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Schuler Dissertation Final Document COUNSEL, POLITICAL RHETORIC, AND THE CHRONICLE HISTORY PLAY: REPRESENTING COUNCILIAR RULE, 1588-1603 DISSERTATION Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the Graduate School of The Ohio State University By Anne-Marie E. Schuler, B.M., M.A. Graduate Program in English The Ohio State University 2011 Dissertation Committee: Professor Richard Dutton, Advisor Professor Luke Wilson Professor Alan B. Farmer Professor Jennifer Higginbotham Copyright by Anne-Marie E. Schuler 2011 ABSTRACT This dissertation advances an account of how the genre of the chronicle history play enacts conciliar rule, by reflecting Renaissance models of counsel that predominated in Tudor political theory. As the texts of Renaissance political theorists and pamphleteers demonstrate, writers did not believe that kings and queens ruled by themselves, but that counsel was required to ensure that the monarch ruled virtuously and kept ties to the actual conditions of the people. Yet, within these writings, counsel was not a singular concept, and the work of historians such as John Guy, Patrick Collinson, and Ann McLaren shows that “counsel” referred to numerous paradigms and traditions. These theories of counsel were influenced by a variety of intellectual movements including humanist-classical formulations of monarchy, constitutionalism, and constructions of a “mixed monarchy” or a corporate body politic. Because the rhetoric of counsel was embedded in the language that men and women used to discuss politics, I argue that the plays perform a kind of cultural work, usually reserved for literature, that reflects, heightens, and critiques political life and the issues surrounding conceptions of conciliar rule. By employing an interdisciplinary methodology that studies the relationship between the rhetoric of counsel as it appears in of early modern printed texts on counsel and the discourse of counsel within the plays, this study analyzes chronicle history plays within their historical and political contexts, including William Shakespeare’s Henry V ii and Richard II, Christopher Marlowe’s Edward II, and anonymous dramatic works including The Life and Death of Jack Straw and Thomas, Lord Cromwell. I contend that the genre exposes the discrepancies within theory and practice -- sometimes substantiating the political theories and, at others, destabilizing them. My dissertation expands on the work of literary critics who are concerned with issues of hierarchy and the centralization of power. I demonstrate that the plays do not imagine the monarch as a singular entity, but as surrounded by a political nexus that included his counselors, and thereby engage with political debates that legitimated monarchy through its relation to counsel. My dissertation thus fills in an important gap in literary studies, arguing that the genre of the chronicle history play participated in the political debates over the legitimization of monarchy, counsel, and citizenship. In dramatizing the history of English kings and important political figures, the chronicle history play naturally reflects the relationship between people and political institutions. These plays often do not directly reflect the idealized conciliar rule of the political tracts rather they uncover the challenges and tensions inherent within conceptions of conciliar rule. Ultimately, I demonstrate that the plays present conciliar rule as an intricate interplay between people, political institutions, and theoretical ideals. iii DEDICATION This document is dedicated to my father, Ronald Richard Schuler 1942-2006 My counselor and friend. iv ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I could not have written this dissertation without the help and counsel of many, who in their own way selfishly gave their time, assistance, and support in order to make this dissertation possible. First and foremost, I am grateful to my dissertation advisor Richard Dutton, who is responsible for recognizing my interest in counsel and formulating the project. He always encouraged me to find my own voice and pursue my ideas further in ways that helped me to develop into the scholar I am today. Many thanks also to my other committee members, Luke Wilson, Alan Farmer, and Jennifer Higginbotham, who generously gave of their time and provided wise advice at crucial moments, for each in their own way has contributed to the improvement of this study. I am grateful to have worked with these four wonderful scholars, who through their substantial expertise assisted me in turning sprawling drafts into a project in which I can take pride. This dissertation began during my enrollment in a seminar in “Commonwealth Literature,” while I was a graduate student at the University of Buffalo, SUNY conducted by James Holston. I owe a great deal to him for teaching me the importance of looking at texts within a historical context and developing my skills in critical reading. He will always be a mentor and model of the scholar I want to be. All of my teachers have v guided me in importance ways, especially Barbara Bono, Phoebe Spinrad, Christopher Highly, David Cressy, and Thomas Postlewait, who all deserve special thanks for encouraging my interest in Renaissance literature and continuing to offer advice, helpful suggestions, and responses to queries. I also am grateful to Wendy Hesford, who has been an outstanding mentor thoughout my time here as a graduate student. I owe a great deal to the faculty and fellow graduate students who I have worked with while I have attended OSU, especially Rachel Clark and Marisa Cull, who listened to me talk about the project at length, read portions of chapters, and provided unending support throughout the entire process. I am also thankful for the members of my dissertation reading group, Karin Hooks, Heather Thompson-Gills, and Annette Dolph, who read countless drafts of chapters, posed critical questions and comments, and offered encouragement every step of the way. From all of these women I heave learned the importance of collegial relationships, and I look forward to continuing to pursue our scholarly endeavors. The Renaissance Dissertation Seminar also provided important critical commentary that helped me to articulate my argument and focus my work. Beth Quitslund and Hannibal Hamlin deserve especial thanks because their comments were important to the progress of some of these chapters. I also want to thank my many students, because the joy of teaching here at OSU was a constant reminder of why I chose to pursue this degree. My archival research would not have been possible without the time provided by the Robert Estrich Fellowship and the financial support of The Center for Medieval and Renaissance Studies Graduate Travel Grant at The Ohio State University. Through these vi two awards I was able to conduct archival research at the Newberry Library and the Huntington Library. The Rare Books Room at OSU also provided a rich resource for my work. My deepest appreciation to the curators and staff at these libraries who provided invaluable assistance that has made this work possible. I have presented earlier versions of these chapters at The Sixteenth Century Society and Conference, The Group for Early Modern Culture Studies Conference, and the Annual Meeting of The Shakespeare Association of America. The scholars who attended these events all provided important feedback, which allowed me to sharpen my argument. I am especially grateful to Oliver Arnold, Bradley Greenberg, Brian Walsh, and Melissa Sanchez for their comments, questions, and suggestions for further reading, which all helped to shape later versions of chapters. Friends and family have been a source of constant support and stability through my graduate study. I am eternally grateful to Kate White, who taught me the value of friendship and provided me strength when I did not have my own. Many dear friends gave unselfishly of their support and encouragement, including Cate St Pierre, Mark Rankin, Kerilyn and Joshua Krieger, Envera Dukaj, and Wendy Hinshaw. To my best friend Christian Kohler, thank you for always providing me with enthusiastic encouragement. Also, to my friends Jennifer DeVilling and Jessica Wall, our daily walks were a time when I could reenergize, and your willingness to listen when I needed help and celebrate in moments of joy has been a source of friendship that is beyond value. My brother Tim and his wife Kristen opened their home to me during periods of research and consistently reminded me how proud they were of me in ways that reminded me the vii importance of family. I astonished at the support I have received from my partner, Kevin Walkowicz, who came to shoulder this burden with me at a time of great difficulty, did so without complaint, and continuously gave of himself unselfishly. He helped me to navigate the difficulties of the end of the dissertation process, by providing unending strength, love, and support, for which I will always be eternally grateful. My deepest sorrow is that Ronald Schuler, my late father, did not live to see the completion of this project, but his words of wisdom were never far from my thoughts at the times when I struggled the most. I cannot thank my mother, Mary Schuler, enough for all that she has given to me during my time in graduate school. Without her support and love, my graduate endeavors would not have been possible. I am continuously astonished that she gives of herself at a great personal cost for the love of her child and the hope that she could achieve her dream. Mom,
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