...Close Reading of ‘When I Was Fair and Young: Queen Elizabeth I’ In ‘When I Was Fair and Young’ Queen Elizabeth repeats “Go, go, go, seek some otherwhere; importune me no more” in all four stanzas. The repeated line is not indeed to end the stanza but rather a line to set the tone for the Queen’s internal feelings and it has a different meaning for each. In the first three lines of the poem she speaks of her power and of her heritage and how blessed she is. The poem dances in her head-it was her only escape from the madness outside of her. Line one and line two are solely told to remind her of her strength; she is the queen! Cupid is brought upon her life, love, he knows, she can control but cannot and does not have the luxury of feeling love. She knows many men desire her and realizes th at any who approaches her she will ‘scorn’ away and gracefully rejects him by telling him to “Go, go, go, seek some otherwhere; importune me no more”. The first repeated line represents herself ridiculing her admirers, the repetition of the word; “go” shows uncertainty in this stanza. She is not sure whether she really wants to chase them away. Stanza two represents more uncertainty but slowly approaches the pain she feels inside. In this stanza the words represent a different meaning to the Queen. She is not one to be controlled so the meaning to “Go, go, go, seek some otherwhere; importune me no more” is not a ridicule chasing her admires away rather than a statement telling them...
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...Queen Elizabeth I of England had a major effect on woman’s history from the time she was crowned, taking the place of her half-sister Mary in 1558. It was obvious that Elizabeth was going to learn many things about ruling a country from Mary, but it was unclear that she would take her strategies and make them her own. She would be under the same scurrility because of her gender and her basic beliefs, but she did not let that interfere with her place on the throne. Elizabeth mirrored the way Mary ran things and focused more on the topics she felt important, although the public believed that trivial subjects such as her unwilling to marry, or have children, and the fact that she was in deed a woman. Elizabeth embraced the her femininity and used it to comfort the public in which she ruled rather than intimidating them with it, or trying to seem more masculine. She found no reason to hide behind a man, and in that way she paved the way for feminists hundreds of years later to stand up for themselves and march to be treated as equals. Queen Mary was crowned in 1553 as the first queen of England, ruled in a way that showed that she too could be treated the same as a man, referring to herself as a “prince” in many speeches, she metaphorically took the role as a man to help relate to the public rather than proving to them that she as a woman could be just as strong as a man. Upon her death in 1558, Elizabeth took over the throne and “mirrored” that strategy. Instead of hiding behind...
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...The women writers from Norton Anthology remind me of a great deal about the women in today’s society. Women today and from the past had to face the same hardships. They had to rise up from their invisible constraints just to gain their equality. Women always had to fight to gain their gender liberation. I would like to compare my mom to Queen Elizabeth. My mom always reminded me of a military mom. She was very strict in her ways, even when it came to the dinner table. I remember she told me I could not have juice until I finished eating all my food. Even to this day I eat mostly all of my food, before I drink any kind of liquids. I tell people do not blame me, blame my mom. She made sure that she would not baby me in any way. My mom made sure to raise a man. When she saw me being picked on one day she made sure I would fight them no matter how big they are. She always told me life was hard. There will always be challenges in your life, but you do not run away from them. I guess she was talking from personal experience about when she found out she was pregnant. She did not run or hide from the fact she was having a child. She embraced it and acknowledged the fact that she was basically going to be a single mother. My father was always in and out of jail, so she knew she could not depend on him. In the same way I am like my mom. We are both realists. I hate when someone say they are going to do something, and they do not do it. My mom told me that...
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...Queen Elizabeth Regina I was born to Anne Boleyn and Henry VIII at Greenwich Palace on 7 September 1533. She was the fifth and last monarch of the Tudor dynasty. Her mother, Anne Boleyn, was the second wife to Henry VIII and was later charged with with plotting to murder the king. She was charged with 22 counts of adultery. She was later found guilty and beheaded on May 19, 1536, when Elizabeth was just 3 years old. Henry needed Anne out of the way so that he could marry Jane Seymour. Jane Seymour was Henry’s third wife who finally gave Henry a male heir. Jane Seymour died less then 2 weeks after giving birth to Edward. Henry VIII then married 3 more times. However, he had no more children. Elizabeth and her older sister, Mary , also known as “Bloody Mary” were made illegitimate by Henry III at more then one point in their lives, however both ruled. When Elizabeth was declared illegitimate, her title as princess was taken from her and she was referred to as Lady Elizabeth until she was crowned Queen. Mary’s reign was a bloody one. She reverted the people back to the Catholic church and those who were against were punished severely. She beheaded and burned people at the stake during her reign as Queen. Approximately, 300 Protestants were executed. Elizabeth herself , reverted to Catholicism to keep her head. Mary died when Elizabeth was just 25 years old. Elizabeth became queen on 17 November 1558 and was crowned Queen on 15 January 1559 at Westminster Abbey. She in my opinion...
