Elizabeth I: Fact Fiction

3 Credits · Level: Undergraduate

Elizabeth I’s 45-year reign in England was over 400 years ago and yet she still holds sway in the modern imagination. From movies (Cate Blanchett in Elizabeth and Judy Dench in Shakespeare in Love), to novels (by Philippa Gregory, Alison Weir and many others) and even in video games (she’s a character in Assassin’s Creed and Sid Meier’s Civilization), Elizabeth continues to be a powerful and charismatic figure. But who was she really? How do artistic renderings of the Virgin Queen compare to the historical reality? This course will examine the life and reign of Elizabeth I, in both fact and fiction. It will cover some of the most famous, transformative events in English history, such as the Elizabethan religious settlement, the defeat of the Armada in 1588, Shakespeare and the English Renaissance, as well as her use of gender and iconography to create a public, political identity. The course will be a mix of lecture and discussion; readings include primary and secondary sources as well as novels and periodic film screenings. Types of papers and exams will depend on the size of the class.