This essay aims to analyse two historical primary sources in relation to Queen Elizabeth I, also known as the ‘Virgin Queen’; the essay will attempt to use the source in order to understand what it is able to reveal about the past and her influence during her reign. The first source to be analysed consists of a portrait of the Queen in her late sixties produced, apparently, by the French born artist Isaac Oliver in the sixteen hundreds. In his portrait of the queen the artists, despite her age, presents Elizabeth I as a healthy young woman who is still fit to rule her country; he maintains the idea of the Queen being an iconic figure to look up to. The second source that will be analysed in order to understand the past is a written documentation of a speech given by the Queen in order to motivate her army in regards to the Spanish Armada in 1855. Through this Elizabeth in this source is presented as a devoted and authoritative leader.
During her rule, Elizabeth I was faced with disadvantages that many assumed would hinder her potential as an effective ruler. For example, the mere fact that she was a woman automatically meant that she was ‘weak’ and ‘feeble’ in the eyes of her subjects. A common solution to this, however was creates, she was to marry in order to have a male guide to aid her in her throne. Despite the numerous proposals she had the Queen did not marry, opting to dedicate her life to her kingdom, proving her abilities as a ruler.
Having analysed the sources it is clear to see that they both offer similar ideas concerning Elizabeth I’s characteristics as a Queen. The most noticeable quality highlighted by the two sources would be that Elizabeth appeared to have God like abilities. For example, the Rainbow Portra...
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...the two sources together it is clear that Queen Elizabeth I’s rule was an effective one; it offered stability, control, order and commitment. Both the portrait and the speech made at Tilbury clearly highlight the authority possessed by the Queen despite facing many uncertainties in her life. Both sources reveal a lot of about the characteristics of the Queen, most notably her devotion to her ‘kingdom and my people’ and to God. This also highlights that her rule was focused on religious disputes.
Works Cited
Elizabeth I, A message to her army at Tilbury on the eve of the Spanish Armada, (1855)
Graziani René, ‘The ‘Rainbow Portrait’ of Queen Elizabeth I and its Religious symbolism, Journal of the Warburg and Courtauld Institutes, Vol. 35, (1972)
Havelin Kate, Queen Elizabeth I, (USA: Minneapolis 2002)
Oliver Isaac, Rainbow Portrait of Elizabeth I, (1602)
Elizabeth I had total control of politics in England. She showed this best by refusing to marry. This allowed her to “further her general policy of balancing the continental powers,” (Gale Biography Context). Because Elizabeth decided not to marry, she was able to have complete political power over England. Political power
Isaacs, Lynn. “ Queen Isabella I of Spain.” Prof. Pavlac’s Women’s History Site. King’s College, 31 May 2008. Web. 1 May 2014.
During Elizabeth’s reign, she never married. People started calling her “The Virgin Queen,” since she never married. Elizabeth had many affairs and she kept romantic friendships throughout her life, but never married. Elizabeth had many reasons why she didn’t marry. If Elizabeth had married her balance of power would’ve shifted. Elizabeth saw when Mary I died that her husband, the king, was more appreciated then the queen. Elizabeth didn’t want that to happen so she stayed single. Also seeing her father kill so many wives and
Rowse, A.L. “The Coronation of Queen Elizabeth.” HistoryToday. History Todayltd. May 1953. Web. 15 Jan. 2014.
Briscoe, Alexandra. “Elizabeth I: An Overview.” BBC. BBC, 17 February 2011. Web. 30 April 2014.
Queen Elizabeth I, also known as the “Iron Queen”, was a remarkable woman of her time, she ruled with great power and longevity. She was one of the greatest feminist of time. Coming to the throne in 1558, she took the place of her father, Henry VIII. She was given one of the most difficult jobs fit for a man or King, ruling England. At the time women were second class citizens, they could not vote nor own properties and such. Surprising England with her intelligence and fierce rulings, she changed herself to make better decisions. She proved through her rulings, to everyone that females were strong and could rule just as well as a king. She refused to marry, giving a feeling of “I don’t need a man for anything.” The Queen was responsible for giving females a voice in literature and it is shown through Shakespeare’s writings.
