Mary VS. Elizabeth
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chips76309 — 20 years ago(September 05, 2005 03:04 PM)
I agree with the above poster re Antonia Fraser's book as an excellent biography, and she makes a compelling argument for the Bothwell marriage being a sad lapse of judgement but NOT a love match.
I have always believed that Elizabeth had no choice at the end but to have Mary executed, and poor Mary can be forgiven her attempts at escape considering her years of captivity.
Elizabeth's dialog summed it up well, when she compares herself to Mary. "That monarch is first a womanthis woman is first a monarch."
Whatever the historical mistakes of the movie (first off, these queens NEVER met) it is a beautiful period piece and the actors did a superb job.
Who would have thought David Rizzio would make a good Bilbo Baggins? -
cunny_funt — 18 years ago(May 26, 2007 12:37 AM)
I like Mary too. I think she really suffered during Elizabeth's reign. 19 years of imprisonment could you imagine? I would've committed suicide in less then a year.
"Dont say that. In horror movies the person who says that is always the next to die!" -
CitizenLen — 18 years ago(October 19, 2007 08:09 PM)
Not to mention, Mary never saw her son. Instead of her son writing to her, he was forced by the leeches of Scotland to kiss ass to Elizabeth. Also, Mary never had the proper loyalty or court to guide her. Her mother kept her out of the loop and didn't establish a proper court nor thought her how to rule as a queen. Whereas Elizabeth knows that a woman's worth is as much as the next head on the guillotine. Mary is all heart while Elizabeth is all head.
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alanrw-1 — 18 years ago(November 24, 2007 07:43 PM)
I think it's unfair to say Elizabeth is all head. Mary was plotting not just for her escape from "protective custody", nor to reclaim her Scottish throne, but to overthrow Elizabeth. Elizabeth ignored several of Mary's plots and it was only when she had evidence in Mary's own coded writing that Mary wanted Elizabeth murdered, that Elizabeth had Mary tried. Even so, Elizabeth delayed Mary's execution and suffered genuine remorse when she eventually signed the death warrant. Elizabeth suffered because of Mary's stupidity - not as much as Mary did though
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Mikurtis — 18 years ago(January 21, 2008 11:57 AM)
Mary's biggest mistake was going to England thinking Elizabeth would help her. Mary was told for years that she was the rightful heir to teh English throne and, she never rejected that idea. In her yes, as a Roman Catholic, she believed truly she was so, even if she never backed a plot against Elizabeth personally, she was very much a threat to Elizabeth.
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Daizyglrl — 13 years ago(May 21, 2012 06:46 AM)
No one can fault you for being human and lending your heart out to someone with a sad story, but the bottom line is Mary was not as good a queen as Elizabeth. Elizabeth was shrewd and hot-wired with the mind of a man, while Mary thought with her heart. Elizabeth I is my 2nd favorite historical figure, but believe me, this post isn't based on bias. I love Elizabeth I because of how successful a queen she was. During this film I couldn't help cringing at how irresponsible Mary was regarding neglecting her duties by following her heart, while Elizabeth followed her head. And then finally Elizabeth says to Mary; "If your head had matched your heart, it would be I awaiting death."
In the Royal game there is no room for pity. When you are responsible for a kingdom you must learn to shirk your own selfish, personal wants and desires for whats best for your people.
Also, however, Elizabeth knew what having a man could mean. No deeper impression was left on her than when her father cut off her mother's head. And from there she saw that once a master entered the picture, the mistress was in the background, and Elizabeth meant to ruleand she was excellent at it.
Remember, these were different times. Have your heart go out to Maryshe truly is a soul to be pitied, I agree. But like I had mentioned, she shirked her duties for love and was a wanton anointed queen. -
byhisnoodlyappendage — 13 years ago(August 14, 2012 05:21 PM)
I have to disagree that Mary shirked her duties. She actively put herself into the law of the land but unfortunately most of her time was spent trying to find a balance between the factions of quarreling barons and the utter contempt that was almost universal for the hatred of her husband Lord Darnley.
Her court was rittled with conniving and jealous aristocrats. Perfect example would be the conspiracy to murder her favorite Rizzio. Foremost against him was that he was an Italian but also a supposed papal spy. Although no real evidence of wrong doing was ever laid on him he was brutally murdered right in front of Mary - even one of the traitorous nobles stuck his weapon to the very pregnant Queen's stomach. All with the signed approval of her own husband.
On top of this scandal, Darnley later ratted out his conspirators in hopes of saving his own skin, as he was sure to be of no use to them afterwards.
How can Mary be compared to Elizabeth under such restraints?
Mary above all was brought up to be a Queen of France, not the ruling Queen of Scotland. Her faults lie in her quick and poor judgement of trusting deceivers too readily to the point that they repeatedly had the upper hand to force her to do as they pleased. Above all that did her in was her choice of husband that proved to be more treacherous than any of the Scotsman.
Elizabeth, however well suited she was for the crown placed on her head, should be forever remembered by the select group of confidants she kept at her disposal. This is not diminishing her own contributions but exemplifying that she was able to have chosen lifelong advisers who worked with her for the greater good of the state.
Mary was at a quite disadvantage than her cousin and her story is compelling not because she ushered in Golden Age but because she left the impression of a resilient and whirlwind sovereign forever escaping her foes on horseback in the dead of night. -
MydnightRose — 12 years ago(September 04, 2013 09:41 PM)
Mary of Guise ruled the same country and did it better than her daughter. If Mary had half the sense of the woman around her, Catherine de Medici Mary of Guise Elizabeth I, her life wouldn't have ended so bad.
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