Royal representations in print : Charles II and the Exclusion Crisis (1678-1683)
The King as figure and image represented in polemical literature is the central focus of the present research. This offers a study in the semiotics of royal representation: a deciphering or de-coding of its imagery, symbolism and iconicity. From the creation of meaning displayed in these representational constructs, a new examination becomes possible of the mechanisms by which the concept and image of kingly power was being re-projected and received at a critical moment of English history. Printed propaganda reveals the King, in his âtwo bodiesâ, to have been the nerve-point around which a whole constellation of political arguments, powerful emotional stimuli and evocations of national memory, were conjured up and deployed in persuasion and struggle. Tracing representations of the King through the period 1678-83 establishes not only how the language of printed propaganda developed over the period; it also reveals, more surprisingly, a permanent process of oblique or lateral reference which goes to the heart of the quest for national and cultural identity in this period. Similar methodological approaches have been applied fruitfully in research treating Louis XIV and Oliver Cromwell; yet the present study
Gifford, Gregory D. W.
Royal representations in print : Charles II and the Exclusion Crisis (1678-1683). The King as figure and image represented in polemical literature is the central focus of the present research. This offers a study in the semiotics of royal representation: a deciphering or de-coding of its imagery, symbolism and iconicity. From the creation of meaning displayed in these representational constructs, a new examination becomes possible of the mechanisms by which the concept and image of kingly power was being re-projected and received at a critical moment of English history. Printed propaganda reveals the King, in his âtwo bodiesâ, to have been the nerve-point around which a whole constellation of political arguments, powerful emotional stimuli and evocations of national memory, were conjured up and deployed in persuasion and struggle. Tracing representations of the King through the period 1678-83 establishes not only how the language of printed propaganda developed over the period; it also reveals, more surprisingly, a permanent process of oblique or lateral reference which goes to the heart of the quest for national and cultural identity in this period. Similar methodological approaches have been applied fruitfully in research treating Louis XIV and Oliver Cromwell; yet the present study
royal representation print charles_ii exclusion crisis king figure image represent polemical literature central_focus present research offer study semiotics royal representation decipher coding imagery symbolism creation mean display representational construct_new examination become_possible mechanism concept image power receive critical moment english history printed propaganda reveals king body nerve point around whole constellation political argument powerful emotional stimulus national memory conjure deployed persuasion struggle tracing representation king period establishes language print propaganda developed period also_reveal surprisingly permanent process oblique lateral reference heart quest national cultural_identity period similar methodological_approach apply fruitfully treat louis cromwell yet present_study