Mary Stuart's historical narrative cultivated for centuries across all media -- art, poetry, literature, plays, operas, television and movies. All of these forms of media have influenced Mary's character in the realm of history and how the early modern queen has been viewed. She has long been the character of tragedy and deceit and a woman who ruled with her heart rather than her head. The narrative of Mary Stuart, Queen of Scotland, (r. 1542 - 1567) has been forever linked with her cousin Queen Elizabeth I of England (r. 1558-1603), which has been a predominate connection in the findings discussed in this blog. In the age of #MeToo, Mary Stuart's narrative as a thrice-wed queen, forced by male nobles to abdicate, has slowly shifted into a story of empowerment and independence. This new narrative is decidedly different from the narrative of her cousin Elizabeth's reign. This blog post will examine the a recent film on Mary Stuart -- Mary Queen of Scots (dir. Josie Rourke, 2018) -- and discuss the feminist influence in the film, compare the shifts in depictions of Mary Stuart and Queen Elizabeth, and use film reviews from The Guardian and The New York Times to conclude this blog’s analysis.
(trailer for Mary Queen of Scots found on Youtube.com)
Mary Queen of Scots (2018) is a historical drama about Mary Stuart directed by Josie Rourke and written by Beau Willimon. The movie stars Saoirse Ronan (Mary Stuart), Margot Robbie (Queen Elizabeth), Jack Lowden (Henry Darnley) and David Tennant (John Knox). Like the previous films discussed in this blog -- Mary of Scotland (1936) and Mary, Queen of Scots (1971) -- this film begins with Mary Stuart's life after she returns from France to Scotland to rule as queen. Her Catholic religion becomes an immediate problem, as her advisors are all Protestant and Mary immediately begins vying for the English throne. Due to his opposition, John Knox, one of Mary's most outspoken Protestant critics, is kicked out of Mary's court. Back in England, Queen Elizabeth is under pressure to name an heir to her throne due to her unwillingness to marry and produce an heir. The two queens cultivate a friendship by correspondence, in which Mary insists that the two women meet and rule in harmony and not "through a treaty drafted by men lesser than ourselves." Throughout the movie, the women send numerous letters and gifts, and Mary continually pushes Elizabeth to name her the heir to England. The movie highlights important historical moments in Mary Stuart's life, like her half-brother Lord Moray's plot to undermine her (1565), her marriage to Lord Darnley (1565) and his murder (1567), and even the plot against David Rizzio (1566). After Darnley is murdered, Mary is forced to flee her home with Lord Bothwell, leaving her son James. Bothwell decides she must marry a Scotsman, insinuating that she must marry him. Mary initially objects, suspecting he was involved with Darnley's murder, but after he threatens her and subsequently rapes her, she is forced to consent to the marriage. This leads to scenes of John Knox slandering Mary as a "harlot" which forces Mary's court to push her to abdicate her throne. Mary then flees to England.
(Image: Poster for Mary Queen of Scots via Cinemapolis.com)
From shelter in northern England, Mary petitions the court of England to meet her cousin. Elizabeth reluctantly agrees and arranges a meeting in absolute secrecy. Mary begs Elizabeth for her aid in regaining the Scottish throne. However, Elizabeth is wary about starting a war on behalf of a Catholic rival, instead promises a safe exile in England as long as Mary does not aid her enemies. Mary responds that she will only aid her enemies if Elizabeth forces her to do so, and threatens that should Elizabeth murder her, she should remember that she "murdered her own sister and queen". The movie concludes with a jump in time. Mary is seen walking to the chopping block, dressed in a black cloak. Elizabeth is shown openly weeping and grieving. Mary dramatically throws off the black cloak to reveal a bright red dress, labeling herself as a martyr. The movie ends with Mary's voice wishing her son James a peaceful reign over Scotland and England.
