Text Review – “Reign” (Brandon Chong)

For this assignment, I have chosen to review the TV series “Reign”. This series takes focus around the French court and the other European powers of the 1600’s. More specifically, the series revolves around the Queen of Scotland at the time, Mary, Queen of Scots and her romantic life. With most of the attention towards her personal life, this show was characterized as fictional. However, when you watch the diplomatic conflicts that she faces, you are taken into the very real life of a 16^th century queen battling the threat of foreign invasion, internal scrutiny and much more.

Mary’s power over Scotland was inherited from birth since their was no male heir from her father but she further solidified her place as a European power for marrying the king of France, Francis II. With their two year marriage short-lived due to Francis’ death, Mary’s power and identity were constantly questioned. Viewers are reminded early in the series of the time period present and the lack of equality between men and woman that existed then. We are reminded that men of royal blood held supreme power and the women’s power ultimately stemmed from theirs. Knowing this, you can see how Mary’s authority as a single, motherless queen was under the pressure of the whole world at the time.

Through the entirety of our class, we have discussed examples that show inequalities between people at all levels, from individual interactions to worldwide inequalities. This show yet again exemplifies an inequality that, in the scope of the entirety of the human existence, has very recently been addressed. The show not only shines light on the inequality at the level of royalty but also shows glimpses into the life of the common woman. These woman are looked at as objects and slaves with the way they are treated by almost all men of the time. I rejoice in the fact that we are long passed this period of male to female inequality, but we always have to keep in mind where we have evolved from as a society and need to recognize the ripple effects that this inequalities have in our modern society.