'Elizabeth'

Shekhar Kapur's 'Elizabeth' shows the Elizabethan era, and the status of the characters through the makeup and hair.

At the beginning of the film Elizabeth wears no makeup, although some elements typical of Elizabethan makeup, such as the high hair line and plucked eyebrows are still shown. The Elizabeth we see in the beginning can be seen in a direct contrast with Queen Elizabeth at the end. The lack of makeup could  symbolise her 'innocence' and the freedom that she has in her life as she has not yet ascended the throne. This is in direct contrast with the end of the film where she enters the court fully made up with the painted white face, rouged lips and cheeks, and kohl on the eyes - makeup typical of upper-class women in Elizabethan society. The symbolism of this being shown at the very end of the film when she announces that 'she is married to England' shows that she has decided to put her country before herself and thus begin the Elizabethan era. Furthermore the use of more makeup at the end of the film could show her disguising her true self and becoming what everyone else wants her to be by 'getting married'.

Throughout the film, the hair is of great significance as well as symbolic. At the beginning, Elizabeth has long free-flowing hair which makes her look wild and less aristocratic. However, as the film progresses changes in her hair are noticeable. As soon as she is crowned Queen, subtle changes are brought in such as; curling and putting the hair up in intricate style with headpieces. These changes show the transition that she is making from Princess to Queen and the rise in her status level. In the Elizabethan era, once a woman married she began to wear her hair up, this change in the way Elizabeth wore her hair was beginning to be shown in the film. By the end of the film as Elizabeth declared herself 'married to England' she had completed the transition to a married woman and her hair reflected this.

Furthermore,  the act of cutting off her long hair and declaring herself 'a virgin' could be seen to be a juxtaposition as usually long hair would symbolise virginity before marriage. The symbolism of cutting off the hair could show her reborn as the new Queen Elizabeth, the 'virgin Queen' or cutting off her identity entirely so she can become what her country needs in a ruler. Although there is no evidence that she did cut off her hair, there is speculation that Elizabeth's hair fell out as a result of contracting smallpox in 1562 thus making her wear wigs to cover this up.

The lack of makeup used throughout the majority of the film could also be making her appeal to a contemporary audience by breaking through the typical look that is associated with Elizabeth I. Even the poster for the film shows the makeup-free Elizabeth, so that even before watching the film the audience has a different view from the Elizabeth we all think we know.