The Long Queen

THE LONG QUEEN

By Jean-Louis , Anthony and Rachel

ACTIVITY

ANNOTATION

1ST STANZA

‘The long queen couldn’t die’• She is the longest reigning queen, which makes it seem as she

can’t die. (hyperbole)

‘Young when she bowed her head’• Bowed her head is referring to her coronation. She had to

take on the responsibilities of her father

‘Long live the queen’• Common phrase synonymous with referring to the reigning

monarch• Also a term that has been around for many years reflecting

the title, ‘Long Queen’

2ND STANZA

‘women, girls, spinsters and hags, matrons, wet nurses, witches widows, wives…’

• Implication that the lone queen is goddess to all women.• Also in the form of a list, therefore more people not mentioned

can be included

‘mothers of all these’• Gives the idea that the woman is all-loving and compassionate.• Willing to serve and personally care for all women

‘no girl born wasn’t the long queen’s always child’• Specific to females creating a matriarchal element to the poem

3RD STANZA

‘Unseen, she ruled and reigned’• Gives a sense omnipotence, and holy powers.

‘Disguised, sorting the good from the bad’• Juxtaposes she ruled and reigned.

‘All hail to the queen’• Continues the common trend of each stanza ending

with a praise.

4TH STANZA

‘No girl’• Repetition from the second stanza suggests

continuity, reflecting the title of the poem and the endurance of the queen's rule.

• Motherhood is constantly insinuated because the term girl is always used as opposed to the word female or woman.

5TH STANZA

‘Blood’ • Used for imagery within this stanza:

• Used to signify something regal

• Also used as a colour which is a connotation of menstruation, danger and passion

• blood is used to show a girls coming of age

• Vaguely relates to idea of Christian teachings

‘Tears’• The inclusion of 'tears' implies that suffering is a universal female

experience.

6TH STANZA

'sore flowers‘• References a female’s genitalia after childbirth.

Flowers is the traditional term for genitalia

'the room screamed scarlet‘• Personification of a room. Emphasizes pain

'godmother, aunt, teacher, teller of tall tales‘• All categorize as mentor figures contrasting the

earlier mention of women

7TH STANZA

‘Light music of girls’• The metaphor of music is employed to depict how

the queen is 'tuned' to the world of women

CONTEXT

This poem links the queen Elizabeth I as she ruled alone from 1558 to 1603. Her reign was marked by great advances in trade, exploration and literature.

Also in the first stanza, it describes a queen who considers several suitors but does not marry any of them.

SUMMARY

The long queen is an extended metaphor to Elizabeth I but can also be linked to our reigning monarch.