Bring Up The Bodies

 

By: Hilary Mantel 

Words are dominant and mystical graphemes; they have the potentiality to take one to whereabouts and destinations that never dawn onto anyone’s mind. However, powerful authoritative words get into action and gain their powerful traits with a professional word organizer only. AKA (author) *Wink*. You might think to yourself, why would she bring this up now. But I thought of praising the marvelous author whom I believe is a creative creator with a magical mind. Hilary Mantel is the genius inventive behind this publication "Bring up the bodies". Whilst the book is a historical fiction, the plot twists and the shift of events made me not only stick my nose into the pages but fantasize about the characters (who are real of course) too. Yes it’s a very perplexing feeling to put into words and enunciate. Nonetheless, it’s the magical carpet ride Aladdin promised Jasmine with, but in a word form!. 

 

Let’s leave this world behind and travel back in time. Let’s travel to the world of castles and flowy dresses. A world where we can waltz with mystery strangers until the dead of night, a world where we can withdraw from a ballroom, escalating the high staircases with our exquisite long maroon gowns falling behind. A world where we can peacefully sip our tea with a cozy vintage book in our hand. This dream of ours was once a reality of a Queen. Queen Ann Boleyn.

 

The Book is based on an important political figure within the Tudor era and court. A figure who was feared by the old and the young within the society. A sharp-witted besuited statesman who have achieved recognition through his Witt and intelligence. Not only that, but he has also participated in the coronation and termination of certain well-known queens that I’ll not be elucidating on. Yet, I’ll provide book annotations as far as this topic. 

 

You might or might not have guessed our beloved Witty Tudor Statesman. Maybe this quote might ring a bell. (Or maybe not, it’s totally fine).

"Cromwell, as a young man he was always shouldering his way through crowds, pushing to the front to see spectacle. But not crowds scatter as he walks through Westminster or the precincts of any of the King’s palaces".

 

Yes, its Cromwell. The one and only Thomas Cromwell, Master Secretary to King Henry VIII and his most trusted advisor and friend as he likes to concede. 

 

A vigorous Character as Cromwell’s is certainly feared and well respected thusly. As the author stated in the book "Women still their whispering and tug down their sleeves and settle their rings on their fingers, since he was named master of the Rolls. Kitchen debris and clerks clutter and the footstools of the slowly are kicked into corners and out of sight now that he is Master Secretary to the King.”. With that being said, Cromwell is the power and the indirect ruler of the Kingdom. 

 

Cromwell’s Charismatic personality and strength that he pulled on, even over the King himself, authorized his access to the King’s personal life too. Nonetheless, it’s important to note down that his connections and relations with Henry’s wives were not all gloomy and bloomy. Especially with Queen Ann Boleyn. 

 

Preparatory to diving into the details about Cromwell’s relations and his inner circle. Let me divulge you to one of my all-time favorite Queen consorts. as the book also revolves around her court life and the circumstances that led to her death. Albeit, it also concerns Cromwell, as he is not only a participant but a crime orchestrator too. 

 

She’s known as the martyr and the first English Queen to be executed. It’s the magnificence of style and personality that attracted people to her. A queen consort from a noble lineage, she’s the second wife of King Henry VIII, whom he married for love and the promise of conceiving a male heir. She’s Ann, the beloved Boleyn Queen. 

Ann failed fulfil her promise of conceiving a boy. Instead, she gave birth to a healthy baby girl, famously known as Queen Elizabeth I (The Virgin Queen). Queen Ann Boleyn lived a lavish life of love, passion, and glory. However, her youthful bright life ended with a strike from a French swordsman.  

 

Henry blamed Ann for her continuous miscarriages and the empty cradle that was depicted to sway a Tudor Prince. Cromwell supported the King’s arguments and abuse which led to suspicions about Ann’s religion, faith and even loyalty. As a result, Henry started to outline and design the perfect staged accusations and crimes that can be linked to her, for the sake of casing her aside through assassination. Eventually, on the 19^th of May 1536, the King’s wishes to have a Tudor Prince in the cradle was seen to be promising. The Boleyn queen was beheaded and finally out of sight. Thus, the King tied the knot with one of the queen’s ladies. Jane Seymour, Ann’s maid-in-waiting, who was also the king’s mistress and lover during Ann’s imprisonment. She was not only the King’s third wife, but she’s also the mother of the long-awaited and short-lived King Edward. 

 

If you’re familiar with Ann Boleyn, you might have different opinions in regard to her death and the charges linked to her name. Yet, if you’re not that knowledgeable about British History, please do not use Google as your driving force for accurate information. You can contact me if you’re not computer shy or get your hands on some historical articles/books related to Queen Ann Boleyn.

 

Historically speaking, Cromwell and Ann Boleyn were never fond of each other. In other words, they did hate each other for political and even personal reasons. You see, Both Cromwell and Ann Boleyn had great influence on the King. However, Ann held greater ascendency and authority. As a result, Cromwell’s relation with Ann has been intense and fragile since the beginning. Cromwell used his power and role as Master Secretary. Whereas Ann have used her power and role as the Queen of England and the mother of Princess Elizabeth. The book illustrated the perfect dialogue between Ann and Cromwell which reveals their intense hatred and rivalry. It begins with Ann stating the following, "Since, my coronation, there is a NEW England. It cannot subsist without me". Followed by Cromwell’s response "Not so, madam.. I can separate you from History". Cromwell may have separated Ann from history but not from other people’s hearts and minds. Ann Boleyn’s wisdom and books are still being analyzed and relived by going into her footsteps and mindset. 

 

Not for a moment did the deceased Boleyn Queen felt intimidated or traumatized from Cromwell’s ongoing menaces in regard to dethroning her and taking all her majestic power away. As she said "Queens come and go. So recent history has shown us". Alas, all the glory and the status that the Boleyn’s once inherited have evanesced with a strike on Ann’s neck. 

 

Amidst her captivity in the tower, the deceased queen devoted her time in prayer and formulating a valedictory articulation as for her departure from the world. Leaving behind young princess Elizabeth to the mercy of the Tudor court. Leaving behind a lavish majestic life she once had and lived. This used to be a reality of a nobility. A nobility who turned to be a queen. The first English queen to be executed. It all ended with a strike on the neck while muttering the following phrases:

·      Jesus have Mercy on Me

·      Jesus receive my soul  

 

Ultimately, I’d like to delight you with a concise chronical from the book in relation to Ann’s execution. The two quotes I’ll provide you with will eventually generate a theoretical argument about Ann and her case. Not only that, but your deep conscious intellect and the research that you might conduct will shift your position and where you stand. The book is certainly not about the Boleyn Queen, but Thomas Cromwell have had a great influence on her death and the majority of the accusations attached to her name (Nonetheless, I do respect different oppositions). 

 

-       "The Queen is alone now, as alone as she has ever been in her life”. (Pg.,472)

 

-       "The Executioner has crossed the scaffold and lifted the severed head; in a yard of linen, he swaddles it, like a newborn. He waits for someone to take the burden. The women, unassisted, lift the queen’s sodden remains into the chest. One of them steps forward, receives the head, and lays it -no other space- by the queen’s feet. Then they straighten up, each of them awash in her blood, and stiffly walk away, closing their ranks like soldiers" (Pg., 473).

 

 

 

 

Recommended Pages from the Book

 

-       First quote about Cromwell (Pg.41).

-       Further information about Cromwell (Pg. 42).

-       Queen Ann Boleyn’s quote Queens come and go .. (Pg.49).

-       Cromwell and Ann Boleyn as rivals and threats Quote (Pg.112).

-       Ann Boleyn’s miscarriages and stillbirths (Pg.112).

 

Further information about Jane Seymour

-       Jane Seymour (Pg.253).

 

Further Information about Ann Boleyn and her uncle (who supported her execution)

-       Ann and her uncle (Pg. 348).

-       Ann Boleyn’s ladies in waiting and Cromwell (Pg.350).

 

Ann’s Execution

-       Execution day/ preparation (Pg.465-476).