Speech to the Troops at Tilbury

“We have been persuaded by some that are careful of our safety to take heed how we commit ourselves to armed multitudes, for fear of treachery.”

The danger that Elizabeth alludes to here was real, as many rivals hoped to take her place as ruler of England. In acknowledging it, however, Elizabeth draws an implicit contrast between her advisors’ caution and her own boldness and courage. Her use of the “royal we” underscores this; in the following sentence, Elizabeth switches to the more intimate “I,” as though to assure listeners of her personal authenticity.

“I assure you I do not desire to live to distrust my faithful and loving people.”

This is another mention of Elizabeth’s love for her people and her belief in their good qualities. Her compliments to her subjects function as both wish fulfillment and stagecraft: She says she thinks the best of her subjects hoping to encourage the best in them.

“Let tyrants fear. I have always so behaved myself that, under God, I have placed my chiefest strength and safeguard in the loyal hearts and good-will of my subjects”

Elizabeth states she does not fear treachery from her people because she is no tyrant. Again, this acts as a form of wish fulfillment. She states that she is not a tyrant who takes advantage of her people, and her saying so seeks to make it more believable. She employs several positive, concrete words—God, strength, safeguard, loyal, goodwill—to build her narrative of herself as a strong, fair ruler and to ask the public to treat her as such.

“I am come amongst you, as you see, at this time, not for my recreation and disport, but being resolved, in the midst and heat of the battle, to live and die amongst you all; to lay down for my God, and for my kingdom, and my people, my honor and my blood, even in the dust.”

Elizabeth demonstrates her courage by risking her life to be among her people, and she makes sure they recognize her bravery by stating what she is doing. She wants the audience to know she is willing to risk her life for her country and people in part to forge a connection with her listeners, as this is also what they are about to do. She uses strong imagery (“blood,” “heat,” and “dust”) to make her point and underscores the sacrifice she is making through the closing use of anaphora—the repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of several clauses (in this case, “and”).

“I know I have the body of a weak and feeble woman; but I have the heart and stomach of a king, and of a king of England too”

This is the most famous line of the speech, and it addresses what Elizabeth’s contemporaries considered her greatest weakness: her gender. Elizabeth acknowledges this but argues that her interior is something more: She is a king despite her gender thanks to her royal blood. Not only does she have the courage and honor (“the heart”) of a king, she has the “stomach” of one, too, implying that she has the strength and mettle to rule England even in wartime.

“I myself will take up arms, I myself will be your general, judge, and rewarder of every one of your virtues in the field.”

Elizabeth states that she can fill many roles with her one body, including ruler, military general, and ultimately queen. She also reminds the troops of the rewards (payment) they will receive for fighting in her honor, which would be a motivating factor for them.

“I know already, for your forwardness you have deserved rewards and crowns; and We do assure you in the word of a prince, they shall be duly paid.”

Elizabeth refers to the “rewards and crowns” her subjects will earn by fighting for her. Monetary payment for military services was based on whether battles were successful. Elizabeth is making certain to remind her troops that she is the one who will be paying them.

“Never prince commanded a more noble or worthy subject; not doubting but by your obedience to my general, by your concord in the camp, and your valour in the field […].”

Elizabeth fills her speech with words that invoke the qualities she wants her subjects to display, and in doing so, she flatters and compliments them. “Nobility,” “worthiness,” “obedience,” and “valour” are all positive qualities she wants to project and receive from her subjects. She uses these words to build a strong, affectionate relationship with her people.