For my project, I have taken Queen Elizabeth I's last speech to Parliament in November 1601, the Golden Speech, and looked at every time it was printed under King James I, King Charles I, the Interregnum, and King Charles II. The first chapter explores the rhetorical techniques Elizabeth employed. The second chapter examines the historical context surrounding each time the speech was reprinted in 1628, 1642, 1647, 1659, and 1679. The final chapter compares the paratexts of each edition with the printing trends and technologies available at that particular time. My research is beneficial to two areas of study. First, to early modern scholarship: with new technology, we are able to learn more and more about this period. The Renaissance owns many brilliant writers and thinkers. Projects like mine let us rediscover genius in a new fashion: through a printer's brain, or through a later generation's reception. For example, how do Elizabeth's strong words of leadership help us better understand the leadership in the century following her death? Printers have the power to change interpretations. Secondly, in the plight for women's recognition: in many ways, we have tokenized Elizabeth, exploring her rhetoric as maternal or virginal, lauding her ability to use her gender as a means of power. When all is said and done, she was a good leader, woman or not. If we can study her and her legacy and influence outside of her gender, we might do more for feminism than to constantly recognize her gender along with her power. / A Thesis submitted to the Department of English in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts. / Summer semester, 2009. / March 24, 2009. / Parliamentary rhetoric / Includes bibliographical references. / A. E. B. Coldiron, Professor Directing Thesis; Elizabeth Spiller, Committee Member; Meegan Kennedy Hanson, Committee Member.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:fsu.edu/oai:fsu.digital.flvc.org:fsu_182006 |
| Contributors | Jackson, Elizabeth F. (authoraut), Coldiron, A. E. B. (professor directing thesis), Spiller, Elizabeth (committee member), Hanson, Meegan Kennedy (committee member), Department of English (degree granting department), Florida State University (degree granting institution) |
| Publisher | Florida State University, Florida State University |
| Source Sets | Florida State University |
| Language | English, English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Text, text |
| Format | 1 online resource, computer, application/pdf |
| Rights | This Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s). The copyright in theses and dissertations completed at Florida State University is held by the students who author them. |
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