Queen Elizabeth I and Feminism
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Queen Elizabeth I was a politique. Elizabeth (Queen Elizabeth I) used many things to make this true one including becoming the Virgin Queen. This title helped people see Elizabeth more as a divine queen. Elizabeth very cleverly made being a woman a political tool something no other woman was able to accomplish.
Queen Elizabeth used marriage as a political tool during Elizabeth reign. Elizabeth was the most eligible woman in Europe at the beginning of Elizabeths reign. Elizabeth always let her council consider carefully the pros and cons of each man that asked for Elizabeths hand and during that time there would be peace between the two countries the considered marriage was holding. This was a smart tool. All Elizabeth had to do in a time of urgency was think of marriage to whoever in the country they were arguing with that wanted Elizabeth as their wife.
One rebuttal to using marriage as a tool would be the fact that a woman was supposed to marry. Elizabeth was supposed to create an heir so that Elizabeths family line could keep the throne. Elizabeths council was convinced that the best thing for the nation and Elizabeths duty was to marry and create an heir. If Elizabeth had married there would have been no issues on succession and Elizabeth would have had time to train the heir to be as good of a ruler as Elizabeth was.
Elizabeth also used make-up to make the country love her. Elizabeth would wear light makeup and dress modestly. This made Elizabeth look more like a Virgin creating the Virgin Queen aspect. Elizabeth would never marry and by the middle of Elizabeths reign people loved Elizabeth more because of it. Elizabeth was more divine because Elizabeth was the Virgin Queen and looked like an angel.
Elizabeths use of the makeup may have made Elizabeth look more divine but it also caused health problems. Elizabeth was slowly putting mercury into her body and was causing more skin problems by wearing the stuff. Elizabeth might have lived longer if Elizabeth didnt wear the makeup. A person who would try to imitate the make-up now days would be putting their life in their own hands if they made the make-up that women used during the Elizabethan age. No make-up artist would ever let somebody do that to their face or risk a persons life.
Elizabeth definitely elevated her status and Englands status. Elizabeth showed that England was a powerful country in battles and showed Europe that nobody would rule England but the English. Elizabeth refused to marry unknown of for a queen of Elizabeths time and brought England to a new era. Queen Elizabeth I absolutely used being a woman as a political tool.