Carole Levin's Heart and Stomach of a King

Heart and Stomach of a King

Carole Levin extends beyond the biographical material on Queen Elizabeth I toward a frank discussion of gender and politics in the Heart and Stomach of a King. The title, words ostensibly spoken by Elizabeth in a 1588 speech given at Tilbury, illustrates the paradox strong women face: they continually compare themselves to men because men have established the role model of a person endowed with social and political power. Elizabeth also came to embody religious power in her reign, as she was frequently perceived as "a secularized version of the Virgin Mary," (p. 65). Levin's book, first published in 1994, combines historiography with deft historical, psychological, and social analysis. Elizabeth undoubtedly contemplated her unique position as a woman in power and remained conscious of the limitations and strengths of her gender throughout her life. Levin takes some risk in analyzing the psyche of the queen. For instance, the author occasionally speculates about Elizabeth's thoughts or intentions, such as by stating "on a deeper level the thought of marriage was overwhelming to her," (p. 52-3). However, the author's speculations stem directly from secondary sources and Levin takes care to allow Elizabeth to speak as much for herself as possible. A relative wealth of primary source material enlivens Levin's book and thus the author does not need to stretch the material far. Her assessments remain historically accurate and grounded in speeches, manuscripts, and other period texts. Primary source documents and a copious amount of biographical material on Queen Elizabeth I provide the scholastic underpinnings of the Heart and Stomach of a King but the book is accessible, concise and suitable for any audience.

The scope of Levin's book is extraordinary given its length. For example, the author explores the general issue of image management and public relations through the model of Elizabeth I while at the same time offering readers a synopsis of the Queen's personal and political life. While Elizabeth assumed the "heart and stomach of a king," she simultaneously cultivated an image of ideal femininity. Her ability to blend masculine and feminine traits in her persona and public image were keys to her power and success. In Chapter 6, "Elizabeth as King and Queen," the author shows how the Queen "took on what might be perceived as the male role, certainly the position of power," in her sexual relationships and in her public life. Levin backs up her argument not only with primary source data and evidence but also with allusions to contemporaneous literature, Shakespeare in particular. Shakespeare, although not officially a historian, nevertheless offered poignant social, political, and historical commentary about sixteenth-century England and Europe. Levin refers to Shakespeare to illustrate the prevailing conceptions of gender, gender roles, and gender-bending in sixteenth-century England. Placing Elizabeth I into perspective and incorporating social and political context into the Queen's life emerges as one of the main strengths of Levin's work. The author achieves a strong contextualization of Elizabeth through an examination of contemporaneous gender roles and norms. Thus, Shakespeare becomes a valid window with which to view Elizabethan-era British society.

Sexuality is one of the core themes in the Heart and Stomach of a King, because both rumor and reality caused Elizabeth to maintain a dualistic, if not troubled, personal life. Her supposed affairs with Robert Dudley and Christopher Hatton and her numerous suitors added a human dimension to the Queen but at the same time she had to uphold an image of superhuman virginity and purity. The Queen also attempted to portray herself with masculine attributes in order to appease a public not used to relating to female monarchs directly. Through the book, Levin blends detail with generalization and analysis, offering frequent quotes and documented gossip about Elizabeth to demonstrate how skillfully Elizabeth maintained her public image. Dichotomous views of women's roles complicated the Queen's personal life. On the one hand, she was expected to bear an heir; on the other she was better off as a Virgin Queen. As a political ruler, Elizabeth played what was typically a man's role: just as male actors would play female roles on stage, Elizabeth played a man. Levin points out the "serious" problem with Elizabeth's dual male/female role: "she herself was both ruler and potential producer of the heir," (p. 89). Moreover, as s female Elizabeth lacked the legitimacy automatically afforded to a King. "Elizabeth was queen to a people unused to female rule," and Elizabeth could have emasculated the throne had she not so adroitly assumed the image and persona of a man (p. 90). The monarchy was more than just a political position; the monarch was, in Elizabethan times, a divine symbol and role model.

Levin argues also that Elizabeth I capitalized on her gender, incorporating symbolic religious ceremonies into the royal pomp. Knowing that the people of England needed a spiritual figurehead as much as a decisive ruler, Levin shows how Elizabeth crafted the emblems of her reign carefully. By not having a child, Levin argues, Elizabeth could maintain herself as a masculine monarch while at the same time alluding to her virginal femininity. Like all rulers, Elizabeth suffered from blows to her reputation, mainly rumors about her promiscuity and her having borne illegitimate children. Levin uses gossip and rumor not necessarily to for biographical purposes but to describe public opinion. One of the themes of the Heart and Stomach of King is the ambiguous, conflicted public perception of females in power in England as well as throughout the world. The scandals that haunted Elizabeth were by no means unique or even specific to a female ruler but they do illustrate how the public related to their primary figurehead and how they reconciled the double standards of virgin/whore; masculine/feminine. Levin suggests through her analysis that England, in accepting Elizabeth I as their ruling monarch, engaged in a meaningful discourse about gender roles. The "anxieties and fears" Elizabeth brought out in the public were in general tempered by respect and genuine admiration (p. 171).