The movie begins in England during the reign of Mary I, daughter of Henry VIII. Mary was responsible for ordering the execution of hundreds of Protestants as heretics. On the opinion of her advisors, Mary has her half-sister Elizabeth questioned and locked in the tower of London on suspicion of heresy and plotting with Sir Thomas Wyatt. Mary soon dies as a result of a cancerous tumor and Elizabeth is crowned queen of England. Under the opinion of her advisors, Elizabeth goes to war with Scotland. England loses miserably.
Later, Elizabeth sits before parliament in an attempt to pass the Act of Uniformity, under which there would be a single Anglican church with a common prayer book. It passes, but only because the major dissenters were locked away by Francis Walsingham, Elizabeth’s chief advisor. During the visit from the nephew of Mary of Guise, Henry Duc d’Anjou, an assassination attempt on Elizabeth takes place. It occurs after Elizabeth’s childhood sweetheart and secret lover, Robert Dudley, asks for her hand in marriage. …show more content…
In another attempt on Elizabeth’s life, a poisoned dress is sent to her. The dress does not make it to her as one of her ladies in waiting wears it and dies. Under unofficial orders from Elizabeth, Walsingham murders Mary of Guise. After an assassination plot is discovered, Elizabeth has the traitors killed. During this time Elizabeth has to decide who her true allies are as well as who her enemies are. It is discovered that Dudley was one of the conspirators, but she spares him the fate of the others. Elizabeth has become a hardened ruler, unlike the young girl she was at the beginning of the film. After these events, Elizabeth goes through a change, by cutting off her hair, wearing white, and painting her skin white. She does this to present herself as the “Virgin Queen” --pure and
Later, Elizabeth sits before parliament in an attempt to pass the Act of Uniformity, under which there would be a single Anglican church with a common prayer book. It passes, but only because the major dissenters were locked away by Francis Walsingham, Elizabeth’s chief advisor. During the visit from the nephew of Mary of Guise, Henry Duc d’Anjou, an assassination attempt on Elizabeth takes place. It occurs after Elizabeth’s childhood sweetheart and secret lover, Robert Dudley, asks for her hand in marriage. …show more content…
In another attempt on Elizabeth’s life, a poisoned dress is sent to her. The dress does not make it to her as one of her ladies in waiting wears it and dies. Under unofficial orders from Elizabeth, Walsingham murders Mary of Guise. After an assassination plot is discovered, Elizabeth has the traitors killed. During this time Elizabeth has to decide who her true allies are as well as who her enemies are. It is discovered that Dudley was one of the conspirators, but she spares him the fate of the others. Elizabeth has become a hardened ruler, unlike the young girl she was at the beginning of the film. After these events, Elizabeth goes through a change, by cutting off her hair, wearing white, and painting her skin white. She does this to present herself as the “Virgin Queen” --pure and