“…Many of her subjects did accept Elizabeth as an acceptable substitute for the Virgin Mary…members of Elizabeth’s court believed that having the queen visit on progress was tantamount to having their house blessed…Sir Robert Burton suggested the very sight of the monarch could ‘refresh the soul of man’” -pg 28
I felt that this part was extremely significant because it shows how much of an impact Elizabeth’s piety had throughout her reign. It affected people of every status in England, with the common people even accepting her as a substitute to Mary. Mary was one of the pinnacles of female representation in society, so the fact that Elizabeth was revered on essentially the same level is extremely telling. The nobles and lawmakers of the country were also in awe of her piety, even as far as her very presence seeming to affect their condition and ‘bless’ them.
The image of Elizabeth as the Virgin Mary was extremely strong throughout her entire reign. She was able to create a strong image for herself through the religious acts that each divine monarch was supposed to preform. Since the Virgin Mary was such a strong presence in society, Elizabeth was able to make herself a strong presence in society by embodying the image and similarities of the Virgin Mary.
I agree with how significant the “Virgin Mary” image was to preserving Elizabeth’s authority to rule. She relied on this image a lot because people respected her more as a leader if she demonstrated her piety and devotion to the country. If she had married, she might have inadvertently submitted control to her husband, and her subjects would most likely consider her to be inferior to him. Instead, she projected herself as a pure monarch and mother to her people, which was effective in winning their support.