable! this is a good book to read if you already know a little about Elizabeth; i think you need some biographical background from elsewhere first if you don't.

[Mark · Rating 3 out of 5]

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.

[Cwelshhans · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really great study of gender and sex, and the ways they surfaced around Elizabeth I. I think there was even more to do with this premise.

[Helene Harrison · Rating 4 out of 5]

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

[Jules · Rating 5 out of 5]

Normally I find nonfiction books a slog to get through, even when they are about a topic that interests me, but this one held my attention the whole time. If Elizabeth I is a historical figure that fascinates you, this is a fantastic read.

[Jenna · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5
The world was against her and still she thrived.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

It took a long time for me to finish this. I work a lot and it got in the way. However, this is a pretty good book to learn about Elizabeth and the challenges she overcame.

[John Sinclair · Rating 2 out of 5]

An interesting perspective on Elizabeth I facing enormous challenges managing the patriarchy from the top. Successfully. For 45 years. #books #books2020 #bookstagram #reading #readersofinstagram

[Rebecca Walsh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Flowed nicely, fun.

[Lily · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great exploration of gendered politics during Elizabethan Era England.

[Charlie]

Never really thought about how much the christian faith is responsible for our sexual neuroses in the west, but the problem was even more acute in the early modern period.

[Selina Gonzalez · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars.

This book has a nice, fluid prose style that is easy to read. However, there are several typos--primarily missing words (especially "of" and "with"), several instances of repeated words ("she she"), and at least one mistype--"Early" instead of "Earl."

For the most part, the information is presented in an accessible manner, although sometimes she has what feels like throw-away lines acknowledging another scholar's work on a subject without any indication of the thrust or bearing of that work, and several times without even an end note. The information itself was interesting, and Levin did an excellent job of presenting how Elizabeth's gender informed people's views of her and the difficulties she faced, as well as how Elizabeth used her gender to her advantage. I liked that Levin compared the challenges facing Elizabeth with challenges facing male monarchs--both their similarities (Levin was careful to never overstate her case of the role of gender in Elizabeth's reign) and their differences. Overall, a relatively quick read and interesting perspective on Tudor society and Elizabeth's reign and how they affected each other.

[Cheryl · Rating 2 out of 5]

The Heart and Stomach of a King is an interesting study of the reign of Elizabeth I. Levin's writing is heavily influenced by feminism and most of the book focuses on how Elizabeth's womanhood worked against her and yet how she was able to use it in her favor. This book was interesting and informative (thus the 3 stars) but I was not a huge fan.

[Cassie · Rating 3 out of 5]

For May 19, 2021 Tomlinson book club. Did not read, as it was more like a text book than narrative nonfiction, and I’ve covered that period in other recent readings (e.g., Hilary Mantel’s books, Hamnet).

[Cara · Rating 5 out of 5]

this was awesome

[Tammy · Rating 4 out of 5]

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.