Lady in Waiting (novel)
Encyclopedia
Lady in Waiting is a historical novel by Rosemary Sutcliff
and first published in 1957.
It is set in the Elizabethan era
and beginning of the Stuart period
of England
, telling the life story of Sir Walter Raleigh, primarily through the viewpoint of his wife, Bess Throckmorton
. This is the first of Sutcliff's five novels written and listed as expressly for 'adult' readership, and like her later 1967 adult novel The Flowers of Adonis, uses the technique of having the central character's narrative told by his relation to other characters.
, and quickly shows his close relationship with half-brother Humphrey Gilbert
. Glibert is attributed as sharing and inspiring Raleigh's life-long passion of wanting explore the New World
, beginning with a plan to seek the fabled Northwest Passage
. Much of the rest of Raleigh's life is explained as being primarily motivated by this passion.
Bess is brought into the novel when Raleigh is seeking favor at Queen Elizabeth's court at the Palace of Westminster
. She is 12 years of age, and Raleigh makes a strong impression on her during a chance meeting in a garden. He is whistling the tune of Greensleeves
, which is used throughout the novel, and shares his frustration of being stymied in his goals of exploration. Bess grows up at court in proximity to Mary Sidney
, eventually becoming a Lady in Waiting
to the Queen. She is immersed in court culture, early on being connected with Philip Sidney
, Robert Devereux
, and Robin Cecil
. They are all shown as children growing up in the shadows of their elders, Lord Essex
and Lord Burghley
, respectively; and the court intrigues of the times. The two 'Robins' are connected with Raleigh in what is described as a Triumvirate
, around which both her life and the fate of England
are shown as revolving.
The first half of the novel takes place during the reign of Queen Elizabeth, charting the ups and downs of Raleigh's career from the 1590s onward; including his position as Captain of the Queen's Guard
, his fall from favor after a clandestine marriage to Bess, their life at Durham House
and Sherborne
, his return to favor and involvement with the capture of Cadiz, the rise of Robin Cecil to become Secretary of State
, the fall and execution of Robin Devereux, Raleigh's exploration of what is now Guyana
, and attempt to promote the legend of El Dorado
as motivation to gain further favor for future explorations.
The second half of the novel takes place during the reign of King James
, showing his decline under the machinations of Robin Cecil, 13 year imprisonment in the Tower of London
after being impugned of involvement in the Main Plot
by way of Lord Cobham, eventual restoration and resumption of exploration of the Orinoco
, the death of his son Walter while on the exploration, Raleigh's downfall after the failure of the exploration, and eventual execution.
Bess's life is shown as revolving around 'waiting' for Raleigh to 'remember her,' and being faithful to support him despite his overarching drive for exploration. Her anxieties are explored in depth, and their relationship is portrayed as being very strong, even in the face of extremity. Raleigh's life is shown as a complex tapestry of events that only make sense in the light of his life-long dream of exploration. His execution is shown as the passing of the 'last of Elizabeth's Round Table,' with a sense of nostalgia for the adventurers in service to Queen Elizabeth and the Golden Age which she created.
Rosemary Sutcliff
Rosemary Sutcliff CBE was a British novelist, and writer for children, best known as a writer of historical fiction and children's literature. Although she was primarily a children's author, the quality and depth of her writing also appeals to adults; Sutcliff herself once commented that she wrote...
and first published in 1957.
It is set in the Elizabethan era
Elizabethan era
The Elizabethan era was the epoch in English history of Queen Elizabeth I's reign . Historians often depict it as the golden age in English history...
and beginning of the Stuart period
Stuart period
The Stuart period of English and British history refers to the period between 1603 and 1714, while in Scotland it begins in 1371. These dates coincide with the rule of the Scottish royal House of Stuart, whose first monarch to rule England was James I & VI...
of England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, telling the life story of Sir Walter Raleigh, primarily through the viewpoint of his wife, Bess Throckmorton
Elizabeth Raleigh
Elizabeth, Lady Raleigh , née Throckmorton, was Sir Walter Raleigh's wife, and a Lady of the Privy Chamber to Queen Elizabeth I of England. Their secret marriage precipitated a long period of royal disfavour for Raleigh....
. This is the first of Sutcliff's five novels written and listed as expressly for 'adult' readership, and like her later 1967 adult novel The Flowers of Adonis, uses the technique of having the central character's narrative told by his relation to other characters.
Plot summary
The story is primarily about the life and exploits of Sir Walter Raleigh, albeit with the bulk of the narration revolving around the impact of his life on Elizabeth Throckmorton, who is referred to as 'Bess.' It begins with Raleigh's (this is the spelling used in the novel) childhood in BudleighEast Budleigh
East Budleigh is a small village in East Devon, England. The villages of Yettington, Colaton Raleigh, and Otterton lie to the west, north and east of East Budleigh, with the seaside town of Budleigh Salterton about two miles south...
, and quickly shows his close relationship with half-brother Humphrey Gilbert
Humphrey Gilbert
Sir Humphrey Gilbert of Devon in England was a half-brother of Sir Walter Raleigh. Adventurer, explorer, member of parliament, and soldier, he served during the reign of Queen Elizabeth and was a pioneer of English colonization in North America and the Plantations of Ireland.-Early life:Gilbert...
. Glibert is attributed as sharing and inspiring Raleigh's life-long passion of wanting explore the New World
New World
The New World is one of the names used for the Western Hemisphere, specifically America and sometimes Oceania . The term originated in the late 15th century, when America had been recently discovered by European explorers, expanding the geographical horizon of the people of the European middle...
, beginning with a plan to seek the fabled Northwest Passage
Northwest Passage
The Northwest Passage is a sea route through the Arctic Ocean, along the northern coast of North America via waterways amidst the Canadian Arctic Archipelago, connecting the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans...
. Much of the rest of Raleigh's life is explained as being primarily motivated by this passion.
Bess is brought into the novel when Raleigh is seeking favor at Queen Elizabeth's court at the Palace of Westminster
Palace of Westminster
The Palace of Westminster, also known as the Houses of Parliament or Westminster Palace, is the meeting place of the two houses of the Parliament of the United Kingdom—the House of Lords and the House of Commons...
. She is 12 years of age, and Raleigh makes a strong impression on her during a chance meeting in a garden. He is whistling the tune of Greensleeves
Greensleeves
"Greensleeves" is a traditional English folk song and tune, a ground of the form called a romanesca.A broadside ballad by this name was registered at the London Stationer's Company in September 1580 as "A New Northern Dittye of the Lady Greene Sleeves". It then appears in the surviving A Handful of...
, which is used throughout the novel, and shares his frustration of being stymied in his goals of exploration. Bess grows up at court in proximity to Mary Sidney
Mary Sidney
Mary Herbert , Countess of Pembroke , was one of the first English women to achieve a major reputation for her literary works, poetry, poetic translations and literary patronage.-Family:...
, eventually becoming a Lady in Waiting
Lady in Waiting
Lady in Waiting is the 2nd album by American southern rock band Outlaws, released in 1976. -Track listing:#"Breaker-Breaker" – 2:59#"South Carolina" – 3:05#"Ain't So Bad" – 3:48...
to the Queen. She is immersed in court culture, early on being connected with Philip Sidney
Philip Sidney
Sir Philip Sidney was an English poet, courtier and soldier, and is remembered as one of the most prominent figures of the Elizabethan Age...
, Robert Devereux
Robert Devereux
Robert Devereux may refer to:*Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex, favourite of Queen Elizabeth I, executed for treason*Robert Devereux, 3rd Earl of Essex, son of the above*Roberto Devereux, an opera by Donizetti*Robert Devereux...
, and Robin Cecil
Robert Cecil
Robert Cecil may refer to:*Robert Cecil, 1st Earl of Salisbury , statesman, spymaster and minister to Elizabeth I of England and James I of England...
. They are all shown as children growing up in the shadows of their elders, Lord Essex
Walter Devereux
Walter Devereux may refer to:*Walter Devereux , Lord Chancellor of Ireland 1449–c.1451*Walter Devereux, 7th Baron Ferrers of Chartley . Son of the above. A Yorkist politician and military officer during the Wars of the Roses...
and Lord Burghley
William Cecil
William Cecil may refer to:* Lord William Cecil , British royal courtier* William Cecil, 1st Baron Burghley , English politician and advisor to Elizabeth I* William Cecil, 2nd Earl of Exeter , Knight of the Garter...
, respectively; and the court intrigues of the times. The two 'Robins' are connected with Raleigh in what is described as a Triumvirate
Triumvirate
A triumvirate is a political regime dominated by three powerful individuals, each a triumvir . The arrangement can be formal or informal, and though the three are usually equal on paper, in reality this is rarely the case...
, around which both her life and the fate of England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
are shown as revolving.
The first half of the novel takes place during the reign of Queen Elizabeth, charting the ups and downs of Raleigh's career from the 1590s onward; including his position as Captain of the Queen's Guard
Captain of the Yeomen of the Guard
The Captain of the Queen's Bodyguard of the Yeomen of the Guard is a UK government post usually held by the Government Deputy Chief Whip in the House of Lords...
, his fall from favor after a clandestine marriage to Bess, their life at Durham House
Durham House (London)
Durham House, or Durham Inn, was the historic London residence of the Bishop of Durham in the Strand, with its gardens descending to the Thames.-Origins:...
and Sherborne
Sherborne Castle
Sherborne Castle is a 16th-century Tudor mansion southeast of Sherborne in Dorset, England. The park formed only a small part of the Digby estate.-Old castle:Sherborne Old Castle is the ruin of a 12th-century castle in the grounds of the mansion...
, his return to favor and involvement with the capture of Cadiz, the rise of Robin Cecil to become Secretary of State
Secretary of State (England)
In the Kingdom of England, the title of Secretary of State came into being near the end of the reign of Queen Elizabeth I , the usual title before that having been King's Clerk, King's Secretary, or Principal Secretary....
, the fall and execution of Robin Devereux, Raleigh's exploration of what is now Guyana
Guyana
Guyana , officially the Co-operative Republic of Guyana, previously the colony of British Guiana, is a sovereign state on the northern coast of South America that is culturally part of the Anglophone Caribbean. Guyana was a former colony of the Dutch and of the British...
, and attempt to promote the legend of El Dorado
El Dorado
El Dorado is the name of a Muisca tribal chief who covered himself with gold dust and, as an initiation rite, dived into a highland lake.Later it became the name of a legendary "Lost City of Gold" that has fascinated – and so far eluded – explorers since the days of the Spanish Conquistadors...
as motivation to gain further favor for future explorations.
The second half of the novel takes place during the reign of King James
James I of England
James VI and I was King of Scots as James VI from 24 July 1567 and King of England and Ireland as James I from the union of the English and Scottish crowns on 24 March 1603...
, showing his decline under the machinations of Robin Cecil, 13 year imprisonment in the Tower of London
Tower of London
Her Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress, more commonly known as the Tower of London, is a historic castle on the north bank of the River Thames in central London, England. It lies within the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, separated from the eastern edge of the City of London by the open space...
after being impugned of involvement in the Main Plot
Main Plot
The Main Plot was an alleged conspiracy of July 1603 by English courtiers, to remove King James I from the English throne, replacing him with his cousin Arabella Stuart. The plot was supposedly led by Henry Brooke, Lord Cobham, and funded by Spain...
by way of Lord Cobham, eventual restoration and resumption of exploration of the Orinoco
Orinoco
The Orinoco is one of the longest rivers in South America at . Its drainage basin, sometimes called the Orinoquia, covers , with 76.3% of it in Venezuela and the remainder in Colombia...
, the death of his son Walter while on the exploration, Raleigh's downfall after the failure of the exploration, and eventual execution.
Bess's life is shown as revolving around 'waiting' for Raleigh to 'remember her,' and being faithful to support him despite his overarching drive for exploration. Her anxieties are explored in depth, and their relationship is portrayed as being very strong, even in the face of extremity. Raleigh's life is shown as a complex tapestry of events that only make sense in the light of his life-long dream of exploration. His execution is shown as the passing of the 'last of Elizabeth's Round Table,' with a sense of nostalgia for the adventurers in service to Queen Elizabeth and the Golden Age which she created.