Pretending by Queen Elizabeth and Iago from OthelloIn today's society, nothing is quite what it seems. Those awesome “free bees” you earn are never really free and no deal is really as good as it seems. Even people no longer seem stable because they are constantly changing to fit the current trend or to blend in with the newest “crowd.” They live their lives covered in a mask and forget or don't want to be themselves what is most important, and this is called pretending. The idea of ​​“pretending” is when someone “seems” or acts like something they are not. Although it happens often today, the act of pretending goes back much further. The act of "pretending" was used in many early British literary works, and it is here that we can see that it can be used for both good and evil purposes. A good example of each of these elements can be found in the life and writings of Elizabeth, as well as in Shakespeare's play Othello in the character Iago. Although it's not that common, the act of pretending can be used to good effect. This is seen in Queen Elizabeth. Elizabeth Tudor came to the throne of England in 1558. At this time, many religious upheavals occurred as England went through periods of Catholic and Protestant rule. Elizabeth, being a woman on the throne, had to demonstrate to her people that she was fit to rule the country and would do everything in their best interest. To achieve this, Elizabeth had to appear to be something she was not. The Longman Anthology of British Literature states: “Throughout her long reign she cultivated two personas...As a monarch she could speak courageously...; as a woman, she could transmit her understanding..." (475). In this regard, Elizabeth had to be strong and use her "pretense" for the good of the people, without showing too much emotion. During her tenure as queen, Elizabeth addressed Parliament on both the subjects of marriage and her loyalty to her. country. Perhaps she did this because she was asked to leave an heir to the throne. To answer this question, Elizabeth wrote: "And although it would please God Almighty to maintain me in this spirit, to live outside the state of marriage..