Martyrdom and Release: A Catholic Interpretation of Mary Stuart's Execution

Mary's Perspective on Life and Death

In the fifth stanza, Mary presents death not only as positive but also life as negative. This is a typical Catholic move, to undersell earthly life in favor of eternal life after death.

Mary did have a turbulent life. She married a French Dauphin, and after his premature death, she married Lord Darnley, a womanizer and alcoholic who committed murder out of jealousy. Darnley was later found dead, and Mary married the prime suspect of the crime, the Earl of Bothwell. She was then chased by the Scots and imprisoned for 17 years, suspected of plotting to overthrow Elizabeth, until her execution.

In verse 19, we read: “my speedy death has shortened long annoy”; she would have spent more years in prison had she been executed later. For this reason, she finds relief in her torture, as she repeats in the sixth and seventh stanzas. Her execution has ended her suffering and freed her to go to a better place. In the last two stanzas, Mary narrates the sufferings of her life and then shows how her death has brought her to a position of rebirth and growth.

From Prince to Prisoner to Heavenly Reign

She was born a Prince but then imprisoned and obliged to abdicate on her son James, who would later succeed Elizabeth, also known as the Virgin Queen, and become king of Great Britain (this is also alluded to in verse 15: “from earthly reign debarred my restraint”). Mary’s position made her a threat to Elizabeth, and this made her life a torture (verse 31: “my titles wrought my trap”). On the contrary, in the kingdom of heaven, all this process is reversed, and she rises again “from hell to heavenly reign” (verse 37).

Southwell's Use of Language and Symbolism

Southwell uses alliteration to highlight the contrast of contrary words (verse 31: “my right my ruth”, verse 36: “from woe to weal”...) Throughout the poem, she is speaking from death, as an immortal figure. For Southwell, she was a Saint with a life secured in heaven (verse 14: “martyr”), since she was a devout Catholic and a symbolic figure.

Southwell's Life and Connection to Mary

Southwell belonged to the Society of Jesus, which was a major force in the Counter-Reformation against the Protestant Reformation. Jesuits were the intellectual vanguard of the Catholic Church, and this brought them political influence. Robert Southwell worked clandestinely, but he was caught, imprisoned in the Tower of London, and executed. Many of his poems were written while in prison, as is the case with “Decease Release,” and published posthumously. As we see, his biography had similarities with Mary’s. He was canonized.