walsibeth - Profile (original) (raw)
on 9 January 2008 (#14635175)
A community for those who support the pairing of Queen Elizabeth I and Sir Francis Walsingham
Welcome to 
walsibeth, a small community for those who support the pairing of Queen Elizabeth I and Sir Francis Walsingham, portrayed by Australian actors Cate Blanchett and Geoffrey Rush in the Elizabeth films directed by Shekhar Kapur. All members are encouraged to share fan works - be they art, fiction, poetry or videos - and to discuss the subtleties of the relationship between these two characters.
Bear in mind this is not a history group, but a historical fiction/faction/fantasy community, which supports a fictional pairing, based on an interpretation of history, which is itself only partially accurate. Before joining or posting, please read the rules below.
We don't expect to be enormously active, but we hope that we will be a community of quality rather than quantity. :) Most of all, have fun!
Nothing to report at present!
The roots of "Walsibeth", of course, lie within the (partly) fictionalised Elizabeth film (1998) by Shekhar Kapur, in which a young and vulnerable Queen Elizabeth develops and matures into an all-powerful and divine figure under the guidance and tutelage of her trusty spy master, Walsingham. The pair form a partnership through the course of the drama, and a bond between them grows as they face the rocky beginnings of Elizabeth's reign together. Going through such a journey leaves much scope for their relationship to further develop and, throughout the first film, there simmers beneath the surface, in a land of subtext, the foundations of a long and lasting relationship. (And, in retrospect, since they will rule the country until their respective deaths, this relationship turns out to be long indeed!)
This relationship is further built upon in the 2007 sequel to Elizabeth, The Golden Age, which provides more material for study by discriminating Walsibeth 'shippers - albeit perhaps not enough for our tastes!
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Whether one perceives Elizabeth and Francis' relationship as being something very platonic or as filled with sexual tension is down to personal interpretation, but there must surely be some little romantic nuances there since so many people have come together in this community to celebrate their partnership!
Yes, in "reality" (or what we believe we know from various historical sources) Queen Elizabeth and Francis Walsingham were not the best of friends. In fact, it seems likely they rarely saw eye-to-eye and were often at loggerheads (it is said that the Queen once threw her shoe or slipper at him in rage!). The Queen's parsimony and procrastination irritated Sir Francis, and Walsingham's single-mindedness in turn irked Elizabeth. However, I personally believe that they had a large amount of respect for one another and recognised their need to co-operate for England's sake. Walsingham was a loyal, hard-working and invaluable tool for Elizabeth, and she -- perhaps sometimes reluctantly -- well knew it.
There are hosts of books out there about the reign of Elizabeth, and in the past 15 years there has been a small explosion in books about Walsingham so there's plenty to sink your teeth into - as always, exercise caution with your reading as all history is coloured by the author's personal opinion and interpretation.
To join, you must be a fan of the relationship between Elizabeth I and Sir Francis Walsingham. This can be in either a romantic or platonic form. If you are not a fan, or simply wish to argue about the historical fact of the matter, this is not a community for you.
All posts should be relevant to this community's theme - i.e. the relationship between Elizabeth I and Sir Francis Walsingham. All Elizabeth/Walsingham content is welcome, and though this community focuses on the relationship as portrayed in the films Elizabeth and Elizabeth: The Golden Age, discussion on any filmed or written "versions" - including the real historical individuals - is acceptable. All fanfiction, artwork, manips and fanvids must focus on Elizabeth and Walsingham.
This is not a history community and though discussion of the historical figures in comparison to the fictionalised characters is acceptable, this is not a place for historical debate. There are other communities better suited for that.
All members are expected to behave themselves! This basically means that personal attacks on other people (members or not), unnecessary use of bad language, trolling, sexism, homophobia, or other cases of misconduct or discrimination will not be tolerated.
jurious, as moderator, has the right to ban you without warning if you engage in such behaviour. Treat fellow members, their work, and their opinions with respect.All posts are moderated. This is just a measure to ensure the community runs smoothly, and that the moderator can review all content before its publication.
Please post large graphics, long posts, fanfiction and icons behind an LJ-cut. (Access LJ's Help section HERE if you are unsure how.) It's acceptable for one-to-three teaser icons to be posted above a cut, or a thumbnail to be posted of a larger image.
Please post all adult material behind a cut with a warning, and use the adult material flagging system on any 18+ content. (Read HERE.)
When you post a fanfic, include information outside the cut, such as name of author, potential spoilers, rating and a summary.
You are welcome to submit news for the comm' - just message
jurious and, if she feels the news is appropriate, it will be posted to the profile page. You will be given full credit for supplying the information.Off-topic posts are not appropriate for this comm' and should not be posted here. There will be no exceptions. Requests for Walsibeth betas, icons, fanvids, fics to be written, or questions about fics you want to locate are acceptable, but please use this right with discretion.
Promotion of other communities is only acceptable if they relate directly to this one. (Message
jurious beforehand if you are unsure as to whether the community you want to plug is acceptable or not.)
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If you have any further questions, please contact the moderator, jurious.
16th century, british history, cate blanchett, elizabeth, elizabeth 1, elizabeth i, elizabeth the golden age, elizabeth tudor, elizabeth/walsingham, elizabethan, faction, fan art, fan poems, fan videos, fanfic, fanfiction, francis walsingham, geoffrey rush, historical fiction, king henry vii, king henry viii, period drama, queen elizabeth i, shekhar kapur, sir francis walsingham, spanish armada, tudor history, tudors, unconventional ships, walsibeth, walsie, walsiebeth, walsingham, walsingham/elizabeth