Queen Elizabeth's Speech To The Troops At Tilbury

In early modern England there were many revolutionary changes to politics and justice. Elizabeth I, the queen of England from 1558 to her death in 1603, was graced with intelligence and strength in the hard times of this period. The Speech to the Troops at Tilbury is one of the many examples of Queen Elizabeth creating a unified state under a strong English sovereign. The speech was given on August 9th, 1588, to a military group assembled at Tilbury, preparing for the invasion by the Spanish Armada. The words of her speech and her physical appearance represented a powerful leader that was well respected by her people. Before the speech she made rounds through the troops thanking them for their strength and selflessness to England. Queen Elizabeth was always specific in the way she carried herself as the Queen of England. She often converted her words of politics into words of love. In the first line, the Queen sets the tone of the speech and establishes a relationship to the audience. By beginning the speech with “My loving people”, Queen Elizabeth is establishing herself as the ruler, while also reminding her troops that she thinks of them in a positive light. This helps to emphasize the trust she has in her people and the faith they have in her before getting into the main point of the speech, inspiring her troops to face battle with …show more content…
She begins by acknowledging those who warn her against walking among her soldiers and urge her to “take heed how we commit ourselves to armed multitudes”. She responds to this warning by asserting her independence and fortitude here, telling the troops she considers them her central strength, assuring them she is not there to pose but is dedicated to them and the nation. Elizabeth claims power in the fourth sentence of the speech when she proclaims, “I have placed my cheifest strength and safeguard in the loyal hearts and goodwill of all my