Character Analysis
(Avoiding Spoilers)
Living… in England, circa 1585. Most of Europe has yielded to the powerful Spanish empire and its ruler, the devoutly Catholic Prince Philip. Seeing Protestant England as a threat, he declares war. As a result, Elizabeth faces constant peril as England’s queen.
Profession... queen of England, for now. Prince Philip is determined to vanquish England and dethrone Elizabeth. Mary, Queen of Scots, conspires against her as well. Sir Francis Walsingham, a trusted advisor, urges her to take action and solidify her position. Undaunted by the threats, Elizabeth worries about preserving the country rather than her own position – and life.
Interests… gossiping with her ladies-in-waiting. Her favorite is Bess Throckmorton, a cheery and loyal young woman who admires Elizabeth’s wit and spirit.
Relationship Status... unmarried. Rumors are spreading like wildfire around England. Bishops preach that God is showing his displeasure because the Queen remains unwed. Others suggest that she is infertile. Although Elizabeth dismisses the claims as nonsense, Walsingham knows that it’s “dangerous nonsense.” The Queen will continue to teeter in her precarious position until she marries and produces an heir.
Challenge… protecting England. With Spain speaking openly of Mary as Queen, Elizabeth is in more danger than ever. Royal advisors encourage her to treat every Catholic in England as a potential threat, but Elizabeth chooses to trust her citizens: “I will not punish my people for their beliefs, only their deeds.” Whether or not this confidence is misplaced has yet to be seen.
Personality… fair and clever, Elizabeth is “assured that the people of England love their Queen.” As a result, she strives to earn that love, ruling with a just and firm hand. Will that be enough, however, considering the forces arrayed against her? She certainly wouldn’t be the first monarch to lose her head – literally.
Get to Know her in...
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This film details the ascension to the throne and the early reign of Queen Elizabeth the First. The main focus is the endless attempts by her council to marry her off, the Catholic hatred of her and her romance with Lord Robert Dudley.
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This movie is a Sequel to the First Elizabeth movie from 1998, and takes place in the 15th century, following the virgin queen of England, and her epic battle against the Spanish fleet
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Elizabeth I is a two-part 2005 British historical drama television miniseries directed by Tom Hooper, written by Nigel Williams, and starring Helen Mirren as Elizabeth I of England. The miniseries covers approximately the last 24 years of her nearly 45-year reign. Part 1 focuses on the final years of her relationship with the Earl of Leicester, played by Jeremy Irons. Part 2 focuses on her subsequent relationship with the Earl of Essex, played by Hugh Dancy. The series originally was broadcast in the United Kingdom in two two-hour segments on Channel 4. It later aired on HBO in the United States, CBC and TMN in Canada, ATV in Hong Kong, ABC in Australia, and TVNZ Television One in New Zealand. The series went on to win Emmy, Peabody, and Golden Globe Awards. The same year, Helen Mirren starred as Queen Elizabeth II in The Queen, with which she dominated the award season.
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The New York Times bestseller from Margaret George—a captivating novel about history's most enthralling queen, the legendary Elizabeth Tudor.
England’s greatest monarch has baffled and intrigued the world for centuries. But what was the Virgin Queen really like? Lettice Knollys—Elizabeth's flame-haired, look-alike coussin—thinks she knows all too well. Elizabeth’s rival for the love of Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester, and mother to the Earl of Essex, the mercurial nobleman who challenged Elizabeth’s throne, Lettice has been intertwined with Elizabeth since childhood.
This is a story of two women of fierce intellect and desire, one trying to protect her country, and throne, the other trying to regain power and position for her family. Their rivalry, and its ensuing drama, soon involves everyone close to Elizabeth, from the famed courtiers who enriched the crown to the legendary poets and playwrights who paid homage to it with their works.
Filled with intimate portraits of the personalities who made the Elizabethan age great—Shakespeare, Marlowe, Dudley, Raleigh, Drake—Elizabeth I provides an unforgettable glimpse of a woman who considered herself married to her people. A queen who ruled as much from the heart as from the head.
