Kapur's Elizabeth. A coming-of-age story of a Queen (PDF)

Master's Thesis from the year 2014 in the subject English Language and Literature Studies - Other, grade: A, Université Toulouse II - Le Mirail (English Department), course: Master in English Studies and British Cinema Studies., language: English, abstract: The aim of this dissertation is to show that the film's plot is built on the notion of religious, political, and emotional conflict by which Kapur creates obstacles for Elizabeth to overcome so that she is shown to become a powerful and independent monarch. The development that Kapur's Elizabeth goes through in the film is a preparation for the transition that takes places at the end of the film: that is to say the metamorphosis from a woman subject to emotions to the iconic Virgin Queen.
Part one will examine closely the religious conflict between Protestants and Catholics in England and Elizabeth's policy concerning religion. Sects and secrecy together with plots and counterplots will be also examined as a part of the political conflict in the film. All along the film Elizabeth will be in an emotional conflict which for this study I will call "temptations of love versus the demands of duty" and will refer to it in the close examination of "The Dance Sequence."
Part two will deal with Elizabeth's transformation into the Virgin Queen. The factors that Kapur seems to suggest as reasons for Elizabeth's change will be taken into account and the director's understanding of the concept surrounding the term "virginity" will be clarified and compared with the representation of the queen as The Virgin Queen in history, contemporary literature and asthenic portraits of the period. We shall see how Elizabeth's development in the film is related to thecostumes and make-up. I will refer to historical facts to suggest that the criticism about the mismatch of film with history is inappropriate. To evaluate the validity of this thesis, relevant statements of the director and other persons who were involved in the making of the film shall be taken into consideration.
Part three will present the Historical Film genre and locate Kapur's Elizabeth in it. The notion of emotional conflict and temptations of love versus the demands of duty will be studied in the Introduction of the Duke of Anjou and the Gondola Sequence which illustrates what Elizabeth's life might have been if she had had a husband. Once again the political conflict will be introduced through the assassination attempts from which Elizabeth narrowly escapes.