The poem
"On Monsieur's Departure" was written, it is believed, around 1582 by Queen Elizabeth
I. Because of the use of "Monsieur" in the title and the supposed date, it could refer
to the French Duke Anjou leaving England after their marriage contract was broken off. Duke
Anjou had visited England twice to court Queen Elizabeth and had succeeded in negotiating the
terms of their marriage, but it never happened. This failed courtship ended the "Marriage
Game" that Elizabeth had played for twenty years. It seems possible that she was truly
affectionate toward the Duke, whom she nicknamed "the frog."
Whether the poem was written by Elizabeth I or some other author, it is relatively easy to
discern what it is about. In the poem, the speaker wrestles with her own feelings and the
expectations of others regarding the discontinued romantic relationship. The speaker feels
constrained not to reveal her true feelings,...
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