Recommended Doctor/Elizabeth I meta

[neadods]

Over on DW, Legionseagle gives a whole new non-romantic perspective on the relationship between the Doctor and Elizabeth I.

Comments

[hildy]

Whovian Feminism reviews Day of the Doctor with a strong focus on the portrayal of Elizabeth I.

[neadods]

What I like about Legionseagle is that she goes through the historical reason why Elizabeth would be both interested in the Doctor and furious that he left without it actually being about her wanting him romantically. And finding that reason helps a lot with what Whovian feminism accurately says about Moffat turning strong women in history into merely the love interest.

[penguineggs]

My patience with the Whovian feminism analysis dissolved just about here:Elizabeth I was sexually abused as a young girl by her guardians, Thomas Seymour and Catherine Parr, and quite likely raped by Thomas Seymour.
Anyone who makes categorical statements on a matter about which there is for a whole load of absolutely obvious reasons one hell of a lot of doubt and conflicting opinions and then bases their argument on them is building on sand. Especially if one starts dragging Catherine Parr into them, together with a whole lot of cod-psychology which doesn't seem to be borne out by later history eg Elizabeth's relationship with the Earl of Leicester (which was just as potentially dangerous and considered just as shocking in history as anything which in the Who timeline she was getting up to with the Doctor

[neadods]

You'll note that the only part I said I agreed with was that Moffat does like to get famous women in history laid by the Doctor, which I had missed and he does. The history part, on the other hand... And the Doctor outright says that the reason he's doing it is to make sure the deal is both done and fair.