And the Anxiety Builds…

After spending time analyzing James’s texts in class, scoping out and revealing signs of anxiety in his writing, it was intriguing to move on to the next monarch, Queen Elizabeth I, and find similar trends in her writing as well.  In both the speech “To the Troops at Tilbury” and “The Doubt of Future Foes,” Elizabeth attempts to put forth powerful messages that are tainted with anxieties.   

            In “The Doubt of Future Foes” Elizabeth discusses the threat posed to her title by Mary, Queen of Scots, who felt entitled to and planned to claim the throne from Elizabeth.  I was particularly surprised by Elizabeth’s worries at the beginning of the poem where she states:

 “For falsehood now doth flow, and subjects’ faith doth ebb, / Which should not be if reason ruled or wisdom weaved the web” (3-4). 

Elizabeth doesn’t even try to conceal her worries.  She both acknowledges that her people probably don’t offer unwavering support and suggests that she might feel more at ease if her ability to rule wasn’t based on something other than “reason” or “wisdom.”  While it appears that Elizabeth bounces back, going on a powerful and emotional tear, she concludes:

 “My rusty sword through rest shall first his edge employ / To poll their tops that seek such change or gape for future joy” (15-16).

Alluding to her rusty sword, Elizabeth suggests a few things that don’t seem to offer her citizens a very promising sense of security.  These suggestions might include (1) that she is unfamiliar with hand-to-hand combat (probably true), (2) that she has never actually had to fight herself as the monarch and wouldn’t follow through on her promise (probably true) and (3) that even if these are not true, do you think the people would feel more safe under the protection of a “rusty sword,” or a sharp-edged blade that glistens in the sun (something of that sort)?  She says she will “poll their tops that seek change,” personally, with that old rusty sword, I would be taking into consideration that the potential battle they face is not simply going to be a clean decapitation, but instead drawn out hack-fest… yikes.

            Moving to Elizabeth’s speech “To the Troops at Tillbury,” her lack of faith in her people’s allegiance is once again blatantly stated, alongside false promises of defending her people in battle.  Elizabeth starts her speech:

“My loving people, we have been persuaded by some that are careful of our safety to take heed how we commit ourself to armed multitudes for fear of treachery” (Anthology 305)

Once again, Elizabeth really fails to get a good start out of the blocks, as she admits to her people that she is vulnerable and understands that some may take advantage of that fact.  As in “Doubt of Future Foes,” she tries to build off this poor start, to rouse her troops for battle, claiming she will “live or die amongst them” and that “I [Elizabeth] myself will take up arms.”  However, her anxieties and fears get the best of her again, unequivocally admitting she has the “body of a weak and feeble women” and although she has promised to fight along side them, “In the meantime [her] lieutenant-general shall be in [her] stead.”

            I’d like to jump back to her recognition of the possibility that her people could be armed treacherers.  While at first (especially after our discussions of James) I saw this admission as an inability to keep anxious feelings at bay, I also considered that perhaps it might also suggest an unscathed confidence.  Maybe a little farfetched, but let me explain.  I began to think of the similarity between this attitude and Obama’s approach to his inauguration.  Although Obama was protected throughout ceremony by bulletproof glass, he still, against the advice of his personal security crew, walked for a portion of the parade unprotected.  Even with the looming notion that an attempt might be made on his life (a serious risk), he exposed himself, made himself vulnerable to the enormous crowd, even if just briefly.  Personally, I thought this showed a tremendous amount of confidence and established for the American people, that even in times of serious threat, he will not be shaken by fear-mongers and cower in times of potential danger.

So maybe I’m being a little hard on Elizabeth, but when you constantly point out your weaknesses it isn’t very flattering and certainly doesn’t instill confidence in the people who “trust” you with their safety.