Loose Notes on Stoicism, Interiority, and Epistemological Crisis in Elizabeth Cary's "Tragedy of Mariam"

Term Paper (Advanced seminar) , 2001 , 17 Pages , Grade: 1,3

English Language and Literature Studies - Literature

As the title indicates, this paper presents a rather loose collection, or perhaps a montage of observations I made while closely reading and thinking about Cary's famous closet drama. These observations concern, among other things, the heroine's self-fashioning as a Stoic subject; the resulting problems of continual identity, interiority, and subjection; the linguistic dimension of Herod's madness, which I (owing much of my outlook on things to Foucault) read as an instance of escalating epistemological crisis.

Table of Contents

• Loose Notes on Stoicism, Interiority, and Epistemological Crisis in Elizabeth Cary's Tragedy of Mariam
• Introduction
• Stoicism and Self-Mastery
• Stoicism and the Renaissance Lady
• Mariam's (Neo-)Stoic Subjectivity
• Pride and Self-Destruction
• Stoic Acceptance and Christian Allegory
• The “Ball-Player's” Stoicism
• Conclusion

Objectives and Key Themes

This paper examines the role of Stoicism in Elizabeth Cary's The Tragedy of Mariam. It explores how the play's heroine, Mariam, navigates the challenges of her position as a queen and wife within a patriarchal society, drawing upon Stoic principles of self-mastery and acceptance of fate. The paper also considers the broader historical and social context of early seventeenth-century England, where Stoicism offered a philosophical framework for coping with political and social anxieties.

• Stoicism and its influence on early modern literature
• The complexities of female subjectivity in seventeenth-century England
• The relationship between Stoic principles and Christian beliefs
• The political and social implications of Stoicism for aristocratic women
• The interplay between individual will and acceptance of fate

Chapter Summaries

• Introduction: The paper sets the stage for its analysis of Stoicism in The Tragedy of Mariam, highlighting the play's relevance to understanding women's writing and experiences in early modern England. It also critiques existing scholarship on the play, arguing for a more nuanced reading that considers Stoicism as a key interpretive lens.
• Stoicism and Self-Mastery: This chapter explores the philosophical framework of Stoicism, focusing on its emphasis on self-mastery, acceptance of fate, and the pursuit of inner harmony. It examines how Stoicism provided a means for individuals to navigate the challenges of a changing social and political landscape, particularly for those who had lost power and privilege.
• Stoicism and the Renaissance Lady: This section examines the impact of Stoicism on Renaissance noblewomen, exploring how it offered a way to cope with the limitations imposed on them by a patriarchal society. The chapter draws upon Joan Kelly-Gadol's work on the “bourgeois confinement” of women to the domestic sphere, arguing that Stoic principles provided a sense of agency and self-worth in a context where women were often marginalized and silenced.
• Mariam's (Neo-)Stoic Subjectivity: This chapter delves into the play's protagonist, Mariam, and examines how her character exemplifies Stoic ideals of self-inspection, contentment, and acceptance of fate. The chapter analyzes Mariam's soliloquies and interactions with other characters to demonstrate how she grapples with her own emotions and circumstances, seeking to find inner harmony amidst external turmoil.
• Pride and Self-Destruction: This section explores the tension between Mariam's Stoic self-mastery and her fatal flaw: pride. The chapter argues that Mariam's ultimate downfall stems from her refusal to compromise her own sense of dignity and self-worth, even when it leads to her death sentence. It also considers how her pride, rooted in her sense of moral superiority, may have contributed to her tragic fate.

Keywords

The main keywords and focus topics of the paper are: Stoicism, interiority, epistemological crisis, gender, Renaissance, early modern England, The Tragedy of Mariam, Elizabeth Cary, self-mastery, acceptance of fate, pride, self-destruction, Christian allegory, political allegory, female subjectivity, patriarchal society.

• College: Humboldt-University of Berlin (Institut für Anglistik und Amerikanistik)
• Course: "Seventeenth-Century Women's Writing"
• Grade: 1,3
• Author: Gundula E. Rommel (Author)
• Publication Year: 2001
• Pages: 17
• Catalog Number: V184713
• ISBN (eBook): 9783656096566
• ISBN (Book): 9783656096498
• Language: English
• Tags: stoicism, interiority, epistemological, crisis, elizabeth, cary, tragedy, mariam, closet drama, Jacobean, women's writing, seventeenth century, Josephus, Herod, Herodes, Salome, female voice, female speech, stoic subject, sprezzatura, femininity, stoic pride, stoic anger, Foucaultian reading, literary criticism, gender, Renaissance, Early Modern