Upon the death of her sister--in November of 1558--Elizabeth ascended to the thrown of England. Until Mary’s rule, no woman--apart from the unrecognized rule of Matilda, daughter of Henry I--had ruled England of her own right1. Much like her sister, Elizabeth began her rule widely accepted and welcomed2. There were, however, still many who felt that women were unable to rule, being that women were said to be the weaker sex. John Knox argued that, “God by the order of his creation hath spoiled women of authority and dominion, [and] also that man hath seen, proved and pronounced just causes why that it so should be.”3 Women had always been no more then property, first to their fathers and then their husbands. If a women were to be the anointed queen of a realm of her own right and then marry, whom was beholden to whom? A woman was to do as instructed by her husband in all things, yet a sovereign was to be under the command of God only.
Elizabeth is the daughter of Anne Boleyn and King Henry the 8th. She was declared a bastard in 1537 when her father finally had a male child. After this no one believed that she would ever inherit the throne of England. Elizabeth was very damaged by the fact that her father kept beheading his wives. One of her step-mothers Catherine Howard, who was her mother’s cousin, was kind to her and it deeply affected her that another person she loved was beheaded (Weir Pg. 13). Many people believe that this is one of the main reasons that Elizabeth never wanted to marry. The institution itself was deeply flawed to her reasoning. I would be the same way if every time my father married he got to chop the woman’s head off because he was bored with her.
Gender was the leading cause of distress in the 1500’s: King Henry VIII wanted nothing more than to have a son, yet was “cursed” with the legacy of a sickly son, whom died before the age of 18 and two daughters, one of whom broke every convention of her gender. Queen Elizabeth I never married nor had children, yet can be considered one of England’s most successful monarchs. By choosing King James VI of Scotland as her heir, unbeknownst to her, she created the line that leads to the modern Queen of England, Elizabeth II. The question posed is then, how did Elizabeth I’s gender affect her rule?
Waller, Maureen. Sovereign Ladies: Sex, Sacrifice, and Power : The Six Reigning Queens of England. New York: St. Martin's Griffin, 2008. Print.
Queen Elizabeth I’s gender appears as one of the main topics in her speeches. Elizabeth’s common mention of her own female gender, despite the fact that she could refer to herself with masculine terms, allows her to use gender stereotypes. Using these stereotypes along with mentions of motherly love and her knowledge of literature and when to manipulate her gender, she can rally others to her side, explain why she delays her answers to Parliament, and explain why she cannot knowingly harm her subjects, but by doing this, she provides people with evidence that women are unintelligent and incapable of ruling.
Through the use of two main characters in the film, Queen Margot, a critical examination will be made to further understand the importance of developing characters and their respected standard historical interpretations. By heavily characterizing the protagonist, Margaret of Valois, audience members were given the ability to identify with her. Similarly, the Queen regent, Catherine de Medici remained heavily mythologized in the film to advance the plotline. The overall success of the film can thereby be attributed to the prominence of the representation of historical figures.
The way both Elizabeth and Catherine lived during their youth had an impact on their life ambitions. Raised by an exasperated father, a single-minded mother whose only goal was to have each of he...
Queen Elizabeth I was born on September 7, 1533, in Greenwich, England. Elizabeth reigned queen of England and Ireland from November 17, 1558 until her death. Elizabeth never married, and died a virgin, sometimes called “The Virgin Queen” (Gale 2). Elizabeth was born to King Henry Tudor VIII and Anne Boleyn; she was the fifth and last monarch of the Tudor dynasty. This paper will prove Queen Elizabeth I was a woman wholly devoted to her country and brought it much prosperity and growth; these qualities made her the most respected leader of the entire history of England.
Queen Elizabeth the first was one of the first woman monarchs to rule alone in the history of Europe. Her character, the way she ruled, and even her gender transformed her country’s go...