Unknown to History

Charlotte M. Yonge's dramatization of the life of Mary Queen of Scots offers a sympathetic treatment of Mary Stuart, who was a controversial and divisive figure in Elizabethan times.

Mary Queen of Scots spent her life mired in the politics of Elizabethan times; considered a threat to the reign of Elizabeth I for her potential claim to the throne, she endured many years imprisoned at the behest of her Tudor relative. Eventually, following a scandal involving the murder of Lord Darnley, Mary was forced to abdicate her throne to her one year old son, James VI. Some time after her abdication, she was beheaded.

Mary Stuart was a polarizing figure owing to the religious and political atmosphere of the era. For this, she continues to elicit the fascination and study of historians to this day, who remain divided about her nature.

In her dramatization of Mary's life, Charlotte Yonge demonstrates her flair for characterization, portraying Mary's personality in line with historical accounts and observations of those who knew her. We see in her a bright, assertive and determined character, who we feel moved to sympathy for as the years of incarceration go by and intrigues begin to ominously mount.

A committed researcher of Elizabethan times, Charlotte Yonge's descriptions of the era lend an authenticity to her work. Her portrayal of various historical figures as human beings, rather than caricatures informed only by their most scrutinized actions, adds further merit, making Unknown to History a worthy piece of historical fiction.