Derek Jarman's Edward II:
Queer Cinema Meets the Middle Ages

1306:
Edward I, King of England, banishes Gaveston (right, below), a knight of Gascony, thought to be too familiar with Edward's son, Edward, Prince of Wales (left, below).

1307:
Edward I dies at age 68 in July. Edward II becomes king at age 24.

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His first act is to recall Gaveston (up to no good, below), who returns to England in August.

Gaveston's first acts in England take revenge on his enemies, chiefly Walter Langton, bishop of Lichfield, and the Bishop of Winchester, here stripped, beaten, and imprisoned.

1308, January:
In France, Edward marries Isabella, sister of Phillip IV, King of France. Her relatives return to France complaining that the king loves Gaveston more than he loves his wife.

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1308, February:
At Edward's coronation, Gaveston carries the sword of St. Edward the Confessor and the crown, "so decked out that he more resembled the god of Mars than an ordinary mortal" (a contemporary witness).

1309:
Roger Mortimer, earl of March, leads the Peers of the Realm in opposing Edward and Gaveston (scene below recalls the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier)

Isabella, likewise, is displeased.
Time passes, things worsen.
The king of France seized Normandy from Edward, and Robert Bruce's forces in Scotland become ever more daring in battles against the English.

1311:
The Queen and Mortimer, with the Peers, for Edward to banish Gaveston a second time.

On cue, Annie Lennox, waiting in the wings, sings Cole Porter's "Every Time We Say Good-bye" and the lovers dance.

Gaveston's ugly departure (all his tormentors are clerics).

Edward's followers (looking like Act Up circa 1985) rally to the king's support.

1312:
Gaveston returns but is apprehended, imprisoned, and killed.

After an indefinite interval, Edward is imprisoned and deposed. Replacing him on the throne: Mortimer and Isabella, supported by Kent (Edward's brother) and Edward, Prince of Wales (Edward's and Isabella's son).

In Marlowe's play, Edward is suffocated (a table is pressed down on him); in legend and in the film, Lightborn (literally translated from "Lucifer," bearer of light), penetrates the king with a hot poker. Historians consider it highly improbable that the king was killed in this way; the aim of his murder was not only to eliminate him but to leave no traces of the manner of his death, lest cultish followings be insipred by signs of martyrdom. In the film the king is seen sleeping; then the horrific scene below plays out, after which he awakes with a start and Lightborn throws the poker he has been carrying into water. This suggests that Edward dreams such a death but meets another--the homophobic ritual is imagined but not experienced.

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The time lines for history, the play, & the film

History 1307: Edward's reign begins, Gaveston returns 1311: Gaveston banished to Ireland, returns 1312: Gaveston is killed; Edward is born to Edward II and Isabella, the first of their 4 children 1327: Edward imprisoned, forced to resign, reign of Edward III (age 15) begins; he rules until 1377

Marlowe Act 1: 1307-11 (all events) Act 2: 1311: Edward and Gaveston vs. Isabella and Mortimer Act 3: 1312: Gaveston is killed Act 4: 1320-24: Isabella and Mortimer raise armies, rebel against Edward Act 5: 1326-27: Edward imprisoned; Mortimer and Isabella have him killed; Edward III orders Isabella banished and Mortimer executed

Jarman Events from 1307-12 occupy 60 of 90 minutes (up to Gaveston's death). Edward's wars against Isabella and Mortimer (1312-27) occupy just 30 minutes. However, the gap between 1312 (Gaveston's death) and 1327 (Edward's death) is not distinct, and events that took place between 1324 and 1327 occupy approximately the last 5 minutes of screen time. This creates the impression that all Edward's misfortunes and mishaps resulted from rejection of his love for Gaveston. Edward's final speech in the film is comes from the first scene of Act 5.

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Rating Edward II & Edward II

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Edward II	History's verdict =	***** ". . . a weakling and a fool. . . wanting, not only in military capacity, but also in imagination, energy, and common sense" (May McKisack, The Fourteenth Century)
The Troublesome Reign and Lamentable Death of Edward the Second, King of England: With the Tragical Fall of Proud Mortimer, by Christopher Marlowe	Professorial verdict =	***** Among Marlowe's plays only Dr. Faustus is better
Edward II, by Derek Jarman	The film world's rating =	? Check out Nick Davis's NicksFlickPicks. Frantzen rating = *****