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...Queen Elizabeth I: Statesman v. Rebel against Catholicism 1. Thesis Statement Queen Elizabeth I was considered a statesman, brought back Anglicanism, and never truly picked a side of specific beliefs, allowing the people to worship freely. 2. Introduction The Elizabethan era experienced relative calm compared to previous reigns. The inauguration of Queen Elizabeth I was received with a tense spiritual atmosphere as most Catholics expected an era of political instability coupled with religious persecution as experienced with Queen Mary. Contrary to the expectations of most people, Queen Elizabeth I was less interested in zealous performances of her predecessors and believed in the interest of the majority. She wanted to be liked by the people of England, and this meant that she had to make her decisions right. She was being raised as a Protestant; she was well aware of the power struggles between the Catholics and the Protestants. She reinforced the Church of England for the people but did not do away with Roman Catholic. She chose to bring back the Church of England because she knew many of her people were hiding in exile. She wanted them to come back and enjoy the freedom of worship without fear. She also knew that by doing this, she will increase her popularity and most people will convert to Protestant. This was a peaceful strategy of making the Church of England more popular than the roman catholic. This paper...
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...Before Queen Elizabeth took reign in England, she was a prisoner due to her Protestant beliefs. Queen Elizabeth did not have the perfect fantasy life that you think a princess would have. She, like many, had struggled throughout her childhood. Even though Queen Elizabeth had a very hard childhood, she is now known as one of the greatest, most influential queens of all time. Queen Elizabeth had an extremely traumatic childhood. On September 7, 1533 Queen Elizabeth was born at Greenwich Palace (Hanson). Queen Elizabeth’s birth was one of the most exciting political events in the sixteenth century European history (Hanson). She was the daughter of King Henry VIII and his second wife, Anne Boleyn (Moral and Greenblatt). When Queen Elizabeth was two years old, a tragedy occurred within her family. Her mother, Anne Boleyn, had been charged with adultery and treason. Her father, King Henry VIII, made the very difficult choice of beheading her due to the charges he bestowed upon her. Shortly after her mother's death, her father remarried a woman named Jane Seymour. Jane died not too many days after she gave birth to her son, Edward (Sharnette). When Queen Elizabeth was four years old, her life changed due to the presence of an important person, Katherine Champernowne. Katherine...
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...1. Introduction "I am called the Virgin Queen. Unmarried, I have no master. Childless, I am mother to my people. I am the queen, I am myself." This quote from the movie “Elizabeth: The Golden Age“ describes the fascination about Elizabeth I of England in few sentences. A woman, who could prevail in a male-dominated society. A woman, who waived her own fortune for the sake of her subjects. A woman, who influences the national pride of the English even today. So it is not surprising that there is plenty of literature, opera and movies about Elizabeth I. The following term paper examines three movies, where Elizabeth I is the protagonist. “Elizabeth“, with Cate Blanchett in the leading role, is about the days of her youth. The 1998 movie shows the development of a young princess, who was crowned after the death of her half sister Maria. The first years of her reign are very turbulent, because the creation of a Protestant Church by her father Henry VIII and the return to Catholicism under Maria split the nation. The inexperienced Elizabeth has to determine which religion should be the official one in order to prevent a civil war. Meanwhile her consultants give her advice to keep the line of succession by marriage. But to whom shall she entrust her heart and kingdom? At the end of the movie all problems are solved and Elizabeth creates the icon of the “virgin queen“. Nine years later, the sequel of the movie from 1998, “Elizabeth: The Golden Age“ was released. She is in her 26th...
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...On September 7, 1533, Queen Elizabeth I was born to her parents, Henry VIII of England and Anne Boleyn. Elizabeth lived a difficult childhood. Her mother was shunned from the town. After her father left the throne, she was the next one in line after her older half brother died. Queen Elizabeth ruled during a time when women were not considered rulers. However, Elizabeth ruled for forty-five years after she took the throne. Her family and nobles that worked with her made her time on the throne extremely difficult. Queen Elizabeth I is often referred to as “The Virgin Queen” because she did not marry while she was on the throne. But Elizabeth was in love with her long-time friend. Elizabeth was in love with her long-time friend, Robert...
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...The two monarchs, Queen Elizabeth I and Maria Theresa, share some similarities and differences in the aspects of ruling styles, accomplishments, legacies, and failures. Yet, both Queen Elizabeth I and Maria Theresa are one of the best female monarchs of their time. Elizabeth I is known for being one of the most powerful absolute monarchs of Great Britain. Using Machiavellian ruling tactics, she obtained enough power to accomplish the feats of defeating the Spanish Armada, contributing to the Cultural Renaissance, and allowing Great Britain to be recognized as a world power. She also maintained authority of the Anglican Church (England was a Protestant country at this time). Unfortunately, Queen Elizabeth I did not get married or had any heirs...
