Eclectic Bookshelf: Moonlit Metaphors - Page 5

Late last year I picked up a copy of The Once and Future King at Borders. It is indeed a delightful book, a fanciful retelling of the Arthurian legends most of us think we know so well. While the opening portion of the book was indeed lifted to create Disney's The Sword in the Stone (an uneven, and relatively unremarkable Disney animated flick), the book really hits its stride once the young "Wart" draws the enchanted sword from the stone, forever changing his life - and England as well. From Merlin, the wise sage who lives his life backward to the "ill made knight" Lancelot, White's book is simply a fantastic recasting of the myth of Camelot in distinctly human terms.

After Elizabeth

Yes, more history. This time, we go back a couple more centuries with Leanda de Lisle for her engaging snapshot of the transition between Elizabeth I of England and James, her most unwelcome successor as the lord of the fair realm called England. The book does not ignore the early years of her reign (which were justifiably some of the most heady years enjoyed by any monarch), but instead chooses to cast a critical eye at a period often ignored by historians: the end of the affair.

The last years of Elizabeth's reign were troubled. Far from being the solid, dependable monarch often depicted in film, at the end of her life Elizabeth was but a shadow of her former self. In poor health and with her mental faculties arguably diminishing, she brooked little opposition and remained excessively insistent upon ignoring the realities of the moment. She refused to make provision for an heir of any sort, leaving the door open to conflict over her successor; this was especially true as there were a number of possible claimants who each had some claim to the throne.

The transition to James — which many historians have regarded as essentially bloodless — was far from assured at the time. Instead, as de Lisle documents, Elizabeth's court was a seething hotbed of turmoil, possible treason, and striving for personal advancement. James was regarded with suspicion by many who distrusted or despised his Scottish roots, and when he failed to keep many of his promises upon obtaining the throne there were many, both Catholic and Protestant, who conspired against him.

De Lisle does a wonderful job of describing the often dissolute cast of characters who sought to shape or subvert the English monarchy to their own ends, as well as casting a modern eye upon the social institutions of 17th century England. By narrowing the lens of her focus to this brief moment in time, she is able to carefully explore the palace conspiracies and intrigues which shaped the transition from the England of Henry VIII and Elizabeth to that of the House of Stuart. It is well-written and compelling; a fascinating freeze-frame of history.

Article Author: W.E. Wallo

W.E. Wallo is a book and movie junkie whose writings have appeared in a variety of print and online publications.

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