Primary Source Analysis of Queen Elizabeth I Essay

Queen Elizabeth I was born to King Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn on September 7, 1533. The King’s termination of his marriage to Katharine of Aragon, made the birth of Elizabeth illegal. Kraus, D. 2011 Pg. 7 Elizabeth’s early years were full of conflict as the King worked to have Anne Boleyn and Elizabeth known, which meant that he had to strip his daughter Mary, by his Catholic wife Katharine, of her label as princess. Vanhoutte, J. 2007, Pg.4

Elizabeth showed compassion and love towards John when she found out about the affair. She also showed her love for John when she lied about the affair in court in order to protect John’s

Elizabeth also showed courage out of court. John proctor and abigail williams had a affair and even know she knew this she still was trying to stay with her husband. As all this was going on she was accused of witchcraft. And when she was taken to jail she was

Elizabeth I is considered a Machiavellian queen; she placed the political unity of England above any other aspect of her kingdom, including religion. Elizabeth I’s reign was influenced politically and religiously, in respect to ideas about gender. Elizabeth, daughter of Henry VIII, responded authoritatively to any opposition she faced.

In the half century during which she ruled, her kingdom became known for its pageantry and glamour. When Elizabeth Tudor had succeeded the throne, religious strife, a huge government debt, and failures in war, had caused England to be considered a poor credit risk on the Continent. Though popular and much-admired, Elizabeth did not inherit a stable and prosperous country, thus the quest for stability and prosperity became the guiding force of her reign. She constantly avoided foreign entanglements and religious extremism. The motto Elizabeth “Semper Eadem” Latin, meaning “Always the same” was highly appropriate. Queen Elizabeth I left behind an extraordinary image of a dazzling era of excitement and achievement, nearly superhuman heroes and daring deeds, with the Queen, larger than life, radiating inspiration at the center of it all.

Early in the novel, Elizabeth is quick to judge and criticize others. Elizabeth rapidly judges

Abigail Williams: "I am but God 's finger, John. If he would condemn Elizabeth, she will be condemned."

By using her subject’s faith in God, and the current law of divine leadership, Elizabeth I sets in stone her reputation. If God chose her to be the Queen of England, then she must be a qualified leader. Who would dare defy a decision ordained by God himself?

Elizabeth I (known simply as "Elizabeth" until the accession of Elizabeth II; 7 September 1533 – 24 March 1603) was queen regnant of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death. Sometimes called "The Virgin Queen", "Gloriana" or "Good Queen Bess", Elizabeth was the fifth and last monarch of the Tudor dynasty. The daughter of Henry VIII, she was born a princess, but her mother, Anne Boleyn, was executed two and a half years after her birth.[1]

politically. Although she had, at times, a horrible temper and a disagreeable personality, and suffered through many physical and psychological problems as an adult, Elizabeth proved to be one of the most remarkable monarchs in English history. Firstly, I will discuss Elizabeth’s family (including her many stepmothers), and then I will talk about her relationship with her siblings under their power. Thirdly, I will examine religion and how it affected her opinions and politics during her reign. Lastly, I will look at foreign politics of the time and some of Elizabeth’s decisions

Elizabeth’s relationship with her people is built on faith and love, not fear or tyranny. In the beginning of her speech she addresses the soldiers as "My loving people." She refers to her troops as "faithful" and "loving," showing the appreciation and loyalty that she has for her soldiers. She feels she must acknowledge the important bond between herself and her soldiers by showing them that she is not just a distant queen. To assure her troops of her faith in them, she uses logos in her speech to encourage her soldiers to fight for the good of England. For example, she lets them know by saying "... I have placed my chiefest strength and safeguard in the loyal hearts and good will of my subjects." She uses repetition of the word “I” and “We” to show that she is not just a queen but a fellow Englishman. “…to live or die amongst you all; to lay down, for my God, and for my kingdom, and for my people, my honor and my blood, even the dust”, shows that she is a part of the people and will fight side by side with them to defend their country. This would be the first thing that her soldiers fight for, a people and ruler relationship that is bound by love and trust.

Elizabeth is a true woman that would do anything to protect her husband. She knows that if she talked of his sin, he would be hanged. Since she doesn’t know that her husband has confessed, she saves him and lies to the court.

First, the Queen displays her loyalty to her people in order to make the troops understand that she has put her faith in them. This increases the credibility of her argument because it shows that she is not just there because she is the Queen, she is there because she “[does] not desire to live to distrust [her] faithful and loving people”: she has “placed [her] chiefest strength and safeguard in the loyal hearts and goodwill of [her] subjects.” She wants her audience, the troops, to be inspired to fight loyally with England, so in order to gain their loyalty she shows the troops that she is loyal to them as well, increasing her credibility as the Queen. During this section, she adopts a grateful and reverent tone in order to convince her audience that she is loyal to them and make them feel important to the country.

The reign of Queen Elizabeth I is often referred to as "The Golden Age" of English history. Elizabeth was an immensely popular Queen, and her popularity has waned little with the passing of four hundred years. She is still one of the best-loved monarchs, and one of the most admired rulers of all time. She became a legend in her own lifetime, famed for her remarkable abilities and achievements. Yet, about Elizabeth the woman, we know very little. She is an enigma, and was an enigma to her own people.

Elizabeth is now the ruler of a kingdom that has no money, no army, and is under constant threat from other nations trying to take control of England. This film directed by Shekhar Kapur and written by Michael Hirst gives the audience an upfront and personal account of a “young Elizabeth who is seen as she ages from a blithe Botticelli Venus, to the stony, regal monarch of the film’s last scene” (Maslin 1).