Apologies to Anne Boleyn
I forgot to post the second half of this morning's post--Sorry, Anne!
May 2nd was also the date in 1536 when Anne Boleyn was arrested and taken to the Tower of London, which would, as we know, soon lead to her execution. Anne certainly had her share of flaws, probably one reason why she continues to fascinate people so many centuries after her death. But I doubt that anyone--certainly no historian that I am aware of—believes that she was guilty of adultery and incest. Henry had truly become a monster by then, willing to sacrifice several innocent men in order to rid himself of a wife he no longer wanted. I have always thought that the Lord Mayor was one of the most courageous men in Tudor England, for he dared to say publicly after Anne’s sham of a trial that no proof had been offered of her guilt.
May 2nd was also the date in 1536 when Anne Boleyn was arrested and taken to the Tower of London, which would, as we know, soon lead to her execution. Anne certainly had her share of flaws, probably one reason why she continues to fascinate people so many centuries after her death. But I doubt that anyone--certainly no historian that I am aware of—believes that she was guilty of adultery and incest. Henry had truly become a monster by then, willing to sacrifice several innocent men in order to rid himself of a wife he no longer wanted. I have always thought that the Lord Mayor was one of the most courageous men in Tudor England, for he dared to say publicly after Anne’s sham of a trial that no proof had been offered of her guilt.
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Without a doubt, David, she was capable of being vengeful, especially where Katherine and Mary were concerned. But she was a complex woman; not enough attention has been paid to her religious motivations, for she was in the reformer camp, and so she had both personal and political reasons for urging Henry to break with the Pope.
The reform aspect is downplayed in Wolf's Hall. Any great novels about her you would recommend?
The best one I've read about her is The Concubine by Norah Lofts. It was written years ago, but stands the test of time, at least IMHO. And Lofts does what I do not think Hilary Mantel did--she shows how charming Anne could be when she put her mind to it. Clearly the woman knew how to charm; how else could she have kept Henry dangling for so many years?
A fascinating look at Anne as she has been seen by various historians over the last 500 years is "The Creation of Anne Boleyn" by Susan Bordo. From witch to victim and beyond, she seems to have been "A woman for all seasons" depending on when the historian was writing. Made me wonder what the view of her will be 50 years from now.
The HBO series about Henry VIII certainly showed Anne as a religious reformer, of course in cahoots with her father and uncle. I have to agree with David, all I have read of her demonstrates that Anne Boleyn was determined to have what she desired - a king and religious reform - no matter the cost to others. However, she did this with her father and uncles and if she was anyone's victim, she was theirs. Henry - well he lead his kingdom down a very dark road that destroyed it's finances and its religious cultural heritage.
Got around to watching episode 5 of Wolf's Hall last night. Anne is belligerent and spiteful. The actors continue to shine. I never connected with the Tudors show on HBO. I guess I was not impressed with Jonathan Rhys Meyers I got season 1 for a gift and could not finish it. I have been much more impressed with the Henry VIII played by Damian Lewis.Donna, we may disagree with the English Reformation. I do agree it was greed that led to the looting of the church's but I think the reformation itself took place for valid reasons.
Sharon, you need to live another 100 years to write about the reformation :-)
So many books, David, so little time....sigh. I'd also like to have written about the American Revolution, our first civil war. And I was tempted for a time to write a novel about the Roman Republic, during the days of the Gracchi brothers.
I have enjoyed reading the novels by Robert Harris about Cicero. I wold loved a novel about the Gracchi. After your retire the Lionhearted, what is next on your agenda?
David wrote: "Got around to watching episode 5 of Wolf's Hall last night. Anne is belligerent and spiteful. The actors continue to shine. I never connected with the Tudors show on HBO. I guess I was not impresse..."David, It's not so much disagreeing with the Reformation but the fact that the acts of Henry were for self-serving reasons. Henry's departure from the Papacy was to get a new wife and the looting was to bolster his coffers and to reapy his nobles for their "favors."
His motives may have been base, but the reformation was needed. Donna, we may have to start a new thread on the reformation, :-)
I have never read a book that made Anne loveable. I think it a shame thought that Henry did not accept her offer of a divorce in the end. But as Sharon says he had become a monster by then. I guess the controlling influence of the church, once removed made him think he was infallible. He was once a golden King. Ah well. I did buy an Anne Boleyn doll to hang on my Christmas tree along with her daughter Elizabeth.
I caught reference to this book: Blood Will Tell: A Medical Explanation of the Tyranny of Henry VII. Anybody read it?https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...
I did enjoy watching Wolf Hall I did not like the re-interpretation of Thomas Cromwell as if all the be-headings were kind of an accident that he really didn't want to do. He was a ruthless man living in ruthless times and he showed little conscience in what he did to maintain his own power-hold over Henry VIII who is actually the real villain of the piece. I think Claire Foy did an excellent job of her portrayal given the one dimensional script of her character. She was a very complex woman living in dangerous times, but with many faults.....Something took place between Anne and Cromwell that turned them into bitter foes where one would prove victorious over the other; I'd love to know what it was, but Anne lost in the end as did Cromwell some years later.I also read The Concubine and enjoyed it and found her interpretation of how quickly Henry became disenchanted with Anne Boleyn very believable.
But I do intend to re-watch Wolf Hall.....
Wasn't the enmity of Anne toward Cromwell because he was originally Cardinal Woolsey's "man" and Woolsey was opposed to Anne for her influence over Henry. In addition, Anne blamed Woolsey for not being able to persuade Rome to grant Henry an annulment. The inseparable worlds of monarchies (including Rome), alliances, nobility and birth, and borderlands make everything part of the reason for everything else. (I would like to read some authoritative historical work on the relationship between Woolsey and Cromwell because I frankly never knew about this prior to Wolf Hall.)
A mysterious event happened in Cromwell's life; he had some sort of confrontation with Anne and after that he took to his bed. When he returned he began to plot Anne's demise, she made the job easier by her behaviour towards Henry and the court.Many assume that Cromwell was always Anne's 'man' but in reality he wasn't he had had his sights set on the king and he achieved his goal.
I always thought he was loyal to Wolsey because he had nowhere else to go and perhaps he sensed that Henry's heart was not in persecuting his old friend.....Whatever the case both Anne and Cromwell paid the price for getting too close to the King....IMHO
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As for Anne, as much as a monster as Henry VIII was, she was not an angel. Ask Sir Thomas Moore, or perhaps Henry's first wife.