However, one should not believe that the king's two bodies complemented one other harmoniously, creating a firm and stable unity. By granting a sovereign the status of a supernatural being, the body politic effectively allowed a king to transcend his human limitations and frailties.
When crowned and anointed with sacred oils, the king was no longer just a mortal ruler, but also the figurative 'head' of the mystical body of the commonwealth (and in some cases the Church). Throughout history, the idea of the king having two bodies has been used as a tool to strengthen royal authority. This paper provides instances of the Queen’s political role play in a historical and socio-cultural context of the time. In this way, Elizabeth became her own icon. On her summer visit to Wanstead in 1578 she took an active part in the pageant “The lady of May”, playing herself, “Good Queen Bess”, which Sir Philip Sidney depicted in his pastoral romance The lady of May. But Elizabeth emerges as the most stunning actress when she plays herself. Faced with the problem of her femininity in the world of men, as well as her ambivalent hereditary rights as a member of the Tudor dynasty, she focused on legitimizing her reign through playing different roles - she played the fearful king, the loving queen, she even played Virgin Mary.
Queen Elizabeth I was playing all her life. Such is the nature of royalty presented by King James I in Basilicon Doron.
The fact is that Renaissance monarchs, too, viewed kingship in terms of theatrical display and public performance. Renaissance England is often discussed in the context of theatre and theatrical acting.
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