Mundos Anglofonos en Perspectiva Historica y Cultural

Speech to the Troops at Tilbury

Comentario de Texto-Primer Cuatrimestre
Maria del Carmen Cascon Rodriguez (D.N.I.44076436H)
11 de Noviembre de 2012

Comentario de texto: Speech to the Troops at Tilbury

The speech to the Troops at Tilbury by the Queen Elizabeth I is a political and historical-narrative document. This speech (delivered on 9 August Old Style, 19 August New Style 1588) was addressed to her army when it was in preparation of repelling the expected invasion by the Spanish Armada. It is assumed that its author was the Queen herself, although it is sure that her advisers helped her in finding carefully the words that would touch her mens heart before battle. Nevertheless, this document was found in a letter from Leonel Sharp sometime after 1624 to the Duke of Buckingham. It is quite possible during the time between the speech was delivered and the letter was found, this text might be polished in order to praise Elizabeth Is figure. There are also other versions of this speech such as the one made by William Leigh in 1612 and a verse version by James Aske in 1588. Due to this, besides being a political and historical-narrative document, it could be also being considered as historical literature. The initial audience were the Queens land forces assembled at Tilbury, in Essex (county placed to the east of London, England), when preparing for the battle against the Spanish Armada. But the fact that in this speech, the Queen never addresses directly to the soldiers but to a more general people, suggests that the final audience was intended to be wider, meaning all the people from her kingdom. Elizabeth I was the Queen of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death on 24 March 1603. She was the second daughter of the King Henry VIII and became queen after her half-sister the Catholic Mary Queen of Scots. She restored the Protestant Church in England and during her reign began one of the most constructive periods in English history. She never married (she is also known as The Virgin Queen) and was the last of the Tudors dynasty. The speech was delivered to the Queens troops right before the battle and at the battle field. That is why most of it deals with the necessity of fighting bravely against the

enemy (in this case, the Spanish Armada) and the future rewards that the soldiers will obtain. It also outlines the fact that the Queen herself is there, ready to lead her army to victory despite being a woman. Besides the obvious meaning of the speech for its initial audience, there are other hidden meanings that, as it was said before, make it suitable for a wider public. The battle about to begin was against the Catholic Spain. Elizabeth had restored the Protestant Church in England and even had had executed the previous Catholic queen, while in those days, Spain was the leading Catholic power and had the support of the Church of Rome. In addition to this, the Queen supported the attacks of English pirates to Spanish ships, so Philip II of Spain had not only religious and/or political reasons for starting a war, but also economic ones. It should be said too that, years before, Philip II of Spain had proposed marriage to Elizabeth as an attempt to gain control over England but she had rejected the offer. With this speech, the Queen started to define the identity of England as protestant and independent from continental Europe by calling to battle to all the people in her kingdom against anyone who threatens their country. This can be easily understood from the sentence that says and think foul scorn that Parma or Spain, or any prince of Europe, should dare to invade the borders of my realm and from the final reference to those enemies of my God, of my kingdom, and of my people. Moreover, Elizabeth I managed to include in this document a message that now could be taken as a feminist one. Despite being a woman (in the sixteenth century, when women had no power at all), she was ready to rule England as a man could do. It should be noticed that she recognizes herself as a weak woman physically. But in terms of intelligence and bravery, she speaks of being like a king, capable of participating in the battle as a soldier would do. She even gives the word of a prince (and not of a princess) when promising rewards. The speech was also orientated towards a more personal meaning for the Queen. She fueled cult around her virtue by using portraits, literature, etc all long her reign. So when she states that she has come to the battle field to defend her God (religious reference that was explained before), and her kingdom and people (political and economic references, also already explained), she also adds her honor and blood. From

a first reading, it could be concluded that she was insisting on her right to be Queen of England. But knowing the importance that had to her and to her people her virginity, these words would have a closer meaning for Queen Elizabeth. She considered the attack of the Spanish Armada as a try of rape (and wanted her people to consider it the same way), and she was prepared to repelled it until the end with the help of her people. The initial objective of this text was widely accomplished since her army won the battle, despite being smaller than the Spanish Armada. But also, it should be outlined the importance of this document for the figure of the Queen. This speech would help to gain respect and admiration towards her in a century when women had nothing to say in public life (and even indoors), specially if the circumstances of its delivery are recalled: the Queen was with an armor, with only half a dozen of her nearest advisers, in the battle field ready to fight side by side with her troops. However, it can not be forgotten its long-term objective: to give to the English people a feeling of union based basically on religion and insularity. This makes this document one of the most powerful and recognized speeches by Elizabeth I, which is still today remembered.

Bibliography (Internet pages): -Fordham University, The Jesuits University of New York (http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/mod/1588elizabeth.asp) -The Elizabeth Files (http://www.elizabethfiles.com/the-spanish-armada-8-elizabeths-tilbury-speech/4065)