Mary Dawson
English 214
Micro Essay #4
11/7/97
FILM: ELIZABETH I
After viewing segments of the film, Elizabeth I, I became very disturbed by the attitudes of both crowns: Mary Queen of Scotts (Catholic Hierarchy) and Elizabeth I (Protestant Hierarchy). I can only say "Shame on any power who demands or mandates that a certain religion be the practice of the country, or suffer the consequences." If I have my facts correct, both religions base their beliefs on Bible principals and accept the teachings of Jesus Christ. This came after the Jews refused to recognize Him as the Messiah. Now, if the Catholics and the Protestants both call themselves Christians as Christ intended, neither side would exist as separate entities. If the reader would carefully consider the text, he or she would realize Jesus disliked legalism and false teachings based on "man’s" rules and regulations. And contrary to many individual’s assumptions, Jesus Christ never forced any person to worship Him or demand that they accept Him; it was strictly a choice. So, for these rulers to claim authority over how hundreds of thousands of people were going to worship, in my opinion, was just wrong. Actually, when one considers the teachings of the New Testament and Jesus’ statements about how people should treat one another, there would be no wars or greed for land, and certainly there would be no power struggle among those in high places.
As for Queen Elizabeth’s ability to keep in check the men who seemed to be anxious to marry her off, I say "Good job Liz!" It is a shame, however, that she had to resort to female manipulation in order to accomplish her goal of ruling England without the assistance of a male counterpart. It certainly can be said of her that she was ahead of her time and set a precedent for all women who came after her, such as; writers, merchants, political activists, and even wives of men who were stuck in the same mindset as those on her council.
As we reflect on the film, we realize the difficulties Elizabeth faced while ruling a country at a time that was strictly male dominated. I admired her for her confidence to make decisions regarding the people of England without compromising her belief system and stand up for the qualities she knew she possessed to rule successfully.