A Study on the Costume and Color Symbolism of the Movie - Focusing on Queen Elizabeth -

This thesis aims to examine the symbolism of color in the clothing of women, focusing on the protagonist of the movie Elizabeth: The Golden Age (2007). At the beginning of the movie, the Queen wears gowns with cartwheel ruff and wheel farthingales, symbolizing the attempt of establishing a powerful majesty. However, the Queen falls in love with Walter Raleigh and her clothing comes to emphasize femininity displaying her cleavage. Later on, her clothing indicates charismatic authority as she prepares for the Spanish war. At the end of the movie, the Queen who led the the country to victory in war puts on a luxurious gown with butterfly wings that reminds of a fairy queen. The colors of the Queen's clothing are categorized into three groups. First, the color red represents two opposite allegories. The positive image of red denotes Christ's blood, the love of God, and noble status of the Queen's image as a savior of England. On the other hand, red represents lewdness and evil which insinuate that the Queen is being attacked on her religious and political genuineness. Second, the color blue represents Saint Maria, chastity, and divinity. Third, the color goldw and white represent the Queen's ideals which are chastity as a virgin Queen and divinity.