English Renaissance, Queen Elizabeth Tudor Politics - Research Paper Example

English Renaissance Table of Contents Introduction 2 Thesis 3 Reading between the Lines: The Queen’s Majesty’s Passage 4 Arguments 6 Conclusion 10 References 11 Bibliography 12 Introduction Literature can always be summed up as the reflection of the age in which it has evolved. Renaissance period and specially 16th century England witnessed myriad upheavals in social, economical and political plane. These crest and fall in English society was expressed directly or indirectly in many texts and art pieces of the period. “The Queen’s Majesty’s Passage” is one such text which apparently bears a certain amount of nationalistic purview but when delved deep between the lines of the text, it stands with altogether a different proposition which is though difficult to perceive but not beyond comprehension. Elizabeth I was not accepted initially by the pageantry because of her lineage. If we try to interpret the text “The Queen’s Majesty’s Passage” from a feminist point of discourse, we would certainly come to a very vital aspect and conclusion that Elizabeth I was also suspected for her gender. “The Queen’s Majesty’s Passage” is considered as a nationalistic text but only at the outset. The nationalism, which is tried to be inflicted on the subjects of England, actually amounted into their resentment and mistrust about the Queen and her rule. On January 14th of the year of 1559, Queen Elizabeth Tudor took possession of the throne of England. The coronation of the royal majesty with great dignity, decor and pomp was executed as usual but there was something new in this processional coronation ceremony. The enacted part by the Queen was really great. The brilliant spectacular series of event that followed the public display was grand and brilliant. The circumstances about the entry procession and the political connotation and aftermath indicates something different which was researched by the historians and Tudor scholars even after four centuries, clearly indicate that the demand for the detailed outlay for the future course of act. Thesis After the death of the sister Mary, the entry of Elizabeth Tudor in London had been grand. The business class of the city and the nobles and knights provided her with gala ceremonies all around and therefore the ‘Queen’s Majesty’s Passage’ is often depicted as a nationalistic text (Warkentin, “The Queen's Majesty's passage & related documents”). But in reality, it indicates England's doubt in Elizabeth I during her initial pageantry into the monarchy due to her controversial lineage and gender. The papers argues for the issue as it inculcates wide readings and in turn proves that the ‘Queen’s Majesty’s Passage’ is not a nationalistic text. Reading between the Lines: The Queen’s Majesty’s Passage Recent research says that Cleopatra was not beautiful rather the pomp and the procession of her decorated barge in which she used to travel through the river Nile that not only eclipsed the ugly face but created an aura and feeling of majesty around her. A similar pattern of creating a false halo or a hallucination centering the procession of Queen Elizabeth was noticed and this becomes evident when her coronation is compared with the previous royal ceremonies with traditional emphasis. The images, symbols and the poems and pageants written and dedicated on the coronation ceremony makes the point obvious that somewhere a series of discontent and mistrust was prevailing amidst the subjects and the peasants of England were really skeptic about Queen’s potential and capability to reign such a vast empire (McCoy, “The Wonderfull Spectacle”). The subtleties of the document become more obvious in the Lord Mayor’s show. Lord Mayor’s show in its simplest form encompassed procession throughout the city of London every 29th October on the occasion of Mayor’s oath taking ceremony. These can be viewed as the beginning of the complexity in the dramatic action and the great expenditure incurred by the civic pageantry of the England in the 16th century (Bergeron, “The Elizabethan Lord Mayor’s Show”). The reaction to the coronation was directly felt by these performance and the images and words used in these performances directly hinted at the disgrace and doubt in the mind of the subjects during the Stuart period. ‘The Queen’s Majesty’s Passage’ itself indicated few events which launches the text into a real far away from the nationalistic canon. During the planning for the entry of Queen Elizabeth, the peasants refused to paint and even refused trimming of the great conduit cheaply in this case as alderman had to find out an improvised solution for covering the conduit with tapestries and devices that were heraldic. This is the first evidence of suspect, resentment and doubt placed by the subjects of England on their Queen and is clearly indicated in the book (Canadas, “Public theater