The aim of this dissertation is to show that the film’s plot is built on the notion of religious, political, and emotional conflict by which Kapur creates obstacles for Elizabeth to overcome so that she is shown to become a powerful and independent monarch. The development that Kapur’s Elizabeth goes through in the film is a preparation for the transition that takes places at the end of the film: that is to say the metamorphosis from a woman subject to emotions to the iconic Virgin Queen.
Part one will examine closely the religious conflict between Protestants and Catholics in England and Elizabeth’s policy concerning religion. Sects and secrecy together with plots and counterplots will be also examined as a part of the political conflict in the film. All along the film Elizabeth will be in an emotional conflict which for this study I will call “temptations of love versus the demands of duty” and will refer to it in the close examination of “The Dance Sequence.”
Part two will deal with Elizabeth’s transformation into the Virgin Queen. The factors that Kapur seems to suggest as reasons for Elizabeth’s change will be taken into account and the director’s understanding of the concept surrounding the term “virginity” will be clarified and compared with the representation of the queen as The Virgin Queen in history, contemporary literature and asthenic portraits of the period. We shall see how Elizabeth’s development in the film is related to thecostumes and make-up. I will refer to historical facts to suggest that the criticism about the mismatch of film with history is inappropriate. To evaluate the validity of this thesis, relevant statements of the director and other persons who were involved in the making of the film shall be taken into consideration.
Part three will present the Historical Film genre and locate Kapur’s Elizabeth in it. The notion of emotional conflict and temptations of love versus the demands of duty will be studied in the Introduction of the Duke of Anjou and the Gondola Sequence which illustrates what Elizabeth’s life might have been if she had had a husband. Once again the political conflict will be introduced through the assassination attempts from which Elizabeth narrowly escapes.
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- Part 1
- 1. Re-creating the Iconic Virgin Queen
- Introduction
- Religion in England: Henry VIII, Mary and Elizabeth I.
- 1.1.1. Religion under the reign of Henry VIII.
- 1.1.2. Religion under the reign of Mary Tudor.
- 1.1.3 Religion under the reign of Elizabeth.
- 1.2. Religious conflicts in Elizabeth: “The Burning of the Protestants”.
- 1.2.1. Contextualizing Elizabeth in the first sequence “The beginning of the film”: history and aesthetics
- 1.2.2. Elizabeth consolidates Protestantism: “The Queen and her Bishops”.
- 1.2.3. Temptations of love versus the demands of duty: “The Dance Sequence”.
- Part 2
- 2. From innocence to experience
- 2. 1. From youth to power: “Elizabeth adopts the persona of the Virgin Queen.”
- 2.1.1. Elizabeth’s transition from an innocent young woman to a powerful monarch.
- 2.1.2 Reasons behind a transition.
- 2.1.2.1 War with Scotland
- 2.1.3 The final transition: “The closing sequence.”
- 2.2. The concept of Elizabeth’s virginity according to history and its application in Kapur’s Elizabeth and Westin’s historical novel The Virgin’s Daughters in the Court of Elizabeth I.
- 2.2.1. The Mother image of Elizabeth according to history and its application in Westin’s historical novel The Virgin’s Daughters in the Court of Elizabeth I.
- 2.2.2. Elizabeth as a Sacred Figure according to history
- 2.2.2. Elizabeth and marriage in Westin’s novel
- 2.2.3.Elizabeth and marriage according to history
- Part 3
- Codes and conventions of the Historical Film: Elizabeth within this genre
- 3.1. Elizabeth and the codes and conventions of the Historical Film
- 3.1.1 Codes and conventions
- A display of pageantry: “Introducing the Duke of Anjou”
- 3.2. Who was the Duke of Anjou?
- 3.3. Dramatization in the Assassination attempt.
- 3.4. Representation of Queen Elizabeth I in Portraits of the Period
- 3.4.1 16th and 17th century portraits of Queen Elizabeth
- 3.4.2 Elizabeth I: “The Sieve Portrait” (1583, by Quentin Metsys the Younger)
- 3.4.3. Elizabeth I: “The Pelican Portrait”
- 3.4.4. Elizabeth I: “The Phoenix Portrait”
- 3.4.5. Elizabeth I: “The Rainbow Portrait”
- 3.4.6. The Coronation Portrait
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
This dissertation examines the film Elizabeth, directed by Shekhar Kapur, to illustrate how the film’s plot is constructed around religious, political, and emotional conflict. The film portrays the obstacles that Queen Elizabeth I overcomes in her transformation from a young woman subject to emotions to the iconic Virgin Queen. Here are the key themes explored in the text:- Religious Conflict: The struggle between Protestants and Catholics in England during Elizabeth's reign, and its impact on her policies and politics.
- Political Conflict: Elizabeth's fight to consolidate power and navigate the treacherous world of court intrigues, conspiracies, and betrayal.
- Emotional Conflict: Elizabeth's internal struggle between her desires as a woman and her duties as Queen, particularly her relationship with Robert Dudley and the pressure to marry.
- The Virgin Queen: Elizabeth's adoption of the image of the Virgin Mary as a symbol of her power, purity, and devotion to her people.
- Codes and Conventions of the Historical Film: The analysis of the film's visual aesthetics, including costumes, sets, and cinematic techniques, to understand its place within the historical film genre and its connection to British heritage cinema.
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
Part 1 examines the religious conflicts between Protestants and Catholics in England, highlighting the significance of religion in shaping Elizabeth's policies. It explores the film's portrayal of these conflicts through sequences like "The Burning of the Protestants" and "The Queen and her Bishops." The analysis also delves into the theme of "temptations of love versus the demands of duty" through the study of "The Dance Sequence." Part 2 focuses on Elizabeth's transition from a young woman to a powerful monarch, analyzing the factors that contribute to her transformation into the Virgin Queen. This includes examining the war with Scotland, assassination attempts, and the implications of her relationship with Robert Dudley. The chapter then explores the concept of Elizabeth's virginity and motherhood in both history and the film, drawing comparisons with Westin's novel The Virgin's Daughters in the Court of Elizabeth I. Part 3 situates the film within the historical film genre, analyzing the codes and conventions of period films, costume dramas, and heritage films. The analysis explores how the film utilizes various cinematic techniques, aesthetics, and visual elements to convey its themes and create an immersive experience for the viewer. This includes examining the sequences "Introducing the Duke of Anjou" and "The Assassination Attempt." Finally, the chapter examines the representation of Queen Elizabeth I in portraits of the period, analyzing the symbolism they carry and their impact on the film's portrayal of the Queen.Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
This work focuses on the life of Queen Elizabeth I, analyzing her reign through the lens of conflict and the development of her iconic persona as the Virgin Queen. The analysis incorporates themes of religious and political struggles, emotional conflict, and the symbolism of virginity and motherhood. The text also examines the codes and conventions of the historical film genre, exploring the film's visual aesthetics and its connection to British heritage cinema. Key terms include: religious conflict, political conflict, emotional conflict, Virgin Queen, historical film, costume drama, heritage cinema, iconography, and symbolism.- Quote paper
- Lora Cvetanova (Author), 2014, Kapur's Elizabeth. A coming-of-age story of a Queen, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.hausarbeiten.de/document/278329