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...Since birth, Elizabeth I of England endured a very active, and at some times, very merciless life. Queen Elizabeth was the daughter of Henry VIII and Lady Anne Boleyn. She was born in 1533 at the Palace of Placentia, in Greenwich, England. Three years later, in 1536, her mother was sentenced to death. Henry, Elizabeth’s father, had claimed that Anne Boleyn committed treason. He believed that due to the fact that Anne never bore him a son, it must have been treason. While her father was off looking for another wife, Elizabeth was sent into the care of one of the governors. During this time, she grew up with an excellent education, developed a calm and gentle spirit, and acquired a love of Shakespeare’s work. Later, as a young adult, her older sister, Mary, became queen of England. Unlike Elizabeth, Mary was a staunch Catholic, and brought persecution against Protestants back to England. After killing over 300 Protestants, Mary was rightfully named, “Bloody Mary.” Having brought persecution back to England, Mary imprisoned Elizabeth for challenging the church, and for being suspected of taking part in a plot for the throne. This, of course, was a false...
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...Mocarski 2 Queen Elizabeth I A Queen With the Heart of a King One whom is to be considered, by many, as the greatest monarch in history would be Queen Elizabeth I. She is considered to be one of the important reigns in the world. Although she was a success, Elizabeth was not always viewed as a strong and capable woman. Many questioned if she would be able to overcome the problems that were essential in becoming the queen of England. Queen Elizabeth I is the daughter of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn (his second wife). She was born at the Greenwich Palace on September 7, 1533. To King Henry VIII, Elizabeth was his second daughter. His first born daughter was Mary, she was the daughter of Catherine of Aragon. King Henry VIII was not too thrilled...
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...Queen Elizabeth I faced a daring task. Her and all of her troops gathered in fear of a threatened invasion of their country, England, by the Netherlands. As time passes and no army arrived, the soldiers realized there would be no battle that night. Elizabeth did not take this scare lightly. She knew that she had to address her troops. With the careful use of pathos, appealing the the emotions of her soldiers, and uniting them as one, she would persuade them to fight towards victory in the battles to come. By using the pathos she had the power to prove that she may "have the body of a weak and feeble woman" but she did have "the heart of a king" (12-13). Throughout the speech, Elizabeth employs logos, ethos, and pathos but the...
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...This paper will be discussing the similarities between Queen Elizabeth II and King Arthur. There are many similarities between King Arthur and Queen Elizabeth II, but there are also many differences. This paper will not be discussing the differences, only the similarities. Everybody knows that King Arthur was the king of his country, and Queen Elizabeth II is the queen of her country, so that will not be discussed into a whole lot of detail, but not everyone knows the way they rule/ ruled their country. The first similarity is that both Queen Elizabeth II and King Arthur ruled at a relatively young age. Queen Elizabeth II assumed official duties at the age 16, Arthur too was 16 years old, so they were even the same age. Though, they became...
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...Why did Elizabeth execute Mary in 1587? Throughout Elizabeth's reign, she faced many problems from both extreme Catholics and Protestants. For example, many Catholics believed that Elizabeth was an illegitimate heir to the throne, therefore she should be killed and replaced with her cousin, Mary Queen of Scots, who was the “rightful heir to the throne”. Mary was a threat to Elizabeth and the throne, simply by being in England, therefore Elizabeth needed to make a decision on how to deal with this threat. In order to assess why Elizabeth executed Mary in 1587, it is important to look at her other options in dealing with Mary, such as allowing her to go back to France or to help her regain her throne in Scotland, which Mary was forced to give up when she was imprisoned in Lochleven Castle for the murder of her second husband, and the consequences of these options, both short-term and long-term. In May 1568, after Mary had escaped from imprisonment and fled to England in the hope that Elizabeth would help her, a decision needed to be made about what to do with Mary, as she was a threat to the throne – she represented Catholics all over England. If Elizabeth executed Mary at this point, although she knew she would be removing the threat to the throne, she also knew that she could be accused of murdering a legitimate Queen, and the French may become more hostile towards England, resulting in wars. Therefore, at this point, Elizabeth knew she was unable to execute Mary, and...
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...Ruler of England from 1558-1603, Queen Elizabeth I, in her “Speech to the British Troops at Tilbury”, attempted to uplift the spirits of her soldiers and create a sense of hope and positivity before they went into battle. The Queen’s purpose was to establish trust and boost the morale of her soldiers so that they would courageously defend England from foreign invasion. She adopted a passionate tone not only to appeal to the patriotic feelings of the soldiers but also to kindle unity in battle. Queen Elizabeth I began her speech by refuting the argument that she should “take heed how [she] commit[s] [herself] to armed multitudes, for fear of treachery” and by “assuring her soldiers, [she does] not desire to live to distrust [her] faithful and loving people.” The Queen utilized different types of register to connect with her soldiers on different levels. Words such as “treachery”, “armed multitudes” and the majestic plurals -“we” and “our” indicate a use of formal register that show the Queen’s sophistication and maturity towards her duties as the Ruler Of England. Through the use of very formal language, she adapted to the gravity of the situation while addressing something that was under speculation: her loyalty to England. This establishes ethos by getting rid of all skepticism in order...
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