Four centuries after her death, Elizabeth I remains a powerful and fascinating figure. She not only endured as monarch for forty-four years but flourished as a leader and cultural figurehead. This ''Norton Critical Edition'' includes a substantial number of Elizabeth's poems, prayers, speeches, proclamations and letters, setting them side by side with other contemporary works that focus on the same crises and controversies. The editors have also assembled a rich, thematically organised collection of commentary and criticism, ranging from early accounts of Elizabeth to the Queen in film. A glossary and selected bibliography are also included.