The Troops At Tilbury: Machiavellian Influence On Queen Elizabeth

“To the Troops at Tilbury”: Machiavellian Influence on Queen Elizabeth Ⅰ In Queen Elizabeth Ⅰ’s speech to her troops at Tilbury, she galvanizes her soldiers as they prepare for battle against Spanish invaders and inadvertently responds to prior political theorist, Machiavelli, through her use of diction and imagery. Niccolò Machiavelli was a political theorist notorious for his book, The Prince, which is a guide full of morally gray techniques to acquire and retain power as a ruler. Nearly sixty years later, Elizabeth follows the teachings of Machiavelli in her speech addressed to her troops going to Tilbury to fight against Spanish invaders. This is exemplified when Elizabeth follows Machiavelli’s advice that her image is of the highest

Her use of diction to describe her subjects is what motivates them to fight against the Spanish invaders. Elizabeth describes her subjects as being “faithful,” “loving,” and “loyal” and it is what allows them to see her as a kind and clement ruler. Her diction in her descriptions of her soldiers is what allows them to see her as a monarch who is full of compassion for her soldiers going to war and uncertain of the outcome. Adversely, Elizabeth uses the diction of warfare to describe the invaders. She describes the invaders’ actions as “treacher[ous],” calls them “enem[ies],” and uses “invade,'' a word with a negative denotation; Elizabeth follows the teachings of Machiavelli, who once advised rulers to be manipulative yet sly enough to “disguise this characteristic” (Machiavelli, 6). By using negative diction to describe the invaders to her soldiers, Elizabeth galvanized them before their fight against the enemies so they could be motivated to fight for

By incorporating phrases such as “heat of the battle” (“To the Troops at Tilbury,” line 12) and by describing “blood” and “dust,” (“To the Troops at Tilbury,” line 14) Elizanbeth uses imagery to assert her authority over her soldiers. Her descriptions of battle are indicative of her experience with war, and aptly portray her as a “weak and feeble” woman with the “heart and stomach of a king” (“To the Troops at Tilbury,” line 14), displaying how her experiences have hardened her into a ruler worthy of respect. By understanding the influence of her speech, using a tone of perseverance, and adding descriptions of the forthcoming battle, she is able to make the battle seem as something that has strengthened her to “take up arms” (“To the Troops at Tilbury,” line