Shakespeare’s Foreign Queens: Drama, Politics, and the Enemy Within (Queenship and Power)

This book examines Shakespeare’s depiction of foreign queens as he uses them to reveal and embody tensions within early modern English politics. Linking early modern and contemporary political theory and concerns through the concepts of fragmented identity, hospitality, citizenship, and banishment, Sandra Logan takes up a set of questions not widely addressed by scholars of early modern queenship. How does Shakespeare’s representation of these queens challenge the opposition between friend and enemy that ostensibly defines the context of the political? And how do these queens expose the abusive potential of the sovereign? Focusing on Katherine of Aragon in __Henry VIII__, Hermione in __The Winter’s Tale__, Tamora in __Titus Andronicus__, and Margaret in the first history tetralogy, Logan considers them as means for exploring conditions of vulnerability, alienation, and exclusion common to subjects of every social position, exposing the sovereign himself as the true enemy of the state. Preface 7 Acknowledgments 9 Contents 12 Chapter 1: Introduction: Foreign Queens, Abusive Sovereignty, and Political Theory in the Past and the Present 13 Overview 13 Foreignness: Subjects and Aliens 14 The Nature of Sovereignty and the Friend/Enemy Distinction 21 The External Enemy 23 The Internal Enemy 23 The Sovereign as Internal Enemy 26 Shakespeare and Embodied Sovereignty 31 Four Key Terms: Fragmented Identity, Hospitality, Citizenship, Banishment 33 Fragmented Identity 34 Hospitality 39 Citizenship 45 Banishment and Exile 49 The Queen’s Role 53 References 66 Chapter 2: Katherine of Aragon’s Fragmented Identity in Henry VIII 72 Foreign/Domestic, Friend/Enemy, Morality/Pragmatism 72 Corruption Versus the Commonweal 77 Wolsey’s International Schemes 77 Katherine and England’s Commonweal 79 Katherine and the Fall of Buckingham 84 Foreign Identity in the Trial of Katherine 88 Wolsey’s Foreign Aspirations 88 Katherine’s Claims to Foreignness 90 From Queen to Housewife 98 Reclaiming Englishness 98 Neither Wife nor Queen 103 References 117 Chapter 3: The Friend, the Enemy, the Wife, and the Guest: Conditional and Unconditional Hospitality in The Winter’s Tale 121 Conditional Hospitality in the Sicilian Court 121 Hospitality, Reciprocity, and Sovereign Authority 122 Sovereign/Host/Husband and Subject/Guest/Wife 127 The Internal Enemy: Sovereignty on Trial 131 Pastoral Communalism and Unconditional Hospitality in Rural Bohemia 136 Reframing Pastoral Complaint 137 The Moral Values of Pastoral 138 The Intrusion of Conditional Hospitality 142 The Fantasy of Forgiveness 152 References 164 Chapter 4: Strange Bedfellows: Friend, Enemy, and the Commonweal in Titus Andronicus 168 The Friend/Enemy Distinction and the Internal Enemy 168 The Virtues of Rome 171 Tamora, Roman Values, and the Enemy as Friend 173 Sovereignty, Injustice, and the Uncertainties of Vengeance 180 Tamora’s Gendered Condition 180 From Good Subject to Good Citizen 190 Vengeance and the Breaking of the Commonweal 194 Rome’s New Beginning 202 References 214 Chapter 5: Margaret and the Ban: Resistances to Sovereign Authority in Henry VI 1, 2, & 3 and Richard III 218 Marriage as Banishment 218 Henry VI 1&2: Margaret as Outsider and Enemy 220 Her Subordination to Suffolk 221 Her Role in Gloucester’s Trial and Death 224 Her Change of Allegiance 228 3 Henry VI and Margaret’s Self-Banishment 233 Reframing Rebellion as Military Heroism 236 Two Versions of History 238 Appeal to a Foreign Prince 240 Margaret’s Last Stand 242 Richard III: Margaret’s Refusal of Banishment 245 Cursing and Banning 248 Continuing Resistance 256 Concluding Remarks 258 References 267 Index 270 This Book Examines Shakespeare's Depiction Of Foreign Queens As He Uses Them To Reveal And Embody Tensions Within Early Modern English Politics. Linking Early Modern And Contemporary Political Theory And Concerns Through The Concepts Of Fragmented Identity, Hospitality, Citizenship, And Banishment, Sandra Logan Takes Up A Set Of Questions Not Widely Addressed By Scholars Of Early Modern Queenship. How Does Shakespeare's Representation Of These Queens Challenge The Opposition Between Friend And Enemy That Ostensibly Defines The Context Of The Political? And How Do These Queens Expose The Abusive Potential Of The Sovereign? Focusing On Katherine Of Aragon In 'henry Viii', Hermione In 'the Winter's Tale', Tamora In 'titus Andronicus', And Margaret In The First History Tetralogy, Logan Considers Them As Means For Exploring Conditions Of Vulnerability, Alienation, And Exclusion Common To Subjects Of Every Social Position, Exposing The Sovereign Himself As The True Enemy Of The State. Sandra Logan. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. "This book examines Shakespeare's depiction of foreign queens as he uses them to reveal and embody tensions within early modern English politics. Linking early modern and contemporary political theory and concerns through the concepts of fragmented identity, hospitality, citizenship, and banishment, Sandra Logan takes up a set of questions not widely addressed by scholars of early modern queenship. How does Shakespeare's representation of these queens challenge the opposition between friend and enemy that ostensibly defines the context of the political? And how do these queens expose the abusive potential of the sovereign? Focusing on Katherine of Aragon in 'Henry VIII', Hermione in 'The Winter's Tale', Tamora in 'Titus Andronicus', and Margaret in the first history tetralogy, Logan considers them as means for exploring conditions of vulnerability, alienation, and exclusion common to subjects of every social position, exposing the sovereign himself as the true enemy of the state" -- Back cover Front Matter ....Pages i-xiii Introduction: Foreign Queens, Abusive Sovereignty, and Political Theory in the Past and the Present (Sandra Logan)....Pages 1-59 Katherine of Aragon’s Fragmented Identity in Henry VIII (Sandra Logan)....Pages 61-109 The Friend, the Enemy, the Wife, and the Guest: Conditional and Unconditional Hospitality in The Winter’s Tale (Sandra Logan)....Pages 111-157 Strange Bedfellows: Friend, Enemy, and the Commonweal in Titus Andronicus (Sandra Logan)....Pages 159-208 Margaret and the Ban: Resistances to Sovereign Authority in Henry VI 1, 2, & 3 and Richard III (Sandra Logan)....Pages 209-260 Back Matter ....Pages 261-279