in golden age Madrid and Tudor-Stuart London: class, gender and festive community”). Church always played an important role in determining the destiny of the royal monarchy in England. During the coronation and reign of Elizabeth I too, clergy did not lack behind. Regardless to any doubt, clergy performed a crucial role in making of the Queen and it began since the very initial period. Since the procession of the Queen’s passage through the city of London itself, clergy started playing its part. Amidst all the divisions of opinion regarding the political position of Elizabeth I, the only sign of confidence she displayed evolved from the fact that this procession was not a debut for her. She had an experience of this kind of pomp and show when she accompanied Mary, in 1553 procession. This confidence was the only weapon for Elizabeth during the procession of 1593. Chronicler John Stow recalled a vital point worth mentioning at this crucial juncture while discussing the struggle and trajectory of Elizabeth’s life. Stow contended, “The English nation was wonderfully divided in opinions, as well as in matters of ecclesiastical government as in diver’s points of religion, by reason of three changes within the compass of twelve years” (Warkentin, “The Queen's Majesty's passage & related documents”). Queen’s gender played a crucial role in the entry procession of Mary and Elizabeth. It presented a challenge in front the organizers. The custom was the prevalent to portray as male monarch depicted as a fighting leader, but in this case there was no scope to portray the military “virtu” of the would - be possessor of such a majestic kingdom. The two vital factors that played during the coronation ceremony or the Queen’s passage was mentioned clearly which was displayed in the book too. Elizabeth was female and was moreover unmarried. These two factors operated as a vital source for the gender issue and reason for resentment amidst her subjects. A reigning Queen and single between the men are always considered as powerful pillars of English monarchy. Regardless to her intelligence and well-preparedness, she ought to be a victim of the medieval and early modern psychology which pertains to a feeling of mistrust and uncertainties that were imputed on women and a fear certainly operated within the subjects that power or control of the kingdom by a woman would certainly and dangerously unsettle the realm. The way Queen Elizabeth I was portrayed throughout the book presents a lady who was doubted of her capabilities at every step and despite of her brilliant senses and sensibilities she was repeatedly undermined through the use of certain language, icons, images and symbols throughout the book which neglects her virtues at length. Arguments It was pretty clear from the various events during the rule and introduction of Queen Elizabeth I that though the book tried to depict a nationalistic outlook that was not the case actually. As it was Queen this time, many of the common mass doubted if the kingdom was safe under her hands. This was more prevalent as because the Queen was unmarried during the time. There could be several such incidents that could be related with. One such incident happened when the Queen was on tour to meet her subjects. As the chariot of the Queen reached the city, the merchants stood on the two sides of the road to shower their love and respect towards the Queen. A child was selected to honor the Queen on behalf of the city. The Queen was so spellbound with the scheme of things that she ordered her chariot to stop as she planned to listen to the phrases recited by the child. In a very graceful rhyme, the child recited that, “Welcome therefore O Queen, as much as heart can think, Welcome again O Queen, as much as tongue can tell: Welcome to Joyous tongues, and hearts that will not shrink, God thee preserve we pray, and wish thee ever well” (Warkentin, “The Queen's Majesty's passage & related documents”). Though the Queen was too happy with the poem of appeasement as the business class cheered and greeted after the recitation was over, yet the scholars thought that the closer inspection of the lines proves that the real intention of the city dwellers as they never trusted their Queen as their savior in the time of the need. The detailed inspection of the lines and the happenings at the city makes it very clear that though the entire thing might be presented with the packing of nationalism, yet it was not at all the case. The second reason that again throws light in the same direction had been the description of the stage that clearly exhibited the unreliability of the common people upon the abilities of the majestic Queen because of her gender and status. It was observed in the book that the stage was prepared extending from one side of the road to the other and the sitting arrangements on the stage was the next thing in debate. The arrangement was done in the lowest stage. The most important aspect has been that though the experts suggest that the sitting arrangement was primarily meant for two persons and but the arrangement was not divided among the two persons. Moreover, it was observed that while the other guests, sitting with the Queen were facilitated with the red rose, Queen herself was provided only with a white rise. Though formally it had nothing to do with the gender and the relationship status of the graceful Queen Elizabeth I, off the records, even the biggest supports of her would agree the real reason for such indifferent behavior from the organizers. The last point of contention that is taken into consideration, in order to depict that the business persons of England’s welcome to Queen Elizabeth because of the medieval factors like gender and relationship status, has been the scenario when the Queen planned to enter the city of London, owing to death of her sister Mary in 1558. The possession that was conducted by Queen Elizabeth I was known as the ‘royal entry’. After a few days, a pamphlet was published that said about the other intricate details about the royal entry. It describes the city, the decorations, the costumes, the songs and the poems and the presentation of gifts that was ritual in nature. Though the various groups in the court contended for being the best, the fear among the common English men and women still remained. Those in the courts or the business class might be aware of the attributes of the Queen and would perceive her able to rule the huge kingdom of Great Britain but the common people were not sure about her abilities. The prime concern had been that being a woman and without any experience whatsoever, how could she keep all the factors within her control. The only experience prior to the coronation that Queen Elizabeth possessed in terms of handing general public at large has been the coronation of her sister named Mary (Bergeron, “Elizabeth’s Coronation Entry (1559): New Manuscript Evidence”). It can be said without much doubt that the even the church played an important role in determining the person who would take charge of the British throne. And there is not much confusion regarding the fact that the church of the 16th century never wanted a female to be the ruler of the entire kingdom. Left with no choice, though the church agreed, the relentless pressure was maintained by them upon Queen Elizabeth I. Conclusion It can be said without much hesitation that Queen Elizabeth I was one of the successful rulers of the British Kingdom. The firm empress as she was, the kingdom of Great Britain achieved extra – ordinary heights under her leadership, the Mary Rose captured increased feminocentric basis for rising to the sovereignty by the Queen (Rose, “The Gendering of Authority in the Public Speeches of Elizabeth I”). But the underlying facts of the initiation of her rule have been quite different. After the death of her sister Mary, the road for the emperorship was not a smooth one for Queen Elizabeth I. It was so because she had no prior experience of handling people at large. Also, the all powerful church did not support the idea whole heartedly. Several questions were raised with respect to the lineage and gender of the Queen. Though the business or the mercantile class that always remained within the close proximity of the ruler supported the case of Queen Elizabeth I, but the common people did not have much faith upon the leadership for the initial years. Therefore, though the ‘Queen's Majesty's Passage’ is represented as a nationalistic text, but in reality, it reveals England’s doubt in Elizabeth during the Queen’s initial pageantry into the monarchy due to her controversial lineage and gender. References Bergeron, David M. “The Elizabethan Lord Mayor’s Show”. April 21, 2010. JSTOR. 1970. Bergeron, David M. Elizabeth’s Coronation Entry (1559): New Manuscript Evidence. English Literary Renaissance, 1987. Canadas, Ivan. Public Theater in Golden Age Madrid and Tudor-Stuart London: Class, Gender and Festive Community. Ashgate Publishing, Ltd., 2005. McCoy, Richard C. The Wonderfull Spectacle: The Civic Progress of Elizabeth I and the Troublesome Coronation Coronations: Medieval and Early Modern Monarchic Ritual, 1990. Rose, Mary Beth. The Gendering of Authority in the Public Speeches of Elizabeth I PLMA: Publications of the Modern Language Associations of America, 2002. Warkentin, G. The Queen's Majesty's passage & related documents. Centre for Reformation and Renaissance Studies, 2004. Bibliography Bergeron, D. M. “Medieval Drama and Tudor-Stuart Civic Pageantry” Journal of Medieval and Renaissance Studies. Richards, Judith. The Two Tudor Queens Regnant. History Review Issue 53, 2005. McLaren, Anne. Gender, Religion, and Early Modern Nationalism: Elizabeth, Mary Queen of Scots, and the Genesis of English Anti-Catholicism. American Historical Review, 2002. Read More