ELIZABETH I AND THE CULTURE OF WRITING; ED. BY PETER BEAL

As Queen of England for nearly forty-five years, Elizabeth I left behind a formidable and fascinating paper trail. She wrote copiously, including works in verse and in prose, original works and translations, treatises, prayers, and speeches, but as the essays collected in Elizabeth I and the Culture of Writing demonstrate, Elizabeth did not simply participate in the cultural phenomenon of the growth of writingas the most powerful person in Britain, her example played an instrumental part in its spread. These essays consider all facets of Elizabeths role in the culture of writing from the private to the political and bring to light many newly discovered documents. H. R. Woudhuysen scrutinizes the Queens handwriting, Jane Lawson looks at the books Elizabeth received as gifts, Peter Beal examines the execution warrants she was obliged to sign, and Steven May gives an account of the prayers and letters of condolence Elizabeth wrote. Ultimately this textual record of the Queens reign reveals a dauntingly complex identityat once sovereign, spectator, friend, woman, creator, muse, and icon. "Elizabeth I (1533-1603) lived immersed in a culture of writing. She herself wrote poems, prayers, devotional treatises, and speeches, as well as countless letters. She was the recipient, and reader, of innumerable books and manuscripts. Entertainments were presented before her, she was the subject of eulogistic poems and dedications, and her courtiers included notable poets and prose writers. Following the recent, widely commemorated four-hundredth anniversary of Elizabeth's death, the distinguished contributors to the present volume believe that it is time to pursue aspects of the culture of writing which formed so essential a part of her life and reign. The essays here shed light on the roles she played in this culture - as sovereign and ultimate arbiter, spectator and protagonist, friend and confidante, creator and recipient, muse and literary icon, as well as woman. They also bring to light newly discovered or little-known documents relating to Elizabeth, which remind us of the wealth of archival evidence that survives in this 'golden' period of English culture."--BOOK JACKET Sheds light on the roles Elizabeth 1 played in the culture of writing - as sovereign and ultimate arbiter, spectator and protagonist, friend and confidante, creator and recipient, muse and literary icon, as well as woman. Edited By Peter Beal And Grace Ioppolo. Includes Bibliographical References And Index.