Bio: The “Golden Speech” was a speech delivered by Queen Elizabeth I on November 30th, 1601. This speech was delivered to the House of Commons after the speaker of the House of Commons, Sir John Croke, applauded Elizabeth’s decision to revoke obnoxious patents and thanked her profusely for the opportunities she had given to her people. The speech starts out as a thanks to the speaker for his kind words but evolves into a speech about the love that Elizabeth holds for her people and for her country. One of the many reasons this speech is so well remembered is not just because of the contents of the speech but the significance behind it. Less than two years later Elizabeth would pass and would be succeeded by James I, a mediocre ruler who signaled the downfall of the English monarchy. Making the “Golden Speech” not only one of Elizabeth’s last speeches, but a speech that left an impression on the people, one that no ruler after was able to fill proceeding her. However, it is important to note that though the decision to open these patents to everyone benefited the people, it benefited Elizabeth as well. She was liable to get a large subsidy to her treasury, not to mention she was under intense pressure from parliament. Now armed with a basic understanding of the historical context and significance of this speech, it is time for a deeper analysis of the speech itself.

Analysis: To begin, it starts off with Elizabeth thanking the speaker for his kind words, which she accepts with “no less joy than your loves can have desire to offer”. Meaning that Elizabeth accepts these compliments as happily as they could have been given to her. After this begins the self-indulgent part of the speech, where Elizabeth comments on the love between her and her people. During this she claims that there is no love that could “countervail (their) loves” and that she values the bond between her people more “than any treasures or riches”. The words are kind, however; in politics, reasoning typically extends far, far beyond this. Elizabeth was under intense pressure from parliament to release these patents to the public. One reason she could have been so deeply talking about the love she has for her people could be because in doing so it made her seem and feel that she had control. When in reality, it was a decision that she had extraordinarily little control over, and Elizabeth wanted to make the best out of the situation. There is a shift in tone after the first paragraph where Elizabeth goes from discussing the love between her people to discussing herself. When she describes herself, she speaks as if it really is her final speech, as if she knows her reign is ending. She speaks in past tense, saying that she was never “greedy” or set on obtaining “worldly goods” but instead, her priority was always her “subjects’ good”. However, one thing that is important to note here is the past tense. She is not saying that she will never be greedy but that she never was. In a way this speech, the opening of the patents to the people, she is treating it all as if it is a going away present, her final gift and word to her people. After this, Elizabeth asks the speaker, and all others who are present to stand up because she plans to deliver a longer speech. Then Elizabeth speaks of her gratitude towards her people while also saying something interesting. Elizabeth says that she appreciates the kind words she was given, but more so, she is thankful for the opportunity she was given to be a queen over “so thankful a people”. Then Elizabeth says that she thanks the Lower House, because if she had not received “knowledge” from them she would have “fallen into the lapse of an error”. This “error” that Elizabeth speaks of would have been not opening the patents to the public and the knowledge that she was given by the House of Commons was more so a plea, reprimanding the use of the patents and insisting they be open to the people. After this another tone shift occurs, where now Elizabeth focuses on discussing her support for her people. Elizabeth begins discussing how during her time as their queen she never willfully wrote anything into power if she did not believe it “was both good and beneficial to the subject”. As well as being “exceedingly grateful” for those would fight for the people, even if it meant an argument, because, as she states again, “above all earthly treasures I esteem my people’s love”. This was a long section of the speech where her tone and intent with her words remain relatively similar. In this part of the speech Elizabeth washes her hands of any past actions that may have not been beneficial to the public by claiming she always had the intention of helping her people, as well as ensuring that the concerns of the public are heard and appreciated even when they are not listened to. Then after another part of her speech where Elizabeth talks about how people sugar coat topics for her, so she responds more pleasantly, one of the final tone shifts occurs, turning the topics to religion and pride. Elizabeth begins with religion, saying that as she ruled, she always kept in mind her “Last Judgment Day” and therefore has always kept her people’s needs in her heart, prioritizing them. Expanding on this, Elizabeth goes as far to say that if under her rule any of the grants she passed were harmful, or if the people who were under her authority abused their power, that “God will not lay their culps and offenses to my charge”. Here Elizabeth assures her people of the soundness of her rule by relying on her fear of God and the repercussions she would incur from being a poor ruler. Additionally, Elizabeth asks that the faults that did occur under her rule not be seen as her fault, but unfortunate events that happened along the way, caused by other people. Now for a summary of the end of the speech. Elizabeth hits on her gender and though it may be viewed as a weakness God still gave her a heart that “never feared any foreign or home enemy”. Elizabeth asks her people to not “attribute anything unto” herself, but rather God, and that all her achievements be given up to the “Lord”. Lastly, finishing her speech, Queen Elizabeth I asks those around her to “depart into their countries” to find anyone grateful for her so they may come and “kiss (her) hand). In conclusion, in this speech, Elizabeth highlights her love for her people and her appreciation for being able to rule them, as well as her fealty to God. However, underneath the surface, is the speech of a dying queen, whose power is waning both politically and physically, who wants to admonish whatever sins she might possess and bathe in the appreciation of the public one last time.  

Works Cited

Greenblatt, Stephen. The Norton Anthology of English Literature: Core Selections. Available from: University of Alabama, (10th Edition). W. W. Norton, 2021.