British Empire on the Eve of the Armada: Revisiting The Misfortunes of Arthur.

HUGHES, Thomas; ELIZABETH I, Queen of England, 1533-1603; BURGHLEY, William Cecil, Baron, 1520-1598

A literary criticism of the 16th-century tragedy play "The Misfortunes of Arthur," by Thomas Hughes, is presented. The author discusses the 1588 performance of the play for Queen Elizabeth I of England and suggests that the play embodies Elizabethan anti-imperial ideals and offers a negative view of Arthurian legend. Other topics include the 1588 Spanish Armada attack on the British Empire and the play's political meaning in relation to William Cecil, Lord Burghley, part of the barrister court Gray's Inn.