The Uncommon Reader

Use these questions or activities to help gauge students’ familiarity with and spark their interest in the context of the work, giving them an entry point into the text itself.

Short Answer

1. The United Kingdom’s form of government is a parliamentary system combined with a constitutional monarchy. Consider the role of the monarchy in the UK. What is the purpose of a monarch? How does this role differ from a prime minister and/or a president? In general, how is the monarchy perceived in the UK?

Teaching Suggestion: This question orients students with the political structure of the satire. The UK has both a constitutional monarchy as well as a parliamentary democracy as their form of government. Historically, the UK functioned under a monarchial mindset, in which the king/queen was bound to the laws of God, not man; as a result, monarchs often used God, as well as established religion, to justify their leadership and maintain power. In the UK, monarchal power gradually decreased after the Magna Carta in 1215, and the 17th-century English Civil War was a notable turning point because of the abolition of the monarchy and the increase of Parliament’s duties. (The monarchy was eventually restored under King Charles II in 1660, and the balance of power between the throne and Parliament was reestablished.)

Additionally, the rise and fall of the British empire particularly called into question the role of the monarch as a figurehead, as the loss of territory combined with the domestic problems in the 20th century caused the British people to question the purpose and role of the monarch. Bennett’s queen alludes to this loss of place as a late-20th/early -21st-century monarch, as well as what The Duty of the Monarch should be. After sharing responses and compiling ideas, readers might gain additional context from these or similar resources.

• The UK government royal website offers a succinct explanation of “The Role of the Monarchy” in contemporary society.
• The UK Parliament’s site offers information surrounding the development of the country’s parliamentary democratic system.

2. When did Queen Elizabeth II rule Great Britian? What were some of the policies and ideas that she supported during her monarchy? How did the UK, as well as the world, view her reign?

Teaching Suggestion: This question invites students to think critically about the perception of the UK’s Queen Elizabeth II, particularly how her reign relates to The Queen and Public Opinion. Ruling from 1952 until 2022, Her Majesty was the UK’s longest-reigning monarch; during her 70-year reign, she witnessed several historical events including the end of the Cold War, the ascendance of the first female British Prime Minister, the disintegration of the Commonwealth and subsequent independence of former British colonies, and the rise of technology.

Overall, the public opinion of Queen Elizabeth II and the monarchy in general varied depending on the socioeconomic conditions of the era, as people began to question the role of the monarchy, as well as its related expenses, during decades of recession and unemployment. Additionally, Her Majesty faced scrutiny over the debacle with her son, the current monarch King Charles III, and the controversy surrounding his marriage to and eventual divorce from the late Princess Diana. It should be noted that while Bennett does not directly specify that “Her Majesty” in the text is the late Queen Elizabeth II, context clues (e.g., time period, ownership of corgis, namesake of Elizabeth I, reference to Princess Diana’s death, reference to Her Majesty’s 80th birthday, etc.) allude that she is the monarch upon whom he based his novella.

• The UK Royal Household website shares an expansive overview of the life and reign of Queen Elizabeth II.
• The Guardian shared a poll of UK public opinion of Her Majesty after her death in 2022.
• Time highlighted some of the critiques of the monarchy after Her Majesty’s death in 2022 and before the upcoming coronation of her son, King Charles III.

Short Activity

Queen Elizabeth II has been represented countless times in both media and literature. Working in small groups, select one of these pieces and analyze the way in which the Queen is portrayed. What is her personality like? What are her main concerns in the piece? Present your findings to the class, and then consider the similarities and differences among representations.

Teaching Suggestion: Many films, TV series, and works of literature have represented Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, most of which focus on the clash between changing society and the stoic role of the crown. Invite students to use the resources below to engage with an artistic representation of Her Majesty and share their findings with the class.

• IMDB has compiled a thorough list of films in which Her Majesty has been portrayed.
• Glamour’s article shares an overview as well as images of different actresses who have played the monarch.

Differentiation Suggestion: For a more creative approach, the above Short Activity may be amended as follows: Imagine that you are writing a script for a film about Queen Elizabeth II’s life. Who would you cast as Her Majesty? Why? How would you incorporate the themes of The Duty of the Monarch and The Queen and Public Opinion into your script?

Personal Connection Prompt

This prompt can be used for in-class discussion, exploratory free-writing, or reflection homework before reading the novella.

Have you ever read a book that inspired you and/or made you think differently? What was this book? How/why did it change your opinion on a subject?

Teaching Suggestion: This Personal Connection Prompt invites students to apply the theme of The Power of the Written Word to their own lives. In the novella, the act of reading becomes a powerful tool to open the Queen’s mind to new ideas, question existing systems, and develop her own identity. As a figurehead who is meant to function without interests or opinions, the Queen observes, “I have to seem like a human being all the time, but I seldom have to be one. I have people to do that for me” (Page 44). Reading becomes a tool to guide Her Majesty from solely fulfilling her neutral monarchial role to living as a unique individual. This prompt segues directly to the Discussion/Analysis Prompt.