Class Description
Queen Elizabeth I’s reign was tumultuous, filled religious controversies, assassination attempts, and the threat of foreign invasion. But it was also triumphant. Despite the pressure on her to wed, with courtships and favorites, Elizabeth successfully ruled unmarried. She established a broadly based religious settlement and supported Protestants abroad. The Spanish Armada was defeated. An exciting way to understand these many facets of Elizabeth’s life and reign is to examine the gifts Elizabeth both gave and received, some because of real affection but more for reasons of politics. This was especially true of the gifts between Elizabeth and her cousin Mary Stuart, who became the bitterest of enemies. But gifts could be so much more than material objects. They could be promises, advice, protection. Tragically, gifts could also be people, kidnapped from around the world. Join us as we discuss the multiple meanings of gifts and the power structures they represented during the time of Elizabeth I.
Carole Levin, Willa Cather Professor of History Emerita of the University of Nebraska, has taught and published widely on Queen Elizabeth I, including The Heart and Stomach of a King and The Reign and Life of Queen Elizabeth I. Levin’s one-woman, one-act play, Queen Elizabeth I: In Her Own Words, will be performed at the Newberry Library at 6 pm on Thursday, November 20. The actor, Tamara Meneghini, will be joining our class on November 22.
What to Expect
Format: In Person
Class Capacity: 28
Class Style: Mix of lecture and discussion; participation encouraged
Materials List
Required
- Digital Course Packet
First Reading
- Read the letters in the packet to and from Elizabeth to Katherine Parr, Mary I, and her cousin Mary Stuart.
- Something to think about: Think about gifts that you have both given and received. Which were the most meaningful and why? Having read some of the letters between Elizabeth and others, which do you think were most meaningful to her and why?
A Brief Syllabus
- Meanings of Gifts
- Relationships of Power
Cost and Registration
2 Sessions, $125 ($112.50 for Newberry members, seniors, and students). Learn about becoming a member.
We offer our classes at three different price options: Regular ($125), Community Supported ($115), and Sponsor ($135). Following the models of other institutions, we want to ensure that our classes are accessible to a wider audience while continuing to support our instructors. You may choose the price that best fits your situation when registering through Learning Stream.
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