He Could Not Handle
Lady Sidney would come off so brutally affected by smallpox that her marriage would fall apart as a result. Her former beauty, now cruelly reduced to unrecognizable disfigurement, would push her husband, Henry Sidney, to leave her. He could not deal with how his fair lady, who he had regarded as the most beautiful in the land, had come back to him as an intolerable example of the effects of smallpox. What a weakling, don’t you think?
He Could Not Handle
The Queen’s Trials
Elizabeth would also find her top position in society threatened following her dance with smallpox, especially regarding her hold on the throne. As previously mentioned, Elizabeth’s looks had been central to her influence and control in a patriarchal society. It was how she won favor and was heard in court. Now that her beauty had been shattered, would she still be able to wield the same gravitas and influence? And if not, would she have other resources to rely on?
The Queens Trials
