Academic article
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The speech act of promise is a verbal commitment made to an audience in a particular context. A pragmatic individual would wait for the right timing and right circumstances before making a promise. This concept of suitable time associated with an action is termed as kairos. This article examines the relationship between kairos and the illocutionary speech act of promise. It argues that promise depends on the trope of kairos and follows the principles of correct time, place, and audience. To illustrate this relationship between kairos and promise, I draw upon Queen Elizabeth I’s speech to her Parliament (November 5, 1566) on the issue of her marriage and succession. Queen Elizabeth’s counsellors persuade her to marry and name an heir, but she is aware of the exigencies and does not wish to commit. A close reading of the speech has been undertaken to analyse critically how her promise is a political strategy to evade the moral responsibility of keeping the promise.
Keywords: Kairos, Promise, Queen Elizabeth I, Political Rhetoric
How to Cite: Chakraborty, N. (2026) “Promise and Kairos: A Study of Queen Elizabeth I ’s Promise to Parliament”, Moveable Type. 16(1). doi: https://doi.org/10.14324/111.444.1755-4527.2313
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