Elizabeth I, Queen of England and Ireland

Queen Elizabeth I (1533–1603) ruled England from 1558 to 1603. She was a prolific writer, an avid translator, and an adroit rhetorician, possessing considerable skill at writing poetry. Her letters, too, bear her distinctive rhetorical signature and testify to her astute intelligence. Throughout her reign, Elizabeth’s speeches were the primary means to bolster her authority while always emphasizing her reciprocal love for her subjects. Her prayers also were widely known and served to negotiate a balance between Christian humility and the strength of her sovereign power sanctioned by God. Elizabeth’s poetic output is also significant, not only as a record of her skill but also as an integral part of Elizabethan writing culture: her poetry is its product and its shaper. Perhaps more than any of her contemporaries, Elizabeth delighted in obfuscation, rhetorical virtuosity, and knowing when to make her point plainly and when to tell little while saying a great deal. These proclivities are evident everywhere in her writing.