In England, the period between the Gothic and Renaissance styles is known as the Eliz
abethan age. It reached its peak in the late 1500s, toward the end of the long reign of Queen Eliza
beth I, and is often considered the last phase of the long- lasting Tudor style. Although the Eliza
bethan age produced a certain amount of characteristic sculptures and paintings, the Elizabethan sty
le can best be seen in the period's architecture. The dramatic personality of Elizabeth became the
subject of a voluminous literature (Elizabethan Age). However, the literature coming out of this pe
riod was also quite exceptional. Among the many great writers and poets were Edmund Spenser who wro
te a very detailed piece about a feast for Elizabeth, Sir Walter Raleigh who wrote poems about Eliza
beth, and William Shakesphere (Elizabethan Writers). The Gothic period preceding the Elizabethan ag
e was based very much on religion. Secular buildings, sculpture, stained glass, illuminated manuscr
ipts, and other decorative arts were produced in Europe during the latter part of the Middle Ages.
Since then the term Gothic has been restricted to the last major medieval period, immediately follow
ing the Romanesque (Gothic Period). The Renaissance, following the Elizabethan age was a rebirth of
scholarly interests. It was based on the classics of art, religion, science and inventions, philosop
hy, and humanism (Renaissance).
Queen Elizabeth I was a powerful political figure in E
nglish history. Her background was definitely relative to her choice of words and her topics that s
he used in 'When I Was Fair and Young.' Elizabeth was born in London on September 7, 1533. She spe
nt her childhood away from the court and received an excellent classical education under such schola
rs as Roger Ascham, who influenced her greatly (Plowden 7). Her exceptional education aided in many
of her future decisions and successes.
In 1554, Elizabeth was imprisoned on the false
charge of having been involved in Wyatt's rebellion. 'She was later released, having outwardly pro
fessed Roman Catholicism, and regained Mary's favor' (11-12)). Mary was her sister who locked her u
p because she felt threatened by Elizabeth. Mary falsely accused Elizabeth of aiding in a Protestant
rebellion. At the death of Mary in 1558, Elizabeth became queen, beginning one of the greatest rei
gns in English history (15).
At the time of Elizabeth's accession, England was torn by
religious strife, was economically insecure, and was involved in a disastrous war with France (19).
'Although she was excessively vain and capricious, her monarchial duties were always her primary co
ncern. Her policies and her colorful personality made her extremely popular with her subjects.' (2
0)
'Elizabeth's domination of the period to which her name became attached was due in
part to the exuberant national spirit that she inspired, and that characterized all of England durin
g the second half of the 16th century' (23). With the religious question settled and the war with F
rance concluded by the Treaty of Cateau-Cambrésis in 1559, England was able to develop industrially
and economically. Under Elizabeth's direction, the government began to regulate commerce and indust
ry on a national scale. A new system of coinage was introduced in 1560 to replace the silver coins
that had been the basis of England's economy throughout the previous years. As a result, prices fel
l to normal levels and confidence in English money was restored. Foreign trade, encouraged by the g
overnment, became a great capitalistic enterprise. The Royal Exchange of London was opened in 1566,
and the company of merchants, that later became the English East India Company, was chartered in 16
00 (25).
Above all this activity stood the figure of Elizabeth. 'In the eyes of her su
bjects, Elizabeth was England' (Smith 36). From the beginning of her reign, Elizabeth's marital sta
tus was a political concern because there was no English heir to the throne. Parliament insistently
asked her to marry, but she replied with the statement that she intended to live and die a virgin,
and she became known as the Virgin Queen. 'She was besieged by royal suitors, each of whom she favo
red when it was in her political interest to do so. Her affections, however, were bestowed on a suc
cession of favorites, notably Robert Dudley and Sir Walter Raleigh' (38). Sir Walter Raleigh has pr
inted poetry to Queen Elizabeth. He writes about how he adores her and he always will find her beau
tiful. In one line, he refers to her by saying 'For knowing that I sue to serve saint of such perfe
ction' (Raleigh lines 15- 16).
'Elizabeth's most delicate political problem was that i
nvolving her Roman Catholic cousin, Mary, Queen of Scots. Mary sought refuge in England after being
defeated in battle by her half brother, James Stuart, Earl of Moray' (43). Elizabeth immediately i
mprisoned Mary because the Catholic monarches of Europe and her own Catholic subjects considered Eli
zabeth illegitimate. 'By their reasoning, Mary was the lawful Queen of England.' (45) To Elizabeth
, Mary was the potential center of conspiracy. Mary was kept captive for years, giving rise to many
plots by English Catholics for her release. 'When in 1586 Walsingham, then Secretary of State, disc
overed a plot to assassinate Elizabeth and place Mary on the throne of England, Elizabeth reluctantl
y agreed to have Mary executed in 1587. The execution had serious results (46-47). 'Philip II of S
pain had, for years, been troubled by the raids of English mariners on his colonial possessions. Bec
ause Mary and Philip were Catholic, her death provided him with an added stimulus to prosecute the w
ar with England that had been going on since 1585' (49). He therefore sent a fleet to invade the co
untry in 1588. The Spanish Armada, however, suffered an inglorious defeat, and England eventually t
ook the place of Spain as the great colonizer of the New World and the reigning power on the seas (5
0).
Elizabeth spent the last years of her life unhappy and alone, having outlived a gl
orious age, the beginning of the history of what would become modern England. She died in London on
March 23, 1603 (Plowden 53). One of her works, 'When I Was Fair and Young,' was a poem written arou
nd 1579 and released in 1590. This was about the way she felt about herself:
'When I was fair and young, and favor
graced me,
Of many was I sou
ght, their mistress for
to be;
But I did scorn them all, a
nd answered them
therefore,
'Go, go, go, see
k some otherwhere,
Importune me no more!'
How many weepin
g eyes I made to pine
with woe,
How many sighing hearts, I
have no skill
to show;
Yet I the prouder grew, and answer
ed them
therefore,
'Go, go, go, seek some otherwhere,
Importune me no more!'
Then spake fair Venus' son, that proud
victorious boy,
And said, 'Fine dame, since that you be
so coy,
I will so pluck your plumes that you shall
say no more,
'Go, go, go, seek some otherwhere,
Importune me no more!'
When he had spake these words, such
change grew in my breast,
That neither night nor day since that, I
could take any rest,
Then lo! I did repent that I had said befor
e,
'Go, go, go, seek some otherwhere,
Importune me no more
!'
(Elizabeth I 173)
In this poem, I consider Elizabeth to be very conce
ited. In the opening stanza, she talks about many people wanting her. She was young and beautiful,
and also the most powerful person in England (lines 1-2). Later on in that stanza, she says how de
spite the numerous requests, she would reject them. Basically, they were not worth the time (lines
3-4). In the next stanza she talks about the numerous rejections she makes. It sounds like she's s
tarting to almost brag (lines 5-6). She comes back with the same line as in lines three and four, s
aying they are not worth it (lines 7-8) In the third stanza, someone a little more special requests
her company. He is Venus' son, Cupid. Along with his mother, they are the patrons of love (lines
9-10). As usual, she uses the same line as the others. The line asking them to stop wasting her ti
me (lines 11-12). The fourth and final stanza is different from the others. She realized that Cupi
d had an affect (lines 13- 14). She realized she should not have used the words that she used so of
ten, 'Go, go, go, seek some otherwhere, Importune me no more' (lines 15-16)! This poem was a perfec
t description of her love life. As I mentioned earlier, Parliament wanted her to marry, but she rep
lied with the statement that she intended to live and die a virgin, and she became known as the Virg
in Queen. Her affections, however, were bestowed on a succession of favorites, notably Robert Dudle
y and Sir Walter Raleigh' (Smith 38). Queen Elizabeth was an extremely independent woman and turned
a country of many problems into a prosperous one. She was very selective and never married, making
the successor to the throne James I, Elizabeth's cousin's son. Elizabeth's background was definitel
y the reason for her style of writing. She was a remarkable woman.england period between gothic ren
aissance styles known elizabethan reached peak late toward long reign queen elizabeth often consider
ed last phase long lasting tudor style although elizabethan produced certain amount characteristic s
culptures paintings elizabethan style best seen period architecture dramatic personality elizabeth b
ecame subject voluminous literature however literature coming this period also quite exceptional amo
ng many great writers poets were edmund spenser wrote very detailed piece about feast elizabeth walt
er raleigh wrote poems about william shakesphere writers gothic preceding based very much religion s
ecular buildings sculpture stained glass illuminated manuscripts other decorative arts were produced
europe during latter part middle ages since then term gothic been restricted last major medieval im
mediately following romanesque renaissance following rebirth scholarly interests based classics reli
gion science inventions philosophy humanism renaissance queen powerful political figure english hist
ory background definitely relative choice words topics that used when fair young born london septemb
er spent childhood away from court received excellent classical education under such scholars roger
ascham influenced greatly plowden exceptional education aided many future decisions successes impris
oned false charge having been involved wyatt rebellion later released having outwardly professed rom
an catholicism regained mary favor mary sister locked because felt threatened mary falsely accused a
iding protestant rebellion death became queen beginning greatest reigns english history time accessi
on england torn religious strife economically insecure involved disastrous with france although exce
ssively vain capricious monarchial duties were always primary concern policies colorful personality
made extremely popular with subjects domination which name became attached part exuberant national s
pirit that inspired that characterized england during second half century with religious question se
ttled france concluded treaty cateau cambr able develop industrially economically under direction go
vernment began regulate commerce industry national scale system coinage introduced replace silver co
ins been basis economy throughout previous years result prices fell normal levels confidence english
money restored foreign trade encouraged government great capitalistic enterprise royal exchange lon
don opened company merchants later east india company chartered above this activity stood figure eye
s subjects smith from beginning reign marital status political concern because there heir throne par
liament insistently asked marry replied statement intended live virgin known virgin besieged royal s
uitors each whom favored when political interest affections however bestowed succession favorites no
tably robert dudley walter raleigh walter raleigh printed poetry writes about adores always will fin
d beautiful line refers saying knowing serve saint such perfection lines most delicate problem invol
ving roman catholic cousin scots sought refuge after being defeated battle half brother james stuart
earl moray immediately imprisoned because catholic monarches europe catholic subjects considered il
legitimate their reasoning lawful potential center conspiracy kept captive years giving rise many pl
ots catholics release when walsingham then secretary state discovered plot assassinate place throne
reluctantly agreed have executed execution serious results philip spain years troubled raids mariner
s colonial possessions philip death provided added stimulus prosecute going since therefore sent fle
et invade country spanish armada however suffered inglorious defeat eventually took place spain grea
t colonizer world reigning power seas spent last life unhappy alone having outlived glorious beginni
ng history what would become modern died london march plowden works fair young poem written around r
eleased this felt herself fair young favor graced sought their mistress scorn them answered them the
refore seek some otherwhere importune more weeping eyes made pine sighing hearts have skill show pro
uder grew answered them therefore seek some otherwhere importune more then spake venus proud victori
ous said fine dame since will pluck your plumes shall more seek some otherwhere importune spake thes
e words such change grew breast neither night could take rest repent said before poem consider very
conceited opening stanza talks people wanting beautiful also most powerful person lines later stanza
says despite numerous requests would reject basically they worth time lines next stanza talks numer
ous rejections makes sounds like starting almost brag comes back same line three four saying they wo
rth third someone little special requests company venus cupid along mother they patrons love usual u
ses same line others asking stop wasting time fourth final different from others realized cupid affe
ct realized should have used words used often poem perfect description love life mentioned earlier p
arliament wanted marry replied statement intended live virgin known affections bestowed succession f
avorites notably robert dudley smith extremely independent woman turned country problems into prospe
rous selective never married making successor throne james cousin background definitely reason style
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