Poems by Queen Elizabeth I

Biography

Queen Elizabeth I is an early woman writer who may not have been the most talented, but her poems have deep meaning and her skill is still apparent. She was known for her great intelligence and ability to translate in 5-6 foreign languages. Elizabeth never married, which may be attributed to the fact that she was sexually abused as a child and surrounded by poor marriages her entire life. Elizabeth's misfortunes did not end with her sexual predicaments, as her own sister Mary attempted to have Elizabeth killed for supposedly committing treason. Throughout her teenage years, Elizabeth is imprisoned at Woodstock and The Tower of London for her crimes against her sister Mary. 

Poems

Ah, Silly Pug, wert thou so Sore Afraid: 

• Elizabeth assured her dog she won't be swayed by money and she will take care of the dog no matter her financial situation
• The dog may have been Elizabeth's only friend and way to vent her frustrations and worries as dogs are loyal to their owners
• Elizabeth's dog may have been frightened by the coming and going of soldiers in Elizabeth's confinement time

In Defiance of Fortune:

• Elizabeth explains that virtue will always prevail over fortune

On Monsieur's Departure:

• This poem discusses Elizabeth's lifelong struggle to cope with the fact that her interest in marriage will never bear fruit as her position as a monarch would cause too much political controversy should her marriage go awry 
• In addition to the potential political controversy, Elizabeth acknowledges that she has trust issues from previous bad sexual relationships 
• The issue of marriage is not only hard for Elizabeth mentally, but also socially because it is very dangerous for a woman to be a monarch and in Medieval times, it is considered to be unnatural for a woman to be unmarried

The Doubt of Future Foes:

• Elizabeth acknowledges that she likes when men fight in her honor, but currently she has no men that she needs to fight for her 
• The Pope said whoever killed Elizabeth would go straight to Heaven for their deed

When I Was Fair and Young:

• Elizabeth says in her youth she was fair and beautiful and enjoyed the attention from suitors that these attributes brought her
• Elizabeth enjoyed the flattering comments and gestures, but only to a certain point, then they disgusted her

Written in her French Psalter:

• Elizabeth notes that no physical deformity is half as unattractive as a shady, untrustworthy individual with questionable motives

Written on a Wall at Woodstock:

• Woodstock was one of Elizabeth's palaces
• In this poem, Elizabeth is showing a desire for vengeance against her violent sister Mary
• The alcoholic beverage "Bloody Mary" came from Mary's murderous tendencies against countless Protestants 

Written with a Diamond on her Window at Woodstock:

• This poem was carved into a window at Woodstock with a diamond as Elizabeth probably did not have access to a writing utensil in her imprisoned state 
• Many of the people who overthrew Mary said they were doing it in Elizabeth's honor, even though Elizabeth had nothing to do with her sister's demise
• This poem explains that although much was suspected of Elizabeth, Elizabeth was innocent with regards to her sister's overthrowing