Period:3/AP English 11
12/03/14
Queen Elizabeth I Speech at Tilbury
What tone and 3 devices did Queen Elizabeth use in her speech at Tilbury to the troops?
In 1588 Queen Elizabeth I gave a speech to her troops in Tilbury. The queen gave the speech to give the troops a sense of confidence and to help encourage the troops to repel the expected invasion of England. Elizabeth I conveys a tone of confidence by using these 3 devices in her speech: Diction, Imagery, _________________. In the speech, Queen Elizabeth illustrates a confident tone using diction. Diction is the choice of words an author uses. For example, Queen Elizabeth states “Let tyrants fear, I have always so behaved myself that, under god, I have placed my chiefest strength and safeguard in the loyal heart and good will of subjects.” In this quote the Queen shows the difference between her as a leader and that of a tyrant. Unlike tyrants who don’t care or trust their subjects, she and her subjects have a bond. She uses the excerpt “under God” to place herself under the higher authority of God, which connects with her beliefs that monarchs are ordained by God and operate under his power. This emphasizes that her authority comes from God, which strengthens her credibility. Also it describes her whole statement. Her strength and safeguard all were done under the eyes of God. The excerpts “chiefest strength” and “let tyrants fear” shows confidence. Confidence typically conveys assurance in one’s own skills, abilities or powers. The Queen shows these things in the excerpts. She uses “cheifest strength” to say that she has placed her main strength and sense of safety in her troops. Diction connects with confidence because the selective words that the author uses helps get her point across that she was confident in her troops. She uses “loyal” which means giving or showing firm and constant support of allegiance to a person or institution. This shows that the queen herself support is