Through readings of key Elizabethan texts by Lyly, Ralegh, Chapman, Shakespeare and Spenser, this text shows that while Elizabeth I's combination of chastity with political and religious power was repeatedly idealized, it was also perceived as extremely disturbing. The figure of the unmarried queen implicitly challenged the masculine focus of Renaissance discourses of love, philosophy and absolutist political ideology.

Shadow of Spirit addresses the post-modern shake-up of theory, culture and politics, which has led to new encounter between the humanities and the discourses of religion. While work in the fields of humanities and social sciences was dramatically affected by the impact of post-modernism, the recent waning of the post-modern movement has left an intellectual vacuum that has yet to be filled. Shadow of Spirit represents the collaboration of a group of scholars for the purpose of investigating the wider implications of this phenomenon, as they challenge the long-established assumption that...

By illuminating the striking affinity between the most innovative aspects of postmodern thought and religious mystical discourse, Shadow of Spirit challenges the long established assumption that western thought is committed to nihilism.
This collection of essays by internationally recognised scholars explores the implications of the fascination with the sacred', divine' or infinite' which characterizes much contemporary thought. It shows how these concerns have surfaced in the work of Derrida, Baudrillard, Lyotard, Kristeva, Irigaray and others. Examining the connection...