The following was originally submitted as a homework assignment:
Your literary responses will be one to one and a half pages in length. This equates to 350-450 words. Choose ONE topic from the Analytical Topics each week. And, then respond to only one fellow student in 100 words. Cut and paste your work and student response into the student comment section of the assignment. There is NO need to make your work into a document.
Writing Assignments:
Literary Response #3
See topics below1. Edmund Spencer’s “The Faerie Queene” is considered a romantic epic poem. What is the definition of an “epic”? Does Spencer’s poem appear to you to be an epic? Why, or why not?
2. Discuss one of Queen Elizabeth’s public speeches in detail.
For my response, I chose to speak on Elizabeth’s last speech to Parliament.
Jeremiah Hall Palmer
Professor Maurene Hinds
LITR210
20 October 2011
In November of 1601, Queen Elizabeth spoke to Parliament, giving what would be known as The Golden Speech. In her address, Elizabeth express her feelings of how she had ruled as Queen, and gave thanks to those in the House of Commons that had given her so much support. This speech was likely presented as Elizabeth was realizing that soon her days would end as she was growing quite old in age.
In her leading paragraph, Elizabeth thanks the Speaker and the House for being in attendance and showing such care for the governance of the land; Elizabeth gives further thanks by saying that without their love and dedication she would not have been able to have served the public. Elizabeth continues on, giving brief pause to request the members stand as she feared the words she wanted to deliver would last long enough that they might grow uncomfortable in their seats.
Elizabeth continues on, recognizing that despite her careful manner and good intentions that there may have been a few members of the Commons who had opposition to her beliefs; to this she supposes that she was seen as a malady of sorts and that these people had found ways of dealing with the headache as and physician would through the prescription of some āmedicineā to alleviate the symptom. Even so Elizabeth secures her claims in her wanton desire to be and have been fair and just by saying that she had always remembered that she too will appear before a higher King and be given Judgement. Elizabeth leaves us with a final declaration of her feelings of her country and kingdom stating:
And though you haue had and may haue many mightier and wiser Princes sitting in this Seat, yet you neuer had nor shall haue any that will loue you better.
[Though there have been and may be stronger and wiser rulers to occupy this position, none have or will have the same love for this country and people as I have.]
Elizabeth I, Queen of England. “Queen Elizabeth’s Speech to her Last Parliament” Parliament, England. 30 Nov 1601. Retrieved 19 Oct 2011 from: http://www.luminarium.org/renascence-editions/eliz1.html.
One thought on “Elizabeth's Golden Speech”