Elizabeth: “The Virgin Queen”

"Quentin Metsys - Portrait of Queen Elizabeth I" by irinaraquelis marked with CC BY 2.0.

From the moment she was born, the words risk and threat existed to depict her and her reign. Queen Elizabeth I will always be an iconic figure amongst royalty, British history and feminist role models. I see her as one of the most – if not the most – powerful women of her time. Despite being mocked throughout her life, the Queen proudly claimed her throne and demonstrated just how easily a woman can lead without a king by their side.

I see Women’s History Month as a time of reflection, as a time to think about all the accomplishments women all over the world have contributed to our society. However, as much as it is a time of celebration, it must also be a moment to remember all of the incredible and strong women in history that paved the path for us. Queen Elizabeth I has always stood out to me for this very reason

Her unique image as “The Virgin Queen” contributed to her mystique and symbolized her devotion to her nation. Not only did Elizabeth bring economic stability to England and defeat the Spanish Armada – making England the Mistress of the Sea – but her Elizabethan Settlement became the foundation for Anglican churches, including the Episcopal Church in the United States and many African churches. 

Removed from the line of succession after her mother Anne Boleyn faced execution under suspicion of adultery and incest, Elizabeth was King Henry VIII’s third child and successor to the throne of England. Boleyn had a reputation as the “Great Whore” ; she was protestant in England during a time where the Catholic Church would only accept a Catholic ruler. Her cousin, Mary Queen of Scots had an advantage to the throne and was considered by many Catholics in England to be the legitimate Queen. She thus had to live with the constant rumors circulating that the reason why she would resist the pressures from her councilors to get married was because she was, in reality, a man. 

Elizabeth was a woman during a time where society saw them as possessions, and became a queen when the laws of succession still favored men over women. For that reason, to attain control, authority and respect, Elizabeth decided to build her own image. She metamorphosed into the Virgin Queen, which was a unique and desired icon that made her stand out and intimidate others. She sacrificed her personal life and goals for her duty to serve as queen. She was determined to send the message that while she may be a woman, she was not there to be stepped on; she was there to rule. 

With time, intimidation, dirty tactics, physical charms, harshness and a hot temper became her most sacred weapons to keep control at her court. Her red hair, the big nose and gowns, the perfect skin, the white face and vibrant makeup, all had an intention. Elizabeth knew her gender made her seen as insignificant and weak, but she decided to use that to her advantage for the sake of her political and power stability–something we should strive for as modern women. 

Her overwhelming physical presence was another one of her strategies. Even as Elizabeth started to age, her portraits continued to preserve her youth, making her virtue and her image as the Virgin Queen more mysterious. Beauty, desire and emotion are characteristics that typically stereotype women as weak, however, Elizabeth was clever enough to use them in establishing her reputation throughout her nation and the rest of the world. 

“I know I have the body but of a weak and feeble woman; but I have the heart and stomach of a king, and of a king of England too,” Queen Elizabeth I said in her Tilbury speech after defeating the Spanish Armada.

In their book “Royal Portraits in Hollywood: Filming the Lives of Queens”, authors Elizabeth A. Ford and Deborah C. Mitchell, discuss how during her reign, Queen Elizabeth I carefully constructed her image with the means to impress on her people and courtiers. She made sure to be noticeable in her court and she wanted to show that, “she ruled by divine right and that she, who answered to no one but God, walked on the earth solely to watch over England and its people.”   

Even though her unique image as the Virgin Queen subjected her to gossip and mockery, Elizabeth still never allowed her political power to show weakness, nor was she constrained by a political marriage, instead wedding her country. 

Her reign lasted 45 years, demonstrating the strength and capability of women, as well as their success without a man. I see Queen Elizabeth I not only as a queen, but as a role model, and a vivid example for women to see that no man should ever limit them. That is why for this Women’s History Month, I urge you to consider the female figures in your life: real, fictitious, present or deceased. Elizabeth is proof that women have been strong throughout history, and we must remember and channel that strength, not only during this month but during the rest of the year.