"Historical fiction enables us to explore a world we might not have otherwise known. How successful do you think Cue for Treason does this? Refer to its settings, characters and themes."

Cue for Treason by Geoffrey Trease opens a new world to the modern 1990s reader. Trease is able to provide a fictional adventure while painting a clear picture of country and urban England in the Elizabethan era. Trease's ability to create interesting, mysterious adventure combined with exact details on the setting , mood and characters of the time draws the reader to pay attention while keeping them guessing and wanting more. The novel is a complete success in providing the reader with a perfect sense of 16th century life.

England during the time of Elizabeth I was divided into classes as is typical in the feudal system. This system separated people according to wealth, land ownership and employment position. Trease is able to open a variety of settings, showing the differences between these social classes. Geographically, the mountainous countryside is pictured with muddy wet tracks out of London. While in London, a new city is arising with buildings, theatres and factories being constructed. Many people are suffering from poverty, roaming the streets seeking employment while nobles and the wealthy feast and party. In this realistic reconstruction, the rain is still falling in buckets, which of course will slow down the messengers on horseback. Tomorrow morning one must wake to the smell of death in the air as another poor man is publicly executed for stealing a loaf of bread. A sense of suspense, mystery, treason and infiltration fills the air as the latest rumour of a spy apparently seen in a neighbouring village is conveyed by an old man in rags in a sonnet. A mysterious man pays you to lend him the script of the latest Shakespearean drama and the plot unravels into a world of treason, reaching its climax during one of Shakespeare's finest plays at The Globe.

Each new character in Cue for Treason delivers a different view towards England of the time. Indirectly, with their words and actions, they tell of their financial and social situations. More directly, the characters are described from Peter Brownrigg's point of view as narrator. Trease especially concentrates on Peter, the main character. His emotions are brilliantly explored in such great depth that the reader can grow to sympathise with him intimately. The novel particularly highlights the characters' emotions and motives and not just their physical characteristics. This focus gives the reader of today a greater sense of involvement in being able to understand why or why not they made the choices they did. Although the novel portrays an old style of life, many of the character types are still recognisable today, especially Peter. Peter is the average teenager looking for an interesting adventure to escape the everyday routine. Adventure is one of the many themes that Trease explores as he opens up a new world to us.

Treason, adventure, English literature, drama, politics, and the Tudor monarchy and just some of the many themes Trease examines in Cue for Treason. These themes are presented in the course of Peter's adventures, first in running away from the feared Sir Philip Morton and then in the country side and in London itself. They most effectively examine the Elizabethan period and in so doing, give the reader a comprehensive picture of that society by letting the reader escape into the storyline. Such themes are also relevant to today's society, effectively offering readers the opportunity to critique contemporary society too. Adventure is always sought after by the modern teenager, and at present Australia is debating whether or not to undo its ties with England and the monarchy, and become a republic. Reflection on such issues is more easy for readers today because Trease is able to write in such a way that his themes are easily identifiable in reading.

For me, Cue for Treason has opened a whole new world of excitement. His descriptions of England under the rule of Elizabeth I are so precise and exact. This striving for the extra detail along with the thrill of an adventurous plot of Peter's life in London surely make it a classic historical novel. #

Simon D. 1999 (slightly edited)

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