Sir Thomas More and Queen Elizabeth's Writing Styles Prompt and Comparison

Full credit

Due to the conditions and circumstances in which they lived, both Queen Elizabeth and Sir Thomas More wrote for very purposeful reasons. The content each wrote about was driven by their intended messages; and likewise, the writing style each crafted was created for a specific audience and delivery.

Write a comparison focusing on the similarities and differences between Queen Elizabeth's and Sir Thomas More's writing styles. Make sure that your analysis of their styles has a larger purpose and discusses how their rhetoric and use of language contributed to and/or allowed for their meaning to be expressed.

Tone- author's attitude
Mood - an effect on the reader
Never say diction by itself
Antithesis -> show both side

Highlight for essay:
Because Sir Thomas More and Queen Elizabeth I wrote for very different reason, it would appear that their writing styles would differ greatly. However, that is not entirely true. With a sixty-seven year difference between their births, More wrote Utopia to address his grievances with the current king of England, Henry VIII, while Elizabeth delivered her speech to rally her troops before fighting the Spanish Armada. However, they both talked about how the normal people, the citizens, were the top priority of the nobility, a change from the selfish views of the nobility in the Middle Ages. Both of them are great persuaders, as they both use repetition and parallel structure to drill into their audience’s ears that what they are saying. Thomas More uses this technique when he proclaims, “a prince ought to take more care of his people’s happiness than of his own, as a shepherd ought to take more care of his flock than of himself,” and Elizabeth I uses this when she says she will “…lay down, for my God, and for my kingdom, and for my people, my honor and my blood…”As evident in his quote, More also uses similes and biblical allusions to relate his struggle with the king to Jesus. More also uses rhetorical questions to appeal to logos and convince the reader that Henry’s actions are not logical, as evident in, “Or who rushes in to create disorders which such desperate boldness as the man who has nothing to lose and everything to gain?” More uses examples to further illustrate his point as shown in, “Thus Fabricus…said he would rather govern rich men than be rich himself.” On the other hand, Elizabeth equates saving England from the Spanish Armada as a holy duty. She also appeals to ethos and uses a metaphor when she says, “I know I have but the body of a weak and feeble woman; but I have the heart of a king, and of a king of England, too…” She creates pity for her frail status, but then creates inspiration when she proclaims that she has the courage of a king, especially a king of England. Lastly, Sir Thomas More and Queen Elizabeth I’s tones differ greatly. Whereas More talks with a bitter, sarcastic tone against Henry VIII, Elizabeth speaks warmly and urgently to inspire the troops to defeat the Spanish.