The movie focuses heavily on Mary Stuart's reign in Scotland and her relationship with Queen Elizabeth, much like the movie's predecessors. Mary Queen of Scots (2018), however, sets itself apart from other films because the relationship between the two women is full of much more empathy. The two women acknowledge that they are alone in the sense that they are women rulers in a kingdom full of powerful men. Peter Bradshaw's review for The Guardian describes their relationship as "two women who know what it is like to be lonely and surrounded by duplicitous men." Comparing the two to warship captains, Bradshaw states the two characters are "like the destroyer’s captain and U-boat commander in a war movie, they have a kind of respect for each other."¹ Similarly, the New York Times review by A.O Scott explains their relationship as follows: "Each queen is, to some degree, a pawn, manipulated by opportunistic courtiers and politicians who proclaim loyalty to the sovereigns they seek to undermine. No man is entirely trustworthy."² The influence third-wave feminism³ in the age of #MeToo can be wholly felt in the relationship between the two women. Past interpretations of the women convey no sense of unity and constant rivalry. Ingibjörg Ágústsdóttir’s article: “Mary Queen of Scots as Feminine and National Icon: Depictions in Film and Fiction,” describes the past representations of Mary Stuart, stating: "portrayal of Elizabeth Tudor and Mary as polar opposites further supports a reading of Mary as the feminine victim, and of Scotland as bullied by England. Elizabeth is shown to be sensible and ambitious whereas Mary is controlled by her emotions and places far too much trust in her nobles."⁴ In Mary Queen of Scots (2018), Mary and Elizabeth are shown attempting to build a relationship between the two countries. Although the two women are shown as opposite forces-- which is discussed in further detail below -- they are not shown as two forces working against one another.
(image: Poster for Mary Queen of Scots)
Though Mary Queen of Scots (2018) displays this rivalry to a degree, it does so with a sense of sisterhood. Both women strive to create an environment that is best for both kingdoms and constantly seek friendly relations between the two countries. The movie strategically leaves out the Babington plot (1586) entirely. Instead, it jumps from Elizabeth granting Mary asylum to the scene of Mary's execution, while subtly implying that the plot took place. Elizabeth appears openly mourning the death of her cousin. Mary's words when the two women meet, right before her execution – "murdered her own sister and queen" – play a crucial role in this scene, especially combined with the display of Elizabeth's mourning. This portrays Elizabeth as the betrayer of womanhood, not Mary Stuart. In past depictions, the Babington plot was the core climax to and a key component to the telling of Mary's narrative as the betrayer. Instead, Mary Queen of Scots transforms that narrative by shaping Mary and Elizabeth's relationship into a bond of two women against a world of men, and Elizabeth subsequently breaking that bond.
The portrayal of the two women's characters also transforms Mary Stuart's narrative. Queen Elizabeth is not shown as strong-willed and confident as she has been shown in past interpretations. Mary Stuart is young, beautiful and full of energy. Elizabeth, on the other hand, is shown scarred from smallpox, heavily masked in white paint, and often hidden away in her room away from her court. Scott's New York Times review describes the contrast in characters, stating "the filmmakers are driven to humiliate Elizabeth, who is a neurotic, indecisive introvert in contrast to her vivacious, outgoing cousin. The possibility that Elizabeth could have been a shrewd and ruthless political player in her own right — a Machiavellian prince rather than a cursed fairy tale princess — is ruled out."⁵ This aspect of the film is emphasized in the scene where the two women meet in person -- an event that never happened -- which is shown below. Here, Mary is shown as strong-willed and demanding, even calling Elizabeth her 'inferior'. Elizabeth, on the other hand, is portrayed as fragile and even envious of Mary's beauty and ability to rule. She even states,"you seem to surpass me in every way," after removing her infamous bright red wig to reveal tattered, balding hair. This movie reshapes the narrative of Mary and Elizabeth's relationship to one that places Mary as the more powerful force.
(Mary Queen of Scots scene: Mary and Elizabeth Finally Meet; found on Youtube.com)
The ending of the film (shown below) also creates Mary's story to one of a martyr. Mary is shown ripping off her black cloak to reveal a bright red dress, which sets herself apart from everyone else in the scene. As she stands at the scaffold, she recites a monologue dedicated to her son James (r. 1566-1625), who in 1603 becomes the first true king of both Scotland and England in. Mary hopes that James will succeed where she did not in terms of uniting the two kingdoms-- uniting the two kingdoms, a cause for which she was about to give her life. She states that one day his crown will bring peace to two countries, with a scene showing an older James taking a seat on the English throne. It ends in a way that places Mary as the force that succeeded, especially with emphasis of James taking the throne even after her death. In other depictions, Mary's execution -- often coupled by her long imprisonment -- “shaped Mary's life as the 'victim' and ultimate ‘villain’. They focus on Mary's imprisonment (victim) and participation in the Babington Plot (villain). Mary Queen of Scots, however, avoids this time in Mary's life entirely in order to place her as the successful queen, despite her death. She is not seen crying, or begging for her life, rather Mary is confident in the fact that she has ultimately gotten what she wanted -- unity between Scotland and England -- through her son James. Here, Mary's monologue and dress transforms her to be the victor. She is killed in order for James to become King, despite Elizabeth's efforts to stop it.
(Ending scene for Mary Queen of Scots, found on Youtube.com)
In the time of third-wave feminism, Mary Queen of Scots (2018) offers another refreshingly new transformation of Mary Stuart's historical narrative. Mary Stuart has finally been depicted as someone who is not limited to simply being Queen Elizabeth's villain,' but rather shaped into a largely feminist and independent Queen, attempting to cultivate a bond of sisterhood between two women ruling in an era of patriarchy. Mary Stuart is no longer confined by the tragedy of her imprisonment and execution, but shown as a successful force in the long run despite her ultimate death. This movie signals a time in the early modern queen's narrative that has finally portrayed the queen as her own powerful entity that places her apart from Queen Elizabeth. The twenty-first century has allowed for the possibility of the creation of powerful interpretations of early modern queens and Mary Stuart, Queen of Scotland, has finally been given the proper moment to shine.
Endnotes:
¹ Peter Bradshaw, "Mary Queen of Scots review – Saoirse Ronan and Margot Robbie's duel-like cousinmance," The Guardian, January 16, 2019. https://www.theguardian.com/film/2019/jan/16/mary-queen-of-scots-review-saoirse-ronan-margot-robbie-power-politics
² A.O Scott, "Mary Queen of Scots Review: Sexy, Spirited and Almost Convincing," The New York Times, December 6, 2018. https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/06/movies/mary-queen-of-scots-review.html
³ R. Claire Snyder "What Is Third‐Wave Feminism? A New Directions Essay."Signs 34, no. 1 (Autumn 2008): 175-96. Accessed April 20, 2020. doi:10.1086/588436 -- R. Claire Snyder is Associate Professor of Government and Politics in Political Theory in the Department of Public and International Affairs at George Mason University. Her article addresses the rise of third-wave feminism, how it differs from second-wave feminism, the issues that third-wave feminism addresses, as well as the negative aspects to third-wave feminism. Overall, third-wave feminism rejects the largely national narrative of feminist thinking that was cultivated by second-wave feminists. Third-wave feminism embraces a more on intersectional viewpoint on race, focuses on cultivating a more egalitarian relationship between the sexes, and rejects the common belief that all women have the same shared experiences. Consequently, this rejection of second-wave feminist beliefs lends third-wavers to the notion that they are simply 'rebelling' against older generations. For further analysis and explanation, refer to Snyder's article.
⁴ Ingibjörg Ágústsdóttir, "Mary Queen of Scots as Feminine and National Icon: Depictions in Film and Fiction," Études écossaises 15, (April 2012): http://journals.openedition.org/etudesecossaises/603. 78
⁵Scott, "Mary Queen of Scots Review".
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