A Lover Scorned

      Queen Elizabeth, in My Enemy the Queen, is yet again twisted into a caricature of herself. In this novel, she's a name-calling, desperate, and lonely scorned lover who depends entirely on Robert. Holt even wrote: "The Queen was never happy when Robert wasn't with her."
      So, what is the reason these novelists have used Elizabeth as a focal point? How do they change her personality for the novel? What kind of pattern do we see in these changes? Particularly, why is it that Elizabeth is used mainly for romance novels? (This brings us back to history's strange obsession with her 'sex life'.)

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Queen of non-decision making

"It was like a game of chess; he saw her turn her head and puzzle how she could outwit him (195)."

"But I will always be Queen,"she said. "You will always be my courtier (196)."

‘Queen’ Elizabeth? Hardly

“Robert, I don’t know how to do this.” she said, in a small voice. “I can’t even remember how to get to the King’s rooms from the great hall. If someone doesn’t walk before me I’ll get lost. I don’t know how to get to the gardens from the picture gallery, or from the stable to my rooms. I... I’m lost here.” (Gregory, Pg. 35)

This quote was the moment I realized there was something very wrong with this novels depiction of Elizabeth. The way she delivers this line- ‘in a small voice’- paints her as helpless and frightened, which is the complete opposite of Queen Elizabeth. We see her here, nervous and quivering and relying on a man to guide her. Granted, it’s in a fairly mundane situation, and it’s entirely possible that the real Elizabeth could plausibly have gotten lost; but I refuse to believe she would openly act so helpless. This is where I realized Elizabeth in this book was going to be nothing but a typical helpless damsel, and it only gets worse from here...

Elizabeth, Nice For What?

While reading Queen Elizabeth's letter to the King of Scotland I could not help, but be reminded of this song. When she said she had his best holds in her hands, and conserved them and rendered them to him she had to be nice, for what?

In Her Own Words...

      I found several fascinating trends/patterns in Elizabeth's speeches: 1.) She always brings up princes, particularly when referring to herself, 2.) has a teasing tone (seemingly reminiscent of Cate Blanchett's Elizabeth in the film Elizabeth), and 3.) she constantly refers to giving her all to her throne and England, thanking her people for their understanding and effort when she sees fit. These two quotes stuck out to me as great summaries both for her attitude in these speeches and her persona as represented by the other texts we've read/watched:

      "How have I governed since my reign? I will be tried by envy itself. I need not to use many words, for my deeds do try me" (Greenblatt, 692).

      "I know I have the body but of a weak and feeble woman; but I have the heart and stomach of a king, and of a king of England too" (Greenblatt, 700).

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Brutus' Takeover

"Caesar's better parts

Shall be crown'd in Brutus."

Julius Caesar (3.2.1587)





Although its small, I found this quote interesting. Right before, someone says basically that Brutus should be Caesar, but then someone corrects him to say only the good parts about Caesar. This shows the people didn't completely not care for Caesar, only some parts of him. It shows they still want a good leader, they just need some different qualities. Their society isn't mad over Caesars death, but they're at the same time not celebrating it. They desire a good leader. Right after, someone says "Peace silence, Brutus speaks!" just like they used to say when Caesar spoke, it shows how Brutus was so quickly transformed into Caesars place, and how it didn't really phase the people.

Hate for the Tyrant or Hate of Tyranny?

Did Brutus actually kill Caesar for the betterment of the Republic? If so did he actually believe this was right? Or were his actions a Oligarchical power move?

In Your Weakness You Find Your Strength

"But he did not make the weakness of his constitution a pretext for his ease, but rather used war as the best physic against his indispositions "( Plutarch, 210).

Plutarch, et al. Plutarch's Lives of Illustrious Men. The J.C. Winston Co., 1908

I chose this quote because it shows that Caesar did not let any shortcomings stand in the way of his quest for power. He used his weaknesses as a drive to fight harder, rather than have them hold him back and limit him.

Man of Power and the People

       A large part of Caesar's life, as presented by Plutarch, centers around his drive for power. In multiple instances, he uses his wit and cunning to win over the people, and they rally around him in times of need. They become tools in his quest for position and power, yet he treats them with the utmost of respect even beyond simple 'winning over'. He was generous and honorable to his soldiers: "All he gave to deserving soldiers as so much increase to his own riches...there was no danger to which he did not willingly expose himself, no labor from which he pleaded an exemption" (Plutarch, 210).
      After reading about Caesar's life, what type of man can we conclude him to be? What are instances where he sides with the people only to gain their favor, and how does that later assist him in his rise to power and his impressive exploits as a leader? How does his relationship with the people (particularly the commoners, not the nobility) coincide with his power?

From the movie Little Caesar.

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A Trust Betrayed

Methoughts that I had broken from the Tower,
And was embarked to cross to Burgundy,
And in my company my brother Gloucester,
. . .
Methought that Gloucester stumbled, and in falling
Struck me—that thought to stay him—overboard
Into the tumbling billows of the main.


In this quote, Clarence is seen giving an almost prophetic-like description of his dream in which he broke out of the tower and fled to France with Richard, only to be cast overboard and drowned. I believe the quote is meant to symbolize Clarence's fast-approaching death as two elements from the dream are realized in the play's near future: Clarence's death by drowning (in a barrel of wine) and ultimately, his death was a result of Richard's work. Aside from foreshadowing, I believe this quote also serves to show Clarence's trust in Richard, as he never accepted the fact that Richard was out to kill him. I believe Shakespeare's intent here was to have someone close to Richard killed off, in order to demonstrate the extent of his evil nature

Long Live Richard, England's Royal King!

BRAKENBURY.  Well, madam, and in health. But by your leave, I may not suffer you to visit him. The King hath straitly charged the contrary.

QUEEN ELIZABETH.  The King? Why, who's that?

BRAKENBURY.  I cry you mercy: I mean the Lord Protector. (Act IV, Scene I, 10-14, p. 69)

       In the opening scene of Act IV, Queen Elizabeth along with Lady Anne, Duchess of York and Marquis Dorset request to see Prince Edward and the Duke of York inside the tower. Brakenbury denies their entry at Richard III's request, but by inadvertently referring to Richard III as 'The King' Brakenbury unintentionally exposes Richard III's inevitable ascension to the throne to Queen Elizabeth, the mother of Prince Edward and the Duke of York. At this point Queen Elizabeth realizes the immediate danger that her two sons are in as Richard III's opposition to the crown.

What Do The People Really Want?

"Woe to that land that's govern'd by a child" (2.3.11) This quote is said by a citizen who is talking with their neighbors. I thought it was odd of them to say this because they hadn't give the prince a chance to rule yet. They were so quick to say that their lives were about to be shit shows that they didn't stop to think the alternative. All the citizens thought that the prince would do better with a noble man by his side to guide him. "For emulation now who shall be nearest/ Will touch us all too near, if God prevent not./ O, full of danger is the Duke of Gloucester." (2.3.25-27) However in the same breath they are willing to say that the only man able to guide the prince is a danger to society. It is as if they aren't sure if they want a child to be the king on his own or if they want a child guided by a dangerous guardian to be king.

Did Shakespeare truly believe the rumor?

"But say, my lord, it were not register'd, / Methinks the truth should live from age to age, /
 as 'twere retail'd to all posterity, / even to the general all-ending day." (3.1.75 - 78). I don't think he really believed the rumor that Richard III killed his nephews. It almost seems like, through Prince Edward, Shakespeare is making a point to say that truth should be absolute and not ambiguous. I could be wrong.

Richard's character exposed

"Arise, dissembler: though I wish thy death, I will not be the executioner" (1.2.170-171). This quote is said by Lady Anne to Richard III after Richard confesses his "love" to her. He tells her to stab him and she decides not to. I think this is really highlighting and helping us to understand the character of Richard in comparison to the other characters in the play. It also helps us to see what kind of marriage Lady Anne is getting herself into, as well as what kind of character Lady Anne is herself.

State of the Union... Sad!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VSrEEDQgFc8

        I chose this clip from Meet The Press for the obvious reason that 'alternative facts' described by Counselor to the President, Kellyanne Conway parallel the theme of Tonypandy within The Daughter in Time. The manipulation of information is not only prevalent in news media and White House press briefings today, but was also prevalent in the Medieval ages, and was a tactic utilized by many to oust previous rulers.

        Ultimately, I agree with Grant's claim that King Richard III's portrayal as a monstrous-hunchback-mass killer is a distortion of the truth. The Tudor regime ascended to the throne by way of riding the coattail of a falsehood that King Richard III had maliciously tortured and eradicated his only opposition to the crown. When in reality, Henry VII rescinded the Titulus Regius Act and spread 'alternative facts' in order to ensure that his ascension to the crown would not be disputed, despite the fact that he may have been the product of a long line of illegitimacy.

An Embellished Historical Figure: The Psychedelic Progressive Rock Way

On the case of Richard III and how he is approached in The Daughter of Time, I am reminded, as I often am, of a Pink Floyd song; "Corporal Clegg". Without writing an essay on the song itself (although I would love to), I'll condense my reasoning to this: the corporal in question, to the knowledge of anyone outside of Roger Waters' head, is loosely based on Waters' father, but embellished and made more appropriate for the song at hand (goofy and off-beat, that is). Clearly the situation is dissimilar (Grant and Richard III vs. Pink Floyd fans and this song) but the parallels are there- different levels of embellishment for different purposes.

Pink Floyd - "Corporal Clegg", A Saucerful of Secrets (1968)