Elizabeth I (George) - Discussion Questions

Discussion Questions
1. George brings the Elizabethan era to life. Which details or moments really made you feel as though you had been transported to another time?

2. How did Elizabeth’s court help to establish and support her public image? What challenges did her courtiers and advisers present? Besides Elizabeth, who had the most to gain by her not marrying?

3. Elizabeth admits on page 17 that she "had loved [Dudley] madly, as a young woman can do only once in her life." She continues by saying that time had evolved their relationship into a "sturdier, thicker, stronger, quieter thing." Which is more appealing to you—mad passion or quiet devotion?

4. Lettice says that she and Elizabeth "could almost be twins, except she loved the day and I the night" (p.178). In what ways are Elizabeth and Lettice reflections of each other? Which examples from the book can you find that illustrate this point?

5. Elizabeth, speaking of the death of King Philip of Spain, says, "Losing my steadfast enemy felt oddly like losing a steadfast friend; both defined me" (p. 399). How does Elizabeth’s relationship with Philip highlight key aspects of her personality? Of all the characters, who best fills the role of Elizabeth’s "steadfast friend"?

6. What sacrifices did Elizabeth make for her public role? Were they worth it? In her place, would you have done the same?

7. Love manifests itself in many ways, both romantic and otherwise. Compare and contrast the men who loved Elizabeth. How did Elizabeth benefit from these relationships?

8. George prefaces the novel with a quote from Shakespeare’s imagining of Elizabeth’s baptism in 1533. Does this quote accurately reflect Elizabeth’s life? If so, what examples would you draw from the novel to prove the point? If not, how would you amend the quote to better speak to her experience?

9. Did Elizabeth and Lettice’s relationship end the way that you expected? How would you describe the development of your feelings for these women over the course of the novel? Did one draw more sympathy or frustration than the other?

10. On the last page of the novel, Lettice attempts to explain the "kind of magic" that Elizabeth had as a ruler to make her subjects "feel as if they were wearing armor or sinking ships" (p. 662). What does she mean by this?

11. If you could choose any person in history for Margaret George to write about next, who would it be? What would you like to know about that person?
(Questions issued by the publisher